Visual Arts in SHS – Elective Subjects, Career Pathways and more
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Junior high school students who are ready to continue to senior high are required to choose a course they would like to pursue. Often when you decide to pursue Visual Arts in senior high, people try to talk you out of it and rather propose you study Business, Science or at least General Arts.
In this post, we will look at what the Visual Arts course in senior high school covers, career pathways and a list of subjects available in senior high schools in Ghana.
What is Visual Arts?
Visual Arts Involve various art forms including painting, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, graphic designing and more.
As a Visual Arts student in Ghana, you will learn and master the various skills in selected areas like Ceramics, Picture Making, Textiles and Graphic Designing. Almost every Visual Arts student is also required to study General Knowledge in Art (GKA), this covers extensively from history all the way to modern art and the people who shaped it.
Who should study Visual Arts?
Who should study Visual Arts? Anyone who is driven toward arts or interested in pursuing art-related careers should study Visual Arts. Back in the day, those who are skilled in drawing were the only ones encouraged to pursue Visual Arts. Also, it was assumed those that who are not book-smart are the ones who usually apply for Visual Arts, however, these myths are all not true.
Visual Arts is a great course that is specially created to give skills and knowledge to anyone who aims to pursue an art career.
List of Visual Art Elective Subjects in SHS in Ghana
Below is the list of Visual Art subjects in senior high schools in Ghana;
- General Knowledge in Art
- Textiles
- Picture Making
- Ceramics & Sculpture
- Graphic Design
- Literature in English
- Leather Work
- Basketry
- Economics
- French
Kindly note: Students are required to choose between 3 and 4 depending on the ones offered in their choice of school.
Core Subjects for Visual Arts Students in Ghana
Below are the core subjects every Visual Arts student in Ghana offers;
- Core Mathematics
- Integrated Science
- English Grammar
- Social Studies
These core subjects are standard throughout all other courses in senior high school in Ghana.
Careers you can pursue with Visual Arts
Visual Arts open various pathways for students who pursue the course, below is a list of careers you can pursue through Visual Arts;
- Visual Artist
- Art Director
- Graphic Designer
- Web Designer
- Motion Designer
- Fashion Designer
- Filmmaker
- Photographer
- Animator
- Tattooist
- Interior Decorator
- Set Designer
- Make-up Artist
Some common myths about studying Visual Arts
Below are some common myths about studying Visual Arts in Ghana
| Myth | Truth |
|---|---|
| Visual Arts course is only about drawing | No, there is a dedicated subject called Picture Making which covers painting and illustrations, art is not only about drawing, even combining meat, rice and stew can be art. |
| There is no job after Visual Arts education | There are so many career paths for students pursuing Visual Arts, you can become a graphic designer, web designer, film editor, animator, etc and these are all skill-oriented careers that live with you forever. |
| There are no Visual Arts degree programmes | There are many Visual Arts degree programmes that take you fully into Arts (Industrial Arts, Fine Arts, etc). However, you can also branch out to pursue Multimedia Design, IT and many other programmes. |
| Visual artists are paid small compared to Doctors and other professions | Visual artists mostly determine the price of their service or art piece, entry-level visual artists are also paid very well and are mostly dependent on how great their work is. Visual artists can easily work multiple jobs. |
| The visual Arts industry is for men | The visual Arts industry is not for men alone, never. Women are also dominating with brilliant artworks, working in major design and clothing companies like Nike and Addidas. There are so many women also in interior decor, set design, filmmaking and other design spaces. |
Frequently Asked Questions about Studying Visual Arts
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about studying Visual Arts and the answers;
Yes, you can study IT at the university with Visual Arts in Ghana, you just need at least A1 – C6 in English, Maths and Science and A1 – C6 in any three of your elective subjects to apply.
The best course in SHS you should offer if you want to become a photographer is Visual Arts, this course covers almost everything about art and design with most learnings on compositions, elements of design and more. This is best for you if you aim at becoming a photographer in future.
No, Visual Art teachers in SHS do not teach Graphic Design using Photoshop or Illustrator, they teach what Graphic Design really is, the knowledge and skill you need to help you in your design career, it is the same knowledge software like Photoshop and Illustrator are built, after acquiring the knowledge, you can easily learn the software and tools you need to apply your knowledge.
Yes, you can study law with Visual Arts in Ghana. You can do this by applying to study a regular 4-year programme at the university and upon completion, you apply to law school or you can apply straight to law school if you meet the cut-off point.
No, you will need Elective Maths to apply for a Computer Science programme at the university in Ghana which is not available for Visual Arts students. However, you can apply for IT with Visual Arts and later do masters in your preferred Computer Science field of study.
Conclusion
Visual Arts is a great course for students who are most enthusiastic about art or interested in pursuing an art-related programme at the university. Although people are likely to talk you out of pursuing Visual Arts, you should rather focus on your goals and be determined to reach them.
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