ART 492 - Professional Practices

Career skills like portfolio development, self-promotion, networking and freelancing. Practical exercises, creating professional documents, online portfolio, applying to career opportunities, and developing a career strategy for entering the creative job market and sustaining a professional practice post-graduation.

Prerequisites: Senior Status
Possible Instructional Methods: On-ground, or Hybrid, or Online-Synchronous.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Course Typically Offered: Fall & Spring


Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Create an online portfolio of finished work demonstrating mastery of technical, formal, conceptual, and material concerns for a career in their field.
2. Research and apply for professional opportunities, including internship and job searches and submissions, interviews, grant applications, competition entries, and/or graduate school applications.
3. Develop written materials necessary for successful advancement in their field such as, resumes/Curriculum Vitaes, and cover letters.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of professional and legal issues such as copyright, intellectual property, contracts, model releases, etc., that impact their area of work. 
5. ​​Apply familiarity with current trends, networks, and developments in their field.
6. Effectively market and promote their work through personal branding, social media, and professional networks.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the logistics of freelance work, including budgeting, invoicing, and tax management.
8. Practice the interpersonal skills necessary to work with clients, collaborators, and agencies in a professional capacity.
9. Craft a career development plan for the transition from academic life to professional practice.