The mission of the Academic Affairs Department is to prepare undergraduate students for entry-level careers in applied arts and to provide a learning environment in which they acquire the foundational skills and broad contextual understanding that will help them have meaningful, productive careers.

Graduates of The Art Institute of Michigan:

• Will have written and oral skills that enable them to communicate effectively with prospective employers, colleagues, clients, and the general public. They will be able to formulate a message in more than one medium.
• Will possess creative design and problem-solving skills that result in imaginative, innovative, professional-level solutions within parameters such as deadlines, audience or customer expectation, and budget.
• Will have a thorough understanding of the field they plan to enter, including foundational elements and principles, technical skills, and terminology.
• Will have an understanding of connections between their lives and the broader world in which they will perform their profession, applying observation, research, reasoning, creativity, and analysis to global issues through the lens of the humanities, arts, natural sciences, and social sciences.
• Will have developed themselves professionally, attaining a professional demeanor that matches industry standards, an understanding of business practices and an understanding of continuous career development.