The good thing is that you’re studying studio art at a major, well rounded, respected university. Are you doing a BFA, or a BA? If you’re doing a BA, it’s the exact same degree, at its core, as anyone who has studied any liberal art. You will be just as qualified as a history, or English, or even a business major to get an entry-level job in any field you wish. I took my BA in ceramic sculpture and turned that into an entry level job in HR. Now I work in marketing. You can literally do anything with it. Even a BFA can be all right, because you’re going to Irvine, rather than to, say, Otis or another art school. Just make sure to do some part-time jobs, co-ops, volunteer work, internships etc. in the fields you think you might want to enter when you graduate. In this way, you’ll gain both contacts and experience, making it more likely that you’ll get that entry-level job, either in your direct field or in something somewhat related, once you graduate.

If photography is what you want, see if you can get an unpaid internship in the studio of a local photographer, asap.

You don’t necessarily have to starve, having been an art major. I make a comfortable living (some would call me “plush”, actually). But I don’t actually work in art. I am in marketing, so I do use my art, but I evaluate (read that as, boss around) artist’s work. I don’t often do it myself. And I like that.

I work with professional photographers. They all take interns. They all make comfortable livings. One is a wedding photographer, primarily. All the others focus on corporate work – the photograph for advertisements and etc. So get that internship, get to know some professional photographers, and see where that takes you.