The Department of Art and Visual Culture offers degree programs focused on fine arts and visual culture, offering courses in studio arts, art history, and art education, and scientific illustration. Degree offerings include the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art and Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Integrated Studio Arts, and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Integrated Visual Arts.
The Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design is a four-year degree program with two options: Art and Culture or Visual Culture Studies. Both options require students to complement their studio art or visual culture studies coursework with study in a second area, within or outside of the College of Design. This can include a second major or minor, or an alternative program of study approved by the student's academic advisor.
Flexibility is a key feature of the B.A. in Art and Design. Many students, working with an advisor, design a course of study that allows them to pursue the B.A. degree in conjunction with a second major or minor such as journalism, advertising, business, entrepreneurship, history, or psychology.
The B.A. in Art and Design can serve as a springboard into a wide array of exciting graduate school and career opportunities, including art criticism, art history, art sales, conservation, corporate art collections, gallery/museum studies, and art therapy.
Art and Culture Option (Fine Arts + another area of interest)
In the Art and Culture option, students combine coursework in studio art with another area of interest. Working with an advisor, students design their own programs of study, which may include another major or minor in addition to the concentration emphasizing studio art.
Visual Culture Studies Option (Art History + another area of interest)
The Visual Culture Studies option is for students seeking a concentrated course of study in art and design history, theory, and criticism. For students interested in museum studies, courses may include up to nine (9) credits of museum or gallery internship. Working with an advisor, students design their own programs of study, which may include another major or minor in addition to the concentration in visual culture studies. Required courses include six (6) history courses at the 3000/4000 level.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will learn to:
- Develop creative problem-solving abilities and traditional and innovative technical skills through the design, research, and creative processes;
- Understand and express in multiple media the relationship between objects, aesthetics, and meaning;
- Exhibit an awareness of their roles as artists and thinkers regarding the ethical, cultural, and ecological impacts of what they do;
- Express through visual, verbal, and written means an awareness of global art movements and a meaningful understanding of historic and contemporary art; and
- Use their understanding and practice of art to engage with local, national, and global communities where they can participate in broad exchange of ideas.
This curriculum offers two concentrations: Art and Culture and Visual Culture Studies. Both concentrations are combined with an approved program of study, which may consist of a second major or a minor.
Art and Culture Concentration
The curriculum in Art and Design: Art and Culture Concentration leads to a 122-123 credit undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree.
Total Degree Requirements: 122-123 credits
Only 65 credits from a two-year institution can apply and may include up to 16 technical credits; 9 P-NP credits of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA.
International Perspectives: 3 credits
U.S. Cultures and Communities: 3 credits
Communication: 10 credits
(C or better grade in ENGL 1500 and ENGL 2500)
| ENGL 1500 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| One course from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication Studies | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Listening | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
| Total Credits | 10 | |
Humanities: 6 credits
6 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List
Social Sciences: 6 credits
6 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List
Math/Physics/Biol. Sciences: 6 credits
6 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List
General Education Courses: 9 credits
| 6 credits at level 3000-4000 from College of Design General Education Approved Course List | 6 | |
| 3 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
College of Design Core: 13 credits
| DSNS 1020 | Design Studio I | 4 |
| DSNS 1150 | Design Collaborative Seminar | 1 |
| or DSNS 1100 | Design Exchange Seminar I | |
| DSNS 1310 | Drawing I | 4 |
| DSNS 1320 | Digital Design Literacy | 1 |
| DSNS 1830 | Design in Context | 3 |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
Art History and Theory: 15 credits
| ARTH 2800 | History of Art I | 3 |
| ARTH 2810 | History of Art II | 3 |
| Six credits from 3000-level or above from ARTH | 6 | |
| Three credits from courses in ARTH, or approved history courses in ARCH, CRP, or LA | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Art and Culture Concentration: 12 credits
12 credits from 2000-level or above in College of Design studio courses.
Program of Study: 30 credits
30 credits from an approved program of study, including 6 credits at 3000-4000 level.
Electives: 15 credits
Visual Culture Studies Concentration
Total Degree Requirements: 121-122 credits
Only 65 credits from a two-year institution can apply and may include up to 16 technical credits; 9 P-NP credits of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA.
International Perspectives: 3 credits
U.S. Cultures and Communities: 3 credits
Communication: 10 credits
(C or better grade)
| ENGL 1500 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| One course from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication Studies | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Listening | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
| Total Credits | 10 | |
Humanities: 6 credits
6 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List
Social Sciences: 6 credits
6 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List
Math/Physics/Biol. Sciences: 6 credits
6 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List
General Education Courses: 9 credits
| 6 credits at level 3000-4000 from College of Design General Education Approved Course List | 6 | |
| 3 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Visual Culture Studies Core: 9 credits
| ARTH 2800 | History of Art I | 3 |
| ARTH 2810 | History of Art II | 3 |
| Choose ONE from the following | ||
| DSNS 1830 | Design in Context | 3 |
| or ARTH 2920 | Introduction to Visual Culture Studies | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Visual Culture Studies Concentration: 36 credits
6 credits foreign language. 27 credits in approved History/Theory/Criticism courses from departments in the College of Design. May include up to 9 credits Museum/Gallery Internship.12 credits must be at 3000 level or above. 3 credits ARTH 4990 Visual Culture Studies Writing and Methods Seminar.
Program of Study: 24 credits
24 credits from an approved program of study, including 6 credits at 3000-4000 level.
Electives: 15 credits
Art and Design, B.A., Art and Culture Concentration
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| DSNS 1020 or 1310 | 4 | DSNS 1310 or 1020 | 4 |
| DSNS 1100 or 1150 | 1 | DSNS 1830 (or General Education) | 3 |
| DSNS 1320 | 1 | ENGL 1500 (or General Education) | 3 |
| DSNS 1830 (or General Education) | 3 | General Education | 3 |
| ENGL 1500 (or General Education) | 3 | General Education | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | LIB 1600 | 1 |
| General Education | 3 | ||
| 18 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Studio Option | 3 | Studio Option | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | General Education | 3 |
| ARTH 2800 (fall only) | 3 | ARTH 2810 (spring only) | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 (or General Education) | 3 | ENGL 2500 (or General Education) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Studio Option | 3 | Studio Option | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| ARTH 3000-level or above | 3 | ARTH 3000-level or above | 3 |
| DSNS 3010 (Rome option only) | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Art History or Design History | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
Art and Design, B.A., Visual Culture Studies Concentration
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ARTH 2800 (fall only) | 3 | ARTH 2810 (spring only) | 3 |
| DSNS 1830 or ARTH 2920 (or General Education) | 3 | DSNS 1830 or ARTH 2920 (or General Education) | 3 |
| ENGL 1500 (or General Education) | 3 | ENGL 1500 (or General Education) | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | 1 | General Education | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | General Education | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Visual Culture Studies Option | 3 | Visual Culture Studies Option | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | General Education | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 (or General Education) | 3 | ENGL 2500 (or General Education) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Visual Culture Studies Language Requirement | 3 | Visual Culture Studies Language Requirement | 3 |
| Visual Culture Studies Option | 3 | Visual Culture Studies Option | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| DSNS 3010 (Rome option only) | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ARTH 4990 Visual Culture Studies Writing and Methods Seminar | 3 | Visual Culture Studies Option | 3 |
| Approved POS | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Visual Culture Studies Option | 3 | Approved POS | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||