Business of Art & Design
As a Business of Art and Design student at Ringling College, you will join a unique group of students who want to work on the business side of creative companies, hand-in-hand with artists and designers. You will have a unique opportunity to collaborate on projects with students across all majors at Ringling College, including Computer Animation, Illustration, Fine Arts, Game Art, Graphic Design, Photography & Imaging, and Film. A variety of interdisciplinary course offerings and open elective slots help you tailor your academic experience to your interests and your future. You will learn about entrepreneurship, producing and production management, strategic planning, marketing, and creative leadership. And no matter your area of focus, you will graduate ready to put your business skills to work in a wide range of creative industries. Graduates of the Business program at Ringling College have a special advantage on the job market because they understand how creative organizations, companies, and startups work. They recognize strategic business objectives, can effectively communicate with diverse teams, and are often trusted in client-facing roles. They are team leaders trained to facilitate the creative process to produce innovative work and bring a creative vision to life. More About Our Program Course Descriptions upNEXT Pitch Competition for High School Students For questions or transfer options, contact: Kathleen Sobr, Department Head
Boldly lead creative teams.
BA Program
Awards & Accolades
2018 BOAD Senior Thesis Exhibition
Don't miss this year's senior thesis work, now in Richard & Barbara Basch Gallery at the Larry R. Thompson Academic Center through May 3rd.
Turning Passion Into Profession
Where are they now?
Our graduates waste no time. Check out some of the amazing places our alumni have landed!
Sarah Kambara '14
Production Coordinator
Pixar
“This program offers many opportunities to discover and advance your career. And it’s different from other business schools—you learn the hard skills and become business minded, but you learn in way that is molded toward the creative mind.”
Sarah transferred to the Business of Art and Design program to work with artists. Here, she fell in love with animation, and her internship and thesis experience only deepened her desire to work in the industry. Knowing that creative giants such as Walt Disney Animation Studios also need business-minded managers, she applied for a position and was accepted. Now with Pixar, Sarah is excited to take her career to the next level.
Keith Nielsen '15
Creative Freelancer
Film & TV
“More and more I see the need for business thinkers in the creative world. We serve as connectors because we know the creative language and workflow, as well as what is needed to run a department.”
Since graduating in 2015, Keith has worked in the costume department on two seasons of Mozart in the Jungle and costume designed actor Justin Long’s web series. The Business of Art and Design program taught him how to work as a creative thinker and manager, concepting ideas, presenting them, and supporting them with research and analysis.
These valuable skills empower Keith to work in many different creative fields—which he continues to do as a Creative Freelancer.
Wendy Oliva '15
Marketing Coordinator
Juki America, Inc.
“The Business of Art and Design program taught me how the worlds of business and design create symphony. Now everything is coming together—my passion for sewing, my shop on Etsy, and my marketing experience and education.”
Wendy has run an Etsy shop since 2010, even dedicating her senior thesis project to building a business plan for her hand-sewn craft business. At Ringling, Wendy used her business and design acumen to successfully brand and build her company, which led her into the field of marketing and opened up the door to a dream job offer—working with international sewing giant, Juki America, Inc.
Martha Patouris ‘18
Video Brewery | Operations Coordinator
Nada Khan ‘18
Heat + Deloitte Digital | Associate Strategist
Devin Lee Ostertag ’12
Discover Space Organizing | Creative Entrepreneur
Taylor Reed ’12
SteelHouse | Account Manager
Aseel Kreishan ‘13
Panasonic | Marketing Specialist
Siouxsie Connor ’13
Sun Hydraulics | Marketing & Graphic Art
Keith Nielsen ‘15
Freelance (theatre) | Costume and Prop Designer
Agneta Ramoskaite ‘13
Feld Entertainment | Operations Coordinator
Lisa Szaraz ‘13
The Zebra | Office and Culture Manager
Sarah Kambara‘14
JibJab Bros. Studios | Producer
Ayu Saraswati ’14
Capital One | Product Owner
Alexandra Tibbe ‘14
Freelance (film)| Art Department, Prop Master, and Art Director Assistant
Wendy Oliva ‘15
Juki America | Marketing Coordinator
HappyCosmos | Creative Entrepreneur
Nikelle Mackey ’16
TCG Entertainment | Marketing and Booking Coordinator
Daisy Lora ‘16
Freelance (film) | Producer and Unit Production Manager
Ally Sage ‘16
DreamWorks Animation | Production Assistant
Andrés Bronnimann ‘18
BE Latinoamérica | Creative Entrepreneur
See more career opportunities on our career support page.
Opportunities for Business of Art and Design students
Business of Art and Design has invited high-level executives and creative professionals from top companies and nonprofit organizations to visit Ringling College and lead interactive presentations and discussions for Business of Art and Design students and students from all of the majors on campus. These professionals share their work experiences and current projects, as well as give advice and information about their industries. In addition, many of the Visiting Creative Leaders work hands-on with students on various projects. Past speakers include leaders from Disney, Cirque de Soleil, MTV, DreamWorks, and many more.
Join our official campus television network and learn to interview, shoot, produce, and broadcast meaningful content taking place on our campus and in our community. Support the arts community, spreading the word about both local talent and international artists and designers while gaining hands-on experience in TV production.
We are proud to say that every Ringling student, regardless of major, is guaranteed the opportunity to gain professional work experience. Our Collaboratory Commitment pairs teams of Ringling students with local businesses to give students a taste of real-world projects, expectations, and deadlines. Facilitated by Collaboratory staff, students will meet with clients looking for creative, unconventional solutions to their branding and design challenges and execute the entire creative process of concepting, presenting, and building campaigns that meet their demands.