Business of Art & Design BA Degree
Looking for a unique and personalized program to help you bridge the gap between creativity and business design management? The Business of Art and Design major at Ringling College is for you. Master the skills of a project management degree and business design management all rolled into one. Explore the principles of marketing and design, production management, and learn to collaborate with others. Our students start their careers equipped with a multifaceted skill set that allows maximum adaptability in the professional world. Business of Art and Design grads are redefining what ‘business’ means today; the need to pivot, adapt, design, refine, and problem solve. They go on to freelance and work for companies around the world including DreamWorks, Panasonic, Deloitte, Feld Entertainment, and Pixar. 
Business of Art and Design
Creativity meets business management in this BA program.
Business of Art and Design: Student Work
Business of Art and Design Senior Thesis Exhibition Reel 2018
Behind the scenes story of the Wet Dog Corp. Brand Activation at South by Southwest
Behind the Scenes: Artists Minding Their Business
INDEX: A Strategy to Redefine Experiential Learning
Student Work: Samples
Legal Limbo: The Intersection of Law and Storytelling
Through exclusive interviews with entertainment attorneys and studio executives at various media powerhouses (Warner Bros, National Geographic, DreamWorks Animation, HBO), Legal Limbo: The Intersection of Law and Storytelling explores the ever-changing legal dynamics of various creative sectors within Hollywood’s multibillion dollar media and entertainment industry, including exclusive insight into entertainment law, film and television, intellectual property, and emerging trends and innovations that will leave a lasting impact for years to come. This senior thesis project was produced by Emily Fritz, class of 2020.
Land of Oz: International Management Theme Park Pitch
This project takes business strategy to the global stage. Students conduct global industry and market research to develop a business proposal for a new retail, dining, or entertainment venue in a country of their choosing. Land of Oz, produced by Iana Prakheeva and Emily Fritz, brings the magic of the Wizard of Oz to life in Canterbury, England.
Pixie Dusk: Studio Strategy and Game Production
This senior thesis project put creative business skills into practice for a real-world client. In a partnership with the Lewis Foundation, senior Pablo Murray-Campbell coordinated the production of two visual novels and devised a strategy to transform a game development startup into a scalable and sustainable business. Pixie Dusk will operate as the first major independent studio to consistently develop and self publish high quality English-language visual novels.
Magical Mom: Production Management for Animation
Want to know everything a production manager does behind the scenes? This thesis book by Yu Ting Lin, class of 2018, takes readers on the journey from pre-production to distribution. Go behind the scenes of the animated short, Magical Mom.
The Desirable Pet Initiative: Creative Project Management
With a mission of reducing the length of stay for “less adoptable pets,” this initiative proposed five interconnected programs: a social media plan, event plan, volunteer program, mobile shelter plan, and a new facility plan for the client, Bishop Animation Shelter, a local non-profit organization. This project was produced in second year Business of Art and Design Class, Project Management.
Art Ovation: Research and Brand Development
This client project was produced by second and third year students in the Business program. Tasked with exploring new approaches to communicating and delivering the brand promise, the findings presented here by the research team ultimately informed the creative strategies behind three campaigns that were pitched to hotel ownership at the end of the spring 2019 semester.
Turning Passion Into Profession
Business of Art and Design Alumni: Where are they now?
Graduates of this BA degree program find success across industries as production coordinators, new product managers, marketing managers, brand strategists, backstage managers, and creative entrepreneurs. You will find them anywhere business and creativity intersect!
Sarah Kambara '14
Producer
Chromosphere
“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.
Emily Fritz '20
Production Assistant
Dreamworks Animation
"The magic of Ringling’s business program is that it immediately sets you apart. In my internship experience at Warner Bros, I wasn’t expected to have any design capabilities, but I excelled because I did. Now as a Production Assistant at DreamWorks, I find myself capable of things far beyond my job description, because the business program covered all the bases."
Nada Khan’18
Strategist
Heat/Deloitte Digital
“I am a foreign citizen and I want people to understand why I chose to study business at an art school. At Ringling College, I put myself out there, made connections, got internships, and tried my best to work in teams. Fortunately, I found the right team that embraced my creative approach to business and appreciated my education greatly.”For Nada, making sure she has job opportunities has always been a priority. So, when it came time, she enrolled at Ringling College as a Business of Art and Design major where she learned to think creatively and strengthen her skills as a creative strategist. Upon graduation, Nada was offered a strategy internship at Deloitte Digital in New York. The internship turned into a full-time associate strategist position by the end of the summer.
Wendy Oliva ‘15
Assistant Marketing Manager and Show Coordinator
Juki America, Inc.
Alexandra R. Tibbe ‘14
Freelance Film Production
Art Department, Prop Master, and Art Director Assistant
Ayu Saraswati ’14
Product Owner - Digital Strategy
US Bank
Pablo Murray-Campbell, ‘20
Associate Producer
Blue Mammoth Games
Iana Prakheeva, ‘20
Associate Producer
MAKE
Ally Sage ‘16
Production Coordinator
DreamWorks TV Animation
Daisy Lora ‘16
Freelance Producer and Unit Production Manager
Film and Entertainment
Keith Nielsen ‘15
Freelance (theatre)
Costume and Prop Designer
Siouxsie Connor ’13
Marketing and Graphic Art
Sun Hydraulics
Nazanin Varasteh ‘14
Senior Brand and Marketing Manager
Solico Group
Sarah McCauley ‘12
Associate Marketing Manager
Game Developers Conference (GDC)
Agneta Ramoskaite ‘13
Operations Manager
Monster Jam at Feld Entertainment
Macenzie Meggison ‘ 17
Marketing Specialist
ddc domus design collection
Andy Angstadt '14
Engagement Specialist
Presence
Taylor A. Reed ‘12
Managing Partner
MR Melty, LLC
Lisa M. Szaraz ‘13
Owner
Garden City Pets
Lauren Huber ‘14
Proposal Coordinator, Business Development
WSP USA
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.
Contact Us
We're happy to answer any questions you may have, just send us an email at the addresses below.
Admissions Questions (applying, portfolio, transfers, deadlines, events)
admissions@ringling.edu
General Questions
info@ringling.edu
Media Inquiries
(contact, releases, news)
Accessibility Inquiries
communications@ringling.edu