Undergraduate art students: Influences affecting the career decision to major in art

Abstract

This thesis surveys 171 undergraduate art students at the University of Arizona to evaluate the effect their high school art teachers had on their career decision to enter a college art program. The parental influence is addressed. Student responses are viewed by gender, classification and major. Findings indicate the teachers influence less than 50% of their students and that parents have a greater influence in the decision process. There are definite gender differences, males talked with their parents more than females but females expressed more support from parents once in an art program. Students in commercially viable studio programs, graphic design and photography, report greater parental support.