Top Degree/Diploma Courses After 12th Arts: Salary, Scope & Jobs

If you have passed your 12th board exams in the arts and humanities stream, then the first question that comes to mind is

What are some of the best courses after the 12th?”, well if this question puzzles you, then you are surely in the right place!

Here in this article, we have explained about the top courses & career options for Arts students after class 12th. We will explore in detail the degree, diploma & short-term courses in Arts, and the career scope and job opportunities in the future.

Even in today’s times, students who take up humanities subjects in their class 12th, aim to serve the nation as an IAS officer or a civil servant.

On the one hand, where that is an extremely noble profession, the scope isn’t limited to this only! Keep on reading this article, to know more about best courses after 12th in arts stream.

Popular Courses After 12th Arts 2025-26

The arts stream (also known as humanities) offer diverse range of courses & career options. Candidates generally have a wide range of subjects which focuses on human society, culture & creative expression.

The possible subjects that a student of arts studies in class 12th include History, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, languages, fine arts etc.

The popular courses in Arts stream can be broadly classified in to the following:

• Conventional Arts Courses
• Fine Arts or Performing Arts Courses
• Specialized Courses in Arts/Humanities
• Online/Distance Learning Courses

Conventional Arts Courses

Conventional and traditional arts courses are very popular and often the first choice of students after 12th standard.

These are generally a 3 year degree courses that focuses on broad range of subjects and covers humanities, social sciences, and liberal arts disciplines.

A BA degree is a common example of conventional art courses. Candidates can pursue BA program after 12th and BA (Honours) in many subjects. Some of popular BA (Honours) programme are listed below:

• B.A. (H) Economics
• B.A. (H) Psychology
• B.A. (H) Sociology
• B.A. (H) Anthropology
• B.A. (H) Archaeology
• B.A. (H) History
• B.A.(H) Political Science
• B.A (H) Mathematics
• B.A. (H) Geography
• B.A. (H) Philosophy

A BA degree offers wide range of career opportunities to the graduating students. Graduates can pursue careers in fields such as education, journalism, publishing, advertising, public relations, human resources, social work, research, administration, arts and culture, tourism and NGO’s.

Fine Arts/Performing Arts

Fine Arts and Performing arts offers wide range of courses which develop student’s skills and offer’s a degree aligned with their creativity & self-expressions.

If you are passionate about drawing, acting, poetry, or any form of creative art, then pursuing fine or performing arts courses should be your first choice!

A degree in fine arts is of 3 to 4 years duration, depending on the program and institution. The common specializations include Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Printmaking, Applied Arts, Theatre Arts, Dance, Music, Film and Television, and Creative Writing. Some of the popular courses in Fine arts are:

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

Many universities & colleges offer bachelor of fine arts (BFA) course. This a 3 year UG degree programme with specializations in Painting, Sculpture, Applied Arts, Graphic Design, Animation, & Photography.

The course curriculum of BFA, combines theory & practical work to enhance the artistic skills of the candidates. After course completion, candidates can work as an artist, animator, graphic designer, curator etc.

Read More about – Fine Arts

Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA)

This is a UG degree course similar to BFA, the course curriculum focuses more on visual arts form with emphasis on technique & craftsmanship. 

The specializations in BVA are Painting, Printmaking, Ceramics, Textile etc. Candidates can find career opportunities as a visual artist, arts teacher, textile designer etc. 

Learn More About – Career in Visual Arts

Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA)

The performing arts as the name suggest, is an art form which involves performance in the form of acting, singing or dancing. 

The specializations in BFA are Music, Dance & Theatre. If you passionate about becoming an Actor or a dancer or a comedian, bachelor in performing art (BPA) should be your go to choice.

After completion of the course, candidates can find employment opportunities as a theatre artist, musician, actor, choreographer etc.

Bachelor of Arts in Dance

Bachelor of Arts in Dance can be pursued by the candidates who want to make a career in the field of dancing & choreography. 

The specializations include classical dance (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi), contemporary dance etc.

Bachelor of Music (B.Mus)

This UG degree course in arts provides theoretical & practical training in music, history and performance. The specializations include classical Music (Vocal, Instrumental), Western Music, Music Technology.

Which Arts Course Should i Choose?

Fine Arts or Performing Arts? i am stuck here, How should i choose a right course?

Well! Fine Arts courses are perfect for people who love creating visual art and getting hands-on with their artistic work.

On the other hand, Performing Arts courses are great for those who are passionate about performing live, whether it’s through dancing, making music, or acting on stage. Arts, as an educational field has the following genre:

1. Visual Art/Decorative Art

This form of arts covers the following specialization:

1. Painting
2. Drawing
3. Sculpture
4. Photography
5. Conceptual arts
6. Architecture
7. Weaving
8. Fabrics

2. Literary Arts

This form of arts covers the following specialization:

1. Poetry
2. Novel
3. Short stories
4. Epics
5. writing

3. Performing Arts

This form of arts covers the following specialization:

1. Music
2. Theatre
3. Dance
4. Singing
5. Acting
6. Comedy
7. Direction
8. Choreography
9. Editing
10. Martial art

4. Games

In Gaming, one can go for the following courses:

1. Designing
2. Animation
3. Computer Gaming

5. Gastronomy/Culinary Arts

1. Chef
2. Catering

Specialized Courses in Arts/Humanities

Apart from the traditional arts courses discussed above, candidates can go for professional job oriented courses after 12th.

Below we have listed specialized courses in arts & humanities that one can pursue after 12th in 2025.

Law Courses

Law is one of the high in demand, professional course that candidates can pursue after 12th (Arts). The basic eligibility for BA LLB is 10+2 passed with minimum 50% marks.

Some of the popular law courses are:

• B.A. LL.B
• B.Sc. LL.B.
• BBA LL.B.
• B.Com LL.B.
• B.Tech LL.B.

For admission in top university & colleges, candidates have to appear in the law entrance exams like CLAT, AILET, CUET etc.

Read More about – Law Courses

Designing Courses

For students passionate about designing, Bachelor of Design or B.Des could be an ideal course for them. Here is a list of the specialization in the field of design:

• • Fashion Design

• • Accessory/Jewellery Design

• • Graphic Design

• • Product Design

• • Industrial Design

• • Furniture and Interior Design

• • Animation Design

• • Film and Video Design

• • Visual Communication

Management Courses

Management professional are crucial to run the business operation smoothly. Candidates can pursue BBA, Hotel Management, tourism management, banking, IT and similar courses after 12th.

Below is the list of degree courses in Management after 12th (Arts)

• BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration)
• BHM (Bachelor of Hotel Management)
• B.Com (Management) 
• Bachelor in Business Economics
• Bachelor in Computer Application (BCA)

For admission to Hotel management courses, candidates have to appear in the NCHMCT exam.

Also Read about – Commerce Courses after 12th

Top Universities & Colleges

In India many universities offer admission to their Arts & Humanities programme on the basis of CUET UG entrance test.

For admission to the PG courses candidates have to appear in the CUET PG exam. Below is the list of top universities in the country.

1. • University of Delhi (DU), Delhi

• • Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi

• • University of Calcutta, Kolkata

• • Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi

• • Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh

• • University of Mumbai, Mumbai

• • IIT Madras, Chennai

• • University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad

• • Jadavpur University, Kolkata

• • University of Allahabad, Prayagraj

• • Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune

• • Osmania University, Hyderabad

• • University of Calicut, Calicut

• • University of Rajasthan, Jaipur

• • University of Lucknow, Lucknow

• • University of Mysore, Mysore

• • University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram

• • Panjab University, Chandigarh

• • Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

• • University of Kashmir, Srinagar

List of Degree/Diploma Courses in Arts

The best part about arts courses is that they are open to students from all streams. The Science and Commerce stream students can also pursue arts courses after 12th grade.

Below, is the list of degree & diploma courses that students can pursue after 12th:

• Air Hostess
• Anchoring
• Animation & Film Making
• Diploma in Fashion Designing
• Diploma in Interior Designing
• Advanced Diploma in VFX & Multimedia
• Artistic-Basic Jewellery Design Programme
• B.A. (Honors in Political Science)
• B.A. (Hons.) Economics
• B.A. (Hons.) Humanities and Social Sciences
• B.A (Hons) Marketing
• B.A (Hons.) in Marketing Management
• B.A. (Hons.) in Social Work
• B.A. (Hons) English
• B. A. Programme with Functional Hindi
• B.Sc Degree in Fashion, Interior and Textile Design
• B.A (Honors in Sociology)
• B.A (Honors) Economics
• B.A (Honors) History
• B.A (Hons) English
• B.A (Journalism)
• B.A (Media & Communication)
• B.A (Psychology)
• B.A Tourism, History & Journalism
• B.A Economic (Hons)
• B.A Hons in English Economics and Hindi
• B.A LLB
• B.A (English)
• B.A. (Apparel Design & Merchandising)
• B.A. (Economics)
• B.A. (Economics, English, Politics)
• B.A. (Fine Arts)
• B.A. (H) English with Journalism
• B.A. (History)
• B.A. (Mass Communication)
• B.A. (Sociology)
• B.A. Economics
• B.A. Hons
• B.A. in Mass Communication (BMC)
• B.A. LL.B.
• B.A. LL.B. (Hons.)
• B.A. Philosophy Hons.
• B.A. Sociology
• B.A (Economics, English, Philosophy)
• B.A (Journalism & Mass Communication)
• B.A in Digital Film Making & Animation
• B.Des. (Accessory Design)
• B.Des. (Fashion Design)
• B.Des (Textile Design)
• B.Law
• B.M.S
• B.Sc (Electronics Media)
• B.Sc (Hons) Digital Art & Technology
• B.Sc (Hospitality Studies)
• B.Sc (Mass Communication Journalism & Advertising)
• B.Sc – Animation (Distance Education)
• B.Sc – Fashion Designing & Apparel Designing
• B.Sc – Jewellery Designing & Management (B.SC. JD&M)
• B.Sc Fashion Technology
• B.Sc Games & Interactive Media from Sheffield Hallam University
• B.Sc in Fashion Technology
• B.Sc in Jewellery Design
• B.Sc in Textile Design
• B.Sc Mass Communication, Journalism & Advertising
• B.Sc Multimedia
• B.Sc Multimedia & Animation
• B.Sc. (Fashion & Apparel Design)- FAD
• B.Sc. (Fashion Communication)
• B.Sc. (Fashion Design)
• B.Sc. (Mass Communication, Advertisement & Journalism)
• B.Sc. (Mass Communication, Advertising & Journalism)
• B.Sc. in Fashion Technology
• B.Sc. in Interior Design
• B.Sc. Mass Communication, Advertisement & Journalism
• Diploma in Retail Management
• Diploma in Textile and Leather Designing
• Diploma in Human Resources
• Diploma in Banking
• Diploma in Company Secretary ship
• Diploma in Infrastructure and Construction
• Diploma in Marketing
• Diploma in Interior Designing
• Diploma in Entrepreneurship
• B.B.A.
• B.B.M (Bachelor of Business Management)
• B.A (Fashion Communication)
• B.M.M. ( Bachelors Degree in Mass Media)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) + Graduate Diploma in Retail Management (GDRM)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) – Hotel Management
• 5 years integrated MBA course
• Fashion Designing
• Law
• Hotel Management
• Bachelor in Environmental Management
• Bachelor of Foreign Trade Management
• Aviation and Hospitality Management

Read More about – Diploma Courses After 12th

Jobs & Career Opportunities in Arts Field

The arts stream offers wide range of career opportunities to the graduates. Below is the list of popular career options that students can pursue:

Visual Arts

• Graphic Designer
• Animator
• Fine Artist

Performing Arts

• Actor
• Singer
• Dancer
• Musician

Designing

• Fashion Designer
• Interior Designer

Media & Communication

• Anchor
• Journalist
• News Editor
• Content Writer

Education & Research

• Trainer
• Teacher

The career opportunities in art stream depends a lot on the course and also the skills of the candidates.

Candidates can find employment opportunities in field of Animation, Architecture, Design, Education, Entertainment, Fashion, Food, Material, Working, Painting, Photography, Sketch & Drawing are offering the job for the candidates who have a valid degree or skilled in the field of art and humanities.

Salary

Salary is a negotiable aspect in art’s career. It depends on your degree/diploma, employer, creativity skills and experience.

The other common factors in which the salary of graduates depends is location, industry, and job profile. In India, a fresher artist/graphic designer can earn 3 to 5 lakh per annum, experienced designers working on a higher role earn around 6 to 12 LPA.

A successful fine artist can sell individual pieces of their arts for several thousand to lakhs of rupees. In performing arts, an actor, singer or a dancer can earn starting salary of 4-6 LPA, with experience, and popularity one can easily make 6 to 18 LPA.

The top 1% artist in the field make more than 50 LPA. Graduates from law, hotel management, fashion designing can start their career with 3-5 LPA, with experience this can go upto 15-30 LPA.

If you have any queries regarding courses after 12th arts 2025, feel free to drop your queries in the comment box, our experts will reply you shortly.

Arts and Humanities Courses 2025 FAQs