About my college education: I took up Art History because I was interested in a lot of art forms but didn't have a talent for art itself. It was challenging though because it involves a lot of writing and research. All in all, it was very enjoyable since I was enthusiastic to learn about art and its socio-historical conditions.
Plus, I got to go to some places in our country during field trips.

My current job: I am a faculty member at the University of the Philippines - Pampanga, an extension program of the university I graduated in. It is located in our province in Clark Field, a former American air base and now an economic zone.
I teach Humanities courses to college students of varying levels.

Am I using what I learned in college: My degree from the university I graduated in was definitely very useful in my career. I came from the academe and I went back to work in the academe. I am still into the same career field/path from where I graduated from. I also got to go to a few countries outside my own to present some research work.

How long did it take to find a job: After graduation, I got accepted to teach almost immediately - I started to teach two months after I graduated.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Art History: For others interested in art writing and research, as well as other art-related career experience, my course/major is definitely worth taking. Other graduates from my home department/college/university got to work at different career paths - which makes us UP graduates versatile and proud of what we have learned.

About my college education: My university years were some of the best years of my life. I learned to interact with all sorts of people and while my ego got knocked down a few times, the experience made me a humbler person.
Studying Fine Arts requires not only talent but also perseverance, initiative and self-reliance. You will learn not just from your professors but also from your classmates because your teachers will not spoonfeed you.
Not a lot of math skills were required in my day. Except for some classes that will require using accurate drawing to scale.

My current job: Graphic designer for a print publication

Am I using what I learned in college: Yes, fundamental lessons about composition, balance, color combinations, sketching the human body and photography have proven invaluable in my line of work.
But some of what I learned have been made obsolete by technology, like processing film for photography and all my darkroom techniques are unused because of photoshop.

How long did it take to find a job: 6 months

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts: Yes, I would recommend this course for employment here and abroad. Lots of companies have a high regard for graduates of my school. My former classmates are now some of the best in ad agencies, tv stations, print companies and animation studios.
Contrary to popular belief, there is money and fulfillment in a fine arts course.
I have an interesting job that also allows me to paint artworks when I'm free and I'm lucky enough that the pay is enough that I don't even have to leave my family and work abroad.

Why did I choose Fine Arts major in Advertising: Designing has always been my passion and interest since I was young. When I learned about the Advertising program, I have already decided that this is the career path I want to take. The program does not only hone a person's creativity. It also develops logical thinking and deep analysis because advertising is both fine arts and marketing.

About my college education: In advertising, I have nurtured my skills in freehand drawing - it's concepts and principles. I have learned different design software. I also learned the art history and marketing. The good thing with advertising is that it prepares you to a lot of possibilities whichever career you would want to take after graduation. May it be digital animation, film, graphic design, fashion, marketing, etc.

The curriculum adapts to what is current and relevant to the industry. Each year focuses on different aspects - from fundamentals to deeper understanding and application.

To be able to survive the program, one must have the passion, patience and drive to accomplish each and every project. Only the determined goes through. One must be his own critic because he has to take pride in his art.

My current job: I am a graphic designer and a photographer.

I usually create layout, typography and branding. A graphic designer must know how to interpret a concept, visualize, art direct and execute ideas that conform as to how the client would want to sell his product/service. There should always be balance between creativity and marketing for a project's success. As for photography- I cover events. Taking pictures with good composition is not enough in events photography. The photographer must be able to capture ALL the important events from start to finish. It is very tough and challenging but the feeling of accomplishment is very rewarding.

Am I using what I learned in college: My college experience has prepared me in dealing with different types of people having their own personalities. I have become competent and aggressive. It prepared me to be mentally, physically and emotionally tough. There will always be challenges but what's important is you do not stop to learn and grow as an artist.

How long did it take to find a job: It took me less thank a month after graduation to land my first job - just enough time to build my portfolio. It was definitely a sink or swim situation.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: The opportunities for an advertising graduate are endless and it would depend on which career you will choose, your field of interest and passion.

The salary range for a fresh graduate may be around 10 to 20 thousand. As for an experienced designer, it should be around 20 to 40 thousand or more.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: It does not matter if you are not that skillful in freehand drawing or digital design because the willingness to learn and practice is what will make him/her a brilliant student.

Why did I choose Fine Arts major in Advertising: Because I loved to draw and I also wanted to be a better artist.

About my college education: The course definitely taught me how to create better artwork and designs not just on a computer but also by hand. :)
I also learned the esoterics in design (from a professor who already passed away several years ago), sculpture, photography, printing and a lot more! Everyday was an awesome experience.

The school provided students with exposure to a lot of art competitions, along with other art schools/universities.

My current job: I do freelance graphic design now but I used to work in an ad agency.

Am I using what I learned in college: Everything I learned was very useful for creating balanced and eye pleasing artwork/designs then and now.

How long did it take to find a job: 5 months because I took a break after graduation before looking for a job.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: I'd definitely recommend the course if you love creating art and designs, not just for yourself but also for other people.

Employment opportunities abound.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: Well you should just take everyday as a fun experience. :) Learning the arts and it's many fields is so wonderful. :)

Also do not ignore the minor subjects especially the Values or GMRC subjects. Those will be useful in the future.

Why did I choose Fine Arts major in Advertising: I don't know exactly why.... But when I was in 4th year high school, we have these college week were some university will go on our school to introduce there school/college and they give us brochure and other freebies and when UST handed there brochure and I was looking for the set of courses they're offering, I suddenly got curious about what is an advertising art really is, then I got home and browse the internet about that and saw that it was all about designing (computer based design) and I also heard that FEU is also offering the same course so I tried having an entrance exam on FEU and I got in. Through the years I began to long more my course and learn a lot through out my learning process.

About my college education: Studying my course was really fun maybe it's because I like what I'm doing though sometimes hard because you need a lot of patiences and sleepless nights just to finish all the plates that you have. I think when you love what you are doing you will never get tried of it and you will strive harder just to be better on what you want to do on the future. Probably the skills that you need to have is creativity and passion on this course and a lot of patience, when you don't have passion but you have creativity, the creativity that you have inside you will not shine because you don't have the passion on what you are doing and when you really like the course all the things you will learn through out your stay in the university will be fun for you and will certainly enjoy it!

My current job: None at the Moment but I am on a job hunting spree. But I'm doing freelance job right now.

Am I using what I learned in college: My professor told us that we can land on different jobs but still on the same category as my course. Especially I'm in freelance job right now I can create logo/layout for label packaging, I can create layout for ads, I can create creative brief, I can design whatever I want to design as long as I know it (lol), we are also taught how to do sculptures, fashion designing (print shirts and stuff), paint using oil/acrylic/posterpaint/watercolor/mixed media etc.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: Yes I am gladly recommending it to whoever want to take up this course because you will learn a lot you can even use it to create your own business like advertising agency, you can create your own photo studio, you can even put up a clothing line. Pertaining on the employment opportunities I'm in a job hunt right now and I have been to bunch of interviews right now and I can say that you can find lots of job opening when it come to this job.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: If you are into designing/drawing/painting/arts etc. I advice that do what you love and what you enjoy to do after all learning should be fun and enjoyable. You will learn a lot of things from manual painting/ drawing to digital arts to photography to making 3D to creating your own campaign etc.

About my college education: Advertising arts - very interesting and fun because you get to bring out the creative part in you, unless the time comes when you run out of ideas (creative block) .

Very challenging, because you must always have something fresh and unique to offer, and there are a lot of people you 'compete' with so if you have a same idea as someone, it could probably mean that your idea is common.

Stressful, with just a small time given before the deadline, you must already have your research, concept and execution done.

You might kind of need to say good bye to your social life, unless you are really good in time management.

Skills required for this course:

- analytical skills
- creative skills
- communication skills
- compassion
- competent
- copywriting skills
- drawing skills
- observational skills
- patience
- people skills
- problem solving skills

Summary:
Advertising arts is a very fun course because you get to explore different art skills such as drawing, painting, photography, video editing, and of course the major - advertising. You must be able to solve the problem given by the 'clients' (or professors) and strictly follow the rules given. Being able to meet deadline and work under pressure. Ability to work individually or with a team.

My current job: Freelancer

Am I using what I learned in college: Yes. All the basic skills needed combined. But there's still so much more to be learned in the field of arts. It is very wide with lots of softwares to be used.

How long did it take to find a job: Currently I'm a freelancer, but will find a real job soon.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: Employment opportunities:
Practically, this is not advisable if you are only going to stay in the Philippines because it's hard to find a job related to this degree if you don't have any connections inside an advertising agency. For graphic designer positions, there are a lot available but must meet the required skills. The job of this degree is more in demand in foreign countries.

Fulfilling / interesting career:
Very interesting and fulfilling especially when you see your works being published and seen by other people. Awards are also sometimes given.

Salary level:
For a starter level it is average, but as soon as you get lots of experience and established a name, the pay will eventually increase. Especially when you gain a higher position (ex. According to recent news, art director is one of the highest paying jobs)

About my college education: My course for me is quite challenging. I didn't expect that it would require a lot of skills. For example, you need rendering skills for your Arts and Color subject; Technical skills for graphics related subjects; modeling skills for model & construction class; and of course a wild imagination for all your plates and projects that you need to submit within a week. Though it is hard, I enjoyed it because I like building and making stuff. When I graduated, I wished that I've given more effort to my plates because when you look back, its so much fun to do. Being in this course is also expensive. Besides buying coloring materials which costs quite a fortune already, you need to buy all those modeling stuff like resin, styrofoam, foamboard, mighty bond etc.

My current job: I am a freelance Graphic Artist & Business woman

Am I using what I learned in college: Actually for me, its really different when you're already working. They say that you learn the most outside your school. Its true, I learned a lot in the company where I used to work. However, regarding the things that im using that I learned in UST, I must say that learning about the different materials for products (rattan, types of papers, resin, styrofoam, metal, wood etc) gave me an edge. I can immediately distinguish what kind of materials I could use, I dont need to ask anybody about it. Our professors taught us a lot when it comes to materials and processes. Also, things such as creating displays and models are very handy in the visual merchandising department.

How long did it take to find a job: I got my first interview after a day of submitting my resume to the company. Then I got accepted and stayed there for 2 1/2 years.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Industrial Design: YES! Actually, you can find a lot of industrial design related jobs in other countries such as Singapore and Europe. Here in the Philippines, I think there are quite a few jobs. But as an industrial designer, you could also take advertising jobs like what I did. It actually depends on what you really want as your job. For me, I like graphic design, so even though I didnt take an Advertising course, I can still do it because I love using Photoshop. Its actually up to you. The salary level depends also on the company. But if you work as an industrial designer, the income is higher than graphic artists.

Why did I choose Fine Arts major in Advertising: I chose this course because I really love arts and fashion at the moment when I was deciding on what course to take up.

About my college education: The whole course of Advertising is stressful but super fun. We get loads of assignments from making sculptures to making magazines. There were no boring class because the professors are so good in what they do they make you want to listen and know more about the subject.

It was quite difficult to pass the exams you really need to stay up all night to finish an exam because mainly there are two types of exams in our course. First, is the written exams which you take in school & the Second one is the take home one because it's about making sculptures, figure drawing, making comic books, conceptualizing an ad campaign and many other things.

In this course you really must be hardworking and organized to be able to finish everything on time so that you would be able to pass the subjects and the whole course. But even after all that the whole program is enjoyable learning is actually not that hard and stressful because you are having fun doing it.

My current job: I just started looking for a job.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: If ever you consider taking up Advertising or Fine arts in general, my main advice is that you should really love arts and the whole concept of it, because when you do something you have to do it not because you have to, but because you want to. And it will be really hard for you to make an art or anything in general if you don't really have the heart for it. In fine arts everything is about appreciation and inspiration because what you are doing is not just anything, you're creating something new, something beautiful, something breath taking, you're making an art.

Why did I choose Fine Arts major in Visual Communication: I chose to study in this particular course to enhance my ability and capability in terms of Virtual Communication and this course is my dream in life.

About my college education: I had learned in this course about the types of letters and their structures, word and line spacing, letter sizes and forms, layout formats, and their application of the production of books, magazine, pamphlets and etc.

The most difficult was the production methods. The most useful thing that I'd learned is to be more productive. Exams were pretty difficult, but then we handle and pass the exams very well. Some failed, but then they repeat it again and passed it. No one got shifted to another course.

You need determination to succeed and faith to be productive.

My current job: I am working a Virtual Communication Assistant that acts and leads to gather some productive designs and photography.

Am I using what I learned in college: I learned in college about the concept of design, the factors that influence it and emerging trends in the Philippine design market that are very useful in my current jobs.

How long did it take to find a job: It took only one week after graduation before I was hires.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Visual Communication: A lot of Employment Opportunities for this course which provides good assessment in terms of photography.

Salary for fresh graduates - 10,000 - 15,000.
Experienced Employee - 20,000 - 25,000.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: I can advice to people who are considering studying this course to be a positive thinker and continue and imagining new productive works and image.

About my college education: I graduated from far eastern university and took up the course of fine arts for five years. I love doing what I love and I love my course because art is my passion. I can't imagine myself taking up other courses.
As a fine art student, I can express myself through art. Expressing yourself is important in oneself's life, that's why I'm happy and contented with my life right now. it's not about drawing or talent, it's all about what is your "passion".

My current job: For now I'm looking for a job, I'm a fresh graduate.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: My message to all incoming freshmen, just follow your dream. Find what you love then persue it. Try and try and do not give up on your dreams. Do not be afraid of failure there are learnings from it. Take failures as an opportunity to grow as a person. If you also love art, follow what your heart tells you. It's not only about how higher salary you will get someday, but finding your purpose. Always pray and ask for God's guidance. If God's plan and purpose fulfilled in my life, then I'll become art director someday, I do not regret anything, because that is my dream and because I follow my heart and do what I really love. Godbless :)

About my college education: College at first was so scary for me, because I have no idea on how college life works. When times go by I told my self "college is not hard and bad" :)

With my course Fine Arts and Design, students who want to take this course should somehow knows how to draw, creativity, can work under pressure, and most especially people who can stay up all night just to finish all the plate... I spend all night doing my plates. I get a few hours of sleep doing it but it's okay for me because I love what I am doing.

As an advertiser you should be a critical thinker, you should think outside the box, you should be creative. Most importantly you should know how to use adobe Photoshop and other adobe soft wares. Marketing is also being thought to us.

The most important thing that a student should be having is their love and passion on what they want to do, in order for him/her to cherish all of his/her experience with the course they are taking. I suggest pick the course that you truly want to do and love.

My current job: Currently I dont have a job yet, still finding a good company that I could work in.
But Manila Bulletin where in I took and finished my OJT wants me back to their company so, I have a first choice pending already.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: Yes, I fully recommend there are a lot of jobs to apply for this course but one thing that you should put in their mind is in the advertising world COMPETITION is very strong. So do your best to be on top and be creative as possible, up until you will be an Art Director of your agency :)

About my college education: Being a fine arts student was my passion. I came from UPLB with a medical degree in Veterinary medicine. I shifted to fine arts while I was in my 4th year of medicine. I was only forced to take it and I honestly I didn't enjoy every moment of it. I excel in humanities though average when it comes to science etc. But being a fine arts student gave me a fulfilling education. I excel in everything I do and even become a student leader.

My current job: Design consultant in Makati

How long did it take to find a job: For about three months

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts: For those who love art this would be a perfect course. in a sense that it is liberating and fun. in work you have to take extra effort reading about designs and think outside the box. When people say you are different, embrace it because being different is what we all wanted to be.

Use your connections and be passionate about your job always. Love it and be enthusiastic about it.

About my college education: School is basic, you go to school to have fun and make friends. Creativity is a must skill.

My current job: Graphic Artist

Am I using what I learned in college: Yes, simple principles and techniques, but I prosper those skills myself. Basically college will teach you the basics and you must be the one to develop it.

How long did it take to find a job: I was a working student

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts: No, take the course that you want. Be happy with your job, if you don't like your job, QUIT!
On the salary part, find a company that has a good boss, salary is nothing compared to a good bossthat will not stress you out -- lets say you earn good income but you have a boss yelling at you every day!

Why did I choose Fine Arts in Creative Writing: Because of my passion for writing and willingness to improve.

About my college education: Being a student of play-writing, it was easy yet challenging at the same time because of my involvement in theater. Skills and attitude to survive the course include humility (you will have to endure numerous workshops and criticisms) and an ever-open mind for creativity.

My current job: I am taking a double major in Theater Arts, but I have applied to jobs around and have received offers from companies.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts in Creative Writing: I would recommend this course for people who want to live their life to the fullest as a writer. Money will come sooner or later, just keep doing what you want and do your very best.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: Give every genre a chance - I didn't know I was meant for play-writing when I first entered the university.

About my college education: A student must have the determination, creativity, sense of balance and must have the skill to interpret emotions though works of art.

My current job: MTP Production, Photographer

Am I using what I learned in college: yes, I am using my creativity for editing and taking fashion photos.

How long did it take to find a job: 2 months from graduation

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts: yes.

About my college education: You should have the talent and passion for Arts and of course know how to draw all kinds of mediums.

My current job: Eligible Advisor

Am I using what I learned in college: Some of the things I've learned.

How long did it take to find a job: After I finish my school, me and my brother put up a business and later on, I put up my own so it takes almost 5 years when I decided to work.

Do I recommend studying Fine Arts major in Advertising: Absolutely.