What Are the Arts Courses After 12th? The Three Groups
When Arts students ask us "what can I do after 12th", they have usually heard of BA and maybe law. That is a small part of the picture. It helps to sort every option into three groups: degrees (long, academic), diplomas (shorter, practical) and job skills (shortest, built for employment). You can also combine them, for example a degree with job skills inside it.
If you only want the highest-paying options, read our separate guide on courses after 12th arts with high salary. This article is the full list, so you can see everything before you decide.
List of Degree Courses After 12th Arts
| Degree | Duration | Leads to | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA / BA (Hons) in English, History, Political Science, Psychology, Economics and more | 3 to 4 years | Higher study, teaching, civil services preparation, content roles | Most jobs need further study or a skill |
| BFA (Fine Arts / Applied Art) | 4 years | Illustration, art direction, design | Adding design software opens many jobs |
| BJMC (Journalism and Mass Communication) | 3 years | Media, PR, content, social media | Portfolio and internships matter most |
| BSW (Social Work) | 3 years | NGOs, CSR, community work | Often followed by MSW |
| BBA (open to Arts in most colleges) | 3 years | Business, sales, marketing roles | Pairs well with digital marketing |
| BA LLB (integrated law) | 5 years | Law practice, legal jobs | Needs an entrance test for top colleges |
| Design degrees (fashion, communication, product) | 4 years | Design jobs | Entrance tests and studio work |
| BSc multimedia and animation | 3 years | Graphic design, video, motion graphics, digital jobs | Job skills and portfolio built in |
A degree is valuable. The honest question is what you will do with it on the day you graduate. If the answer is "I am not sure", choose a degree that already includes a job skill, or add one alongside it.
List of Diploma and Job-Skill Courses After 12th Arts
| Course | Typical duration | Job titles | When you can earn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic design | 4 to 6 months | Graphic designer, social media designer | Soon after the course |
| Video editing | 4 to 6 months | Video editor, reels editor | Soon after the course |
| Motion graphics | 10 months | Motion graphics designer, video and motion editor | From about month 6 |
| Digital marketing | 12 to 18 months | Digital marketing executive, SEO and ads executive | From the first paid internship |
| UI/UX design | Several months | UI designer, UX designer | After a strong portfolio |
| Photography | A few months | Photographer, product shoots | Freelance from early on |
These courses do not ask what you studied in 12th. They ask if you can do the work. That suits Arts students, who are often strong in ideas, language and visual sense. See multimedia courses after 12th for the creative options in more detail. Also see our graphic design course after 12th guide if design is your first choice.
Which Arts Courses After 12th Lead to a Job Fastest?
On 13 October 2026 we checked fresher jobs in Delhi NCR on Internshala[1]. Three posts that asked for skills, not a particular degree (in our own words, company names left out):
- Content creator and social media manager, Delhi. No experience required. Storytelling, social media marketing and content editing. Pay shown: ₹3.6 to 5 lakh a year.
- Typography designer at a publisher, Delhi and Noida. No experience required. Designing books with customers. Skills listed: Photoshop, InDesign and MS Word. Pay shown: ₹2.64 to 3 lakh a year.
- Junior video editor (AI and creative content), Delhi NCR, hybrid. No experience required. Skills listed: Premiere Pro, After Effects, storyboarding, animation and Canva. Pay shown: ₹4.8 to 8 lakh a year.
Notice the pattern. Language, storytelling and visual skills, which many Arts students have, sit right next to software skills. The software is the part a course adds.
What Salary Can Arts Students Expect? Real Ladders for Creative and Digital Jobs
| Path | Fresher | After 1 year | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic design | ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 | ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 | ₹30,000 to ₹35,000 |
| Video editing | ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 | ₹18,000 to ₹22,000 | ₹30,000 to ₹35,000 (by year 2) |
| Motion graphics | ₹15,000 to ₹18,000 | ₹28,000 to ₹32,000 | ₹40,000 to ₹45,000+ |
| Digital marketing | ₹18,000 to ₹25,000 | ₹30,000 to ₹35,000 (at 6 months) | ₹60,000 to ₹65,000 |
These are monthly figures we see for our own students in Delhi NCR. We do not show figures for the degree-only paths because they depend on what you study next. The bigger point: students who stack skills, for example graphics, then motion, then web and digital marketing, reach ₹60,000 to ₹75,000 a month in about 3 years. Compare that with what BTech graduates near you earn in their third year. Then decide with facts.
Arts Courses After 12th for Girls: Anything Different?
No course on this list is for boys or girls only. What families often ask us about is safety, travel and flexibility. Creative and digital jobs help here: many design, editing and marketing roles are hybrid. Freelance work can be done from home once you have a portfolio. Several of the Delhi posts we saw were hybrid.
Look for an institute where classes run in small batches or one to one, timings can match college or family needs and live online classes are available when travel is hard.
How to Choose: A Simple Plan for Arts Students
- 1Decide your timeline
Do you need to earn within a year, or can you study for 3 to 5 years first?
- 2Pick a field you enjoy
Writing, drawing, video, business or people. Interest keeps you practising.
- 3Check job posts
Read 10 real fresher posts for that job. Note the software and skills they ask for.
- 4Choose degree, diploma or both
A degree with job skills inside, or a diploma now and a distance degree alongside.
- 5Ask for proof
Student work, placement terms in writing and how feedback works.
Want both a degree and job skills? Our BSc multimedia and animation degree is open to Arts, Commerce and Science students and includes graphic design, video, motion and digital skills with portfolio work every semester. Prefer a faster route? Look at graphic design, video editing, motion graphics or digital marketing.
CABA offers a 100% Job Guarantee, with written terms on the job guarantee page. Arts student who loves drawing? Read graphic design for BFA students. Interested in marketing? See digital marketing course after 12th. Eligibility and the year-wise syllabus are on the multimedia and animation degree after 12th page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best arts courses after 12th for a job?
Courses that build a portfolio and lead to a clear job title: graphic design, video editing, motion graphics, digital marketing or a BSc in multimedia and animation. Degree-only paths like BA usually need further study or an added skill for a job.
Which diploma courses can I do after 12th Arts?
Diplomas in graphic design, video editing, motion graphics, digital marketing, UI/UX design and photography are all open to Arts students. They take from a few months to about a year.
Can an Arts student earn a high salary?
Yes. Pay depends on skills, not stream. Motion graphics designers we train reach ₹40,000 to ₹45,000+ a month by year 3. Digital marketers reach ₹60,000 to ₹65,000. Students who stack skills can earn more.
Which arts courses after 12th are good for girls?
Every course on the list is open to everyone. Design, editing and digital marketing also offer hybrid and freelance work, which many families find helpful.
Does CABA Innovatives have courses for Arts students after 12th?
Yes. CABA offers a BSc in multimedia and animation and diplomas in graphic design, video editing, motion graphics and digital marketing. All are open to Arts students.
