Art is all around us. Studying art leads to distinct career paths, depending on your specialization. A degree in art also builds skills such as creativity, persistence, problem solving and critical thinking, which are valuable in careers outside the field. UWL's Art Department blends liberal studies education with small studio classes where students gain hands-on experience. The department offers a creative and educational environment that encourages intellectual development, visual literacy and artistic production. All art majors will gain professional experience installing their own senior exhibition and learn about the business of art in the professional practices course. Art involves using creativity, imagination and technical skills to invoke an emotion, communicate an idea or appeal esthetically. Studying art allows creative expression difficult to find in many traditional college courses. It helps students build skills and values such as analysis, synthesis, evaluation, critical judgment, tolerance of ambiguity, appreciation of diversity, aesthetic literacy, and more.