The philosophy of the Fine Arts Department centers on the concept that observational skills are the cornerstone of all visual art disciplines.

 In the Fine Arts Department, the focus is on the individual. Studio classes are small, and students from beginners to majors receive individual instruction. 

Every student is encouraged to develop the physical and critical skills necessary to create art. The philosophy of the department is that observational skills are the cornerstone of all visual art disciplines. Cognition and processing information are key skills for any discipline—in the humanities or the sciences—and for this reason art at Haverford is specifically geared towards enhancing visual perception. Such finely tuned skills can benefit anyone professionally and personally.  The fine arts courses offered by the department are structured to accomplish the following:

For students not majoring in fine arts: to develop a visual perception of form and to present knowledge and understanding of it in works of art. 

For students intending to major or to minor in fine arts: beyond the foregoing, to promote thinking in visual terms and to foster the skills needed to give expression to these in a coherent body of art works. 

About 20 percent of Haverford students take fine arts courses while enrolled in the College. The students who major in fine arts and wish to continue their education are usually accepted at the professional graduate art school of their choice. Our alumni are distinguished professionals, active in the visual creative arts and allied fields.  

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