The Art Academy’s goal regarding undergraduate education is to prepare students for life as practicing professional artists.

The Professional Component is a three-credit course taken during the students' third year of study at the AAC.  It provides a professional work experience to augment their studio and academic course work. The selection of a Professional Component is based on thoughtful consideration of each student's goals, what the student wants to learn and achieve in a productive and valuable work experience.  Students will work directly with their advisors and instructors in selecting the best professional component.

Fine Arts Internship:  The student interns/apprentices in a "real world" learning experience which helps the student with their professional development, career decision making and experience as a working artist.

Communication Arts Internship:  The student interns/apprentices in a professional design studio, advertising agency, or corporate design office.  This experience provides the student with professional work experience in the design field.

Museum Studies Internship:  This Professional component gives the student the experience of working in a museum environment and writing an art historical or museum studies research paper.

Professional Practice Studio:  This Professional Component is based on pre-selected projects designed to provide a valuable and productive work experience in a professional environment outside of the Art Academy.

Academy Design Service: A design class organized and operated as a professional design studio providing design, illustration and photographic services for the Art Academy in-house publications, as well as outside clients.