Best Courses After 12th Arts – Top Career Options for Arts Students

Nearly 40% of Indian students opt for the Arts stream after completing their 12th. With a much broader scope, Arts offers several creative, academic, as well as professional roles, such as psychology, journalism, interior design, and digital marketing.

However, few of these students often grapple with Arts-related myths about being “easy” or comparatively less rewarding than other streams.

This blog is here to clear all such misconceptions (forming the tip of the iceberg) and help guide you through the best courses by the renowned institutes like AAFT, lucrative options in your progressive career, and practical tips for choosing the right Courses After 12th Arts​. Let’s get the knowledge wheel rolling!

Why Choose Arts Courses After 12th?

Pursuing Courses after 12th Arts completing you can open up various possibilities. It allows you to deep dive into diverse levels of fields, such as literature, sociology, psychology, and history.

Benefits of Pursuing Arts Courses After 12th

Pursuing an art degree is a popular 12th-student choice, especially for those who have the Arts or Humanities as their core subjects in their previous academics. Here are some compelling reasons for choosing an art degree after completing your 12th:

1. Natural Choice: An art degree is a natural progression of students who studied Arts in class 12th. It allows them to gain advanced levels of knowledge in subjects continuously for which they are already familiar. This enables a smoother and more enriching transition.
2. Career Prospects: Arts graduates have diverse levels of career opportunities in both the government as well as in the private sectors. The comprehensive Art Course knowledge gained makes them well-suited for various roles.
3. Soft Skills Development: The arts degree focuses on essential soft skills development, such as critical thinking, analytical ability, and effective communication. These skills are important for personal and career growth and are highly cherished in the job market. This helps graduates excel in their career paths.

Debunking The Common Misconceptions About the Arts Stream

There are several misconceptions about pursuing an Arts degree that require immediate address. Here are some common myths related to the Arts stream:

1) There is No Real Arts Degree: Contrary to this belief, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) is a legitimate three-year degree at the undergraduate-level for students who are looking for professional arts education. The course is highly valued and cherished by aspirants who aim to pursue creative-driven roles in fashion design and hotel management.

This can be followed by a two-year Master of Arts (MA) postgraduate course, which provides a structured and comprehensive art education.

2) Arts Degree is a Waste of Time: An arts degree is not at all a waste of time. In fact, through these courses, students can gain real industrial exposure, build valuable connections with professionals who are working in this industry, and enjoy a transformative experience.

For those who possess high passion and creativity, the college experience prepares them to be ready to face any kind of industrial challenge and offers learning and growth opportunities.

3) Studying Arts Is Easy: The notion that studying arts is easy is not correct. While the curriculum may differ from other fields, it requires significant time and effort. Students are graded on the creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking scale.

Art students often spend as much time, if not more, on your studies as cross-disciplinary students. They dedicate 30 hours per week roughly to your coursework, research, and internships.

What Are the Courses After 12th Arts?

Explore a variety of courses available after 12th Arts, including career-focused programs in humanities, design, law, and management, opening diverse opportunities for creative and professional growth.

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Degree Programs

Choosing the right degree program after 12th Arts is the first step toward building a successful career. The Arts stream offers a wide range of degree programs catering to creative, academic, and professional aspirations. Here are some popular degree options:

Bachelor of Arts (B.A)

Bachelor of Arts Courses​ is a versatile program at the undergraduate level that allows students to delve into various humanities and social science-related subjects. Some of the popular specializations include:

• English Literature: It focuses on English literature’s complexities while including poetry, drama, fiction, and literary criticism.
• Sociology: It dives into human society, social structures, institutions, and social phenomena.
• Psychology: It studies the details of human behavior, cognition, emotions, and mental processes
• Political Science: It analyzes all types of national political systems, government institutions, political ideologies (left-wing & right-wing), and international relations.
• History: It explores events, periods, and civilizations related to historical events and socio-political developments.

B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication

If you have strong broadcast or digital journalism interest, pursuing a BJMC could be a fantastic choice. This Bachelor of Arts Course covers a broad topic range, ranging from media ethics and law to and public relations.

You will also be learning about various other levels of fields such as English, journalism, and communications. After passing your BJMC degree successfully, you will have plenty of career options, such as reporter, copywriter, editor, public relations specialist, or news anchor.

B.Des. in Fashion or Interior Design

A Bachelor of Interior Design is a comprehensive undergraduate degree course typically four years in duration. It explores the various diverse concepts related to interior spaces, aesthetics, functionality, ergonomics, and spatial design knowledge.

The key curriculum in this course includes principles of interior design, planning of efficient spaces, furniture design, lighting design, color theory, how to incorporate materials and finishes, and interior house construction.

B.Sc. in Animation & VFX

A B.Sc Animation & VFX is a three-year program at the undergraduate level that is designed for aspirants after your 12th completion or similar qualification with at least 50% marks in your secondary schooling.

This Courses After 12th Arts dives into the exciting realm of animation and visual effects (VFX). It’s an ideal aspirant choice who has a strong inclination for creativity as well as for art.

Diploma Programs

Diploma programs after 12th Arts are an excellent choice for students looking to gain specialized skills in a shorter duration. These programs are career-focused and designed to provide practical knowledge, making them ideal for quick entry into the professional world. Here are some popular diploma options:

Diploma in Event Management

An Event management diploma is a one-year course where students learn about event planning, execution, and weddings, conferences, concerts, and corporate gatherings organization.

In addition, the course prepares students with the much-required knowledge and skills to handle diverse levels of event planning stages. This includes budgeting, venue selection, vendor management, logistics, marketing, and on-site coordination.

Diploma in Digital Marketing

The digital marketing field is rising at a rapid pace in the 21st century! A diploma in this field teaches aspiring students about topics related to website rankings through online marketing, such as web analytics, SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing.

By joining this Art Course, you can learn some of the most helpful ways to develop marketing strategies, create engaging content, and analyze campaign performance.

Management Courses

Management courses are a popular choice for Arts students looking to build a career in leadership, business, and organizational roles. These programs provide a strong foundation in management principles, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Here are some top management courses after 12th Arts:

BBA

A BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) is a three-year undergraduate degree course that dives into the business management and administration complexities. By pursuing this Art Course, you can also explore various other business principles like marketing strategies, financial planning, and organizational behavior.

Moreover, you will be studying human resources, operations management, and entrepreneurship. After completing this course, you can step up in various entry-level managerial roles in corporate firms, banks, and in the consulting company sectors.

Bachelors in Event Management

Event management is a specialized field that teaches students about the strategies to successfully planning, organising, and executing events. These include weddings, conferences, concerts, exhibitions, corporate gatherings, and other key events.

After completing this Bachelor of Event Management degree, students can look forward to pursuing roles such as wedding planner, conference organizer, and event marketer.

Bachelors in Tourism and Travel Management

Tourism and travel management field is both exciting and  emerging. It focuses on developing the key professional skills to work in travel management agencies, hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise lines, and tourism destinations.

After completing this Bachelors in tourism and travel management, you can pursue various career choices like travel agents, tour operators, hotel managers, event planners, destination managers, and tourism consultants.

High-Salary Professions for Arts Students

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The high-salary professions for art students blend creativity with technical expertise. They open doors to design, marketing, fashion, media, and other diverse industries.

1)   Graphic Designer

Salary and Benefits

Graphic designers generally tend to attract a high salary, depending on their experience, location, and industrial reputation. The key benefits of becoming one can include health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Career Growth and Opportunities

After completing the Courses After 12th Arts, graphic designers can go up the hierarchy roles, such as art director or creative director. For this, you must attain relevant experience and a strong practical portfolio in a diverse range of tasks pertaining to graphic design.

Skills and Qualifications Required

Graphic designers need strong levels of creative and technical skills. They should be design software proficient such as Adobe Creative Suite. They should also possess a strong color theory, typography, and layout principles related understanding.

2)   User Experience (UX) Designer

Salary and Benefits

UX designers in India can expect good salary packages of anywhere around 8,00,000 INR. Although this can vary based on experience and location. For instance, Mumbai and Bengaluru can attract higher salaries than in Delhi and Kolkata. However, these professionals have a significant potential for fast career growth.

Career Growth and Opportunities

The UX design field offers numerous career advancement opportunities. UX designers can enter senior roles such as UX manager and user experience director through relevant experience alongside a robust portfolio.

Skills and Qualifications Required

To pursue a role as UX designer, you typically need strong communication skills, empathy, and collaboration skills, along with technical research abilities, information architecture, wireframing, and prototyping.

Many UX designers typically begin their journey with an undergraduate degree in this or related domain and gain experience through short-term Art Courses, certifications, and practical projects along the way.

3)   Fashion Designer

Salary and Benefits

Fashion designers can expect higher salaries which are based on what their experience, location, and employer type they are working for. For example, entry-level positions could attract lower wages, although there is massive room for lucrative growth in the future.

Career Growth and Opportunities

The fashion design field offers diverse levels of career advancement opportunities. After completing your Courses After 12th Arts, designers can move into senior roles, such as head designer or creative director, with your steepening experience and a strong portfolio. They should also be specialized in areas like sustainable fashion, textile design, or fashion technology that can also open up new paths in your bright careers.

Skills and Qualifications Required

To become a fashion designer, one typically needs a strong art and design academic background, alongside excellent communication and problem-solving skills. In addition, you also require an undergraduate fashion design degree or in an associated field, besides the professional experience in relevant roles.

4)   Digital Marketing Specialist

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Salary and Benefits

Digital marketing specialists in India can expect an annual salary of around 6.5 lakhs INR annually, with senior positions having salaries roughly 10 to 70% higher.

Career Growth and Opportunities

The digital marketing field offers several levels of opportunities for career advancement. Specialists can upgrade into better and more lucrative senior roles, such as marketing director, by attaining relevant experience and a strong portfolio. In addition, specialization in SEO, social media marketing, or content strategy is a huge advantage.

Skills and Qualifications Required

Digital marketing specialists need a strong workplace and technical skills blend. Organizational skills help manage multiple arrays of projects, while strong writing skills are important for creating engaging content.

Collaboration and communication skills are another crucial skill. This helps these professionals to coordinate with different departments and build client relationships.

Typically, a candidate must possess a marketing, English, communication, or business degree and may also obtain digital marketing certificates to upskill your qualifications and gain a competitive edge.

5)   VFX Artist

Salary and Benefits

The VFX artist’s salary in India can be nearly 25,000 INR per month, though this can vary on the basis of their specialization and levels of experience.

Career Growth and Opportunities

VFX artists can work in various industries, which range from filmmaking and video games to advertising and media. As with attaining experience, they can advance to senior and more lucrative roles such as VFX supervisor or lead artist. Area specializations like animation, compositing, or motion graphics can also open up new career paths.

Skills and Qualifications Required

To become successful as a VFX artist, one typically requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as animation or graphic design. In addition, you must also gain expertise through certification Art Courses and building a strong portfolio.

Some of the requirements related to becoming a successful VFX artist are creativity, animation and technical knowledge in graphic design, strong collaboration, time management, and an intricate attention to detail.

Read Also: The Future of Game Design: Trends and Innovations for 2025

How to Choose the Right Course After 12th Arts?

Choosing the right post 12th Art Course may seem daunting. However, with the right blend of strategic framework and professional guidance from AAFT, you can find the best and most suitable course for your long-term art related career goals. Here are some guidelines on how you can get started and make a well-informed decision.

1) Consider Your Interests

Reflect on activities that have engaged you in recent times. Try to identify your areas of proficiency levels such as drawing, designing, or dancing. Think about what subjects or hobbies piques your interest and where your strengths lie.

This helps you to make easy choices and enables you to select a course that aligns with your goals and passions, making your educational journey more enjoyable and rewarding.

2) Research Different Courses

Research the courses that are readily available in your city or state thoroughly. Explore the structure, syllabus, and potential career pathways of the course. Look into the course duration, the subjects covered, and the required skills.

Talking to seniors, teachers, or experts in the field can provide valuable course insights and industry, helping you understand the expectations and preparation strategies.

3) Consider Job Opportunities

Investigate the job prospects in your chosen field. Check your job descriptions and prioritize highly demanding courses that offer promising salary potential. Look at employment rates for course graduates and the companies that hire them.

This strategic approach helps build a prosperous career by ensuring that you enter a field with good job opportunities and growth potential.

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4) Think about Future Prospects

Consider the potential for advanced studies, job advancement, and career development in your chosen field. Research whether the Art Course offers opportunities for further education, such as master’s degrees or professional certifications.

Think about the trajectories on a long-term career scale and whether the field offers growth and advancement opportunities.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Courses After 12th Arts opens up a variety of opportunities, creativity blending with academic growth. From traditional options like B.A. to specialized fields like design, journalism, and digital marketing,

Arts students have diverse paths to explore. By debunking myths and understanding career prospects, you can make informed decisions tailored to your interests. With hard work and the right choices, Arts students can achieve rewarding careers that blend passion with success.

If you are interested in getting started, our Art Course, such as the Bachelor of Arts, can teach you the basics of Arts as a professional domain at AAFT. Enroll today and begin your journey!