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Art and Design

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Undergraduate Study

The department offers the degree Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in three curricular areas: Graphic Design, www.design.iastate.edu/graphicdesign , Integrated Studio Arts, www.design.iastate.edu/integratedstudioarts  and Interior Design, www.design.iastate.edu/interiordesign . The department offers the degrees of Bachelor of Industrial Design (B.I.D.) www.design.iastate.edu/industrialdesign and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art and Design www.design.iastate.edu/artdesign . Each of these curricula affords excellent preparation for a variety of career opportunities or as a foundation for graduate study.

B .F. A.  Graphic Design. Emphasis is on creative problem solving, design process, visual organization of communication media, and interaction design. Graphic design graduates effectively integrate abstract thinking skills such as communication design theory, history, methodology; and technology. Components of visual communication including typography, symbology, time-based media, information design, branding, image creation, and other communication systems are integrated with an understanding of professional practice.

B.I.D. Bachelor of Industrial Design Students in this program take a carefully defined sequence of courses developed to give them exposure and practice in the areas of theory and skill required by industrial design. These include drawing, form development, history, creative thinking, engineering principles, research, design methodology, human factors, computer-aided design, manufacturing and commercial factors. In their third year, students will select electives from concentration tracks arranged around specialty areas and current issues in the profession. The upper level studio classes are reserved for study abroad, internships, and sponsored projects with students from other departments and colleges.

B.F.A. Integrated Studio Arts. Students select from studio options in order to develop a portfolio and to prepare for a professional practice in the visual arts. This concentration engages aesthetics, visual problem solving, critical thinking, and skill development in a range of media that draw upon contemporary, historical, and cultural theory and practice.

B.F.A. Interior Design. Emphasis is on the student’s application of design processes to creatively solve problems of the interior environment based on knowledge of human safety, functional utility, physical, psychological, and contextual fit. Graduates in interior design are competent in visual communication (sketching, drafting and computer aided design), design problem solving, space planning, lighting and color specification for interiors, finish and furniture selection, detailing interior construction and application of human factors. The curriculum is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) as providing professional level education.

B.A. Art and Design. This curriculum offers two concentrations: Art and Culture, and Visual Culture Studies. Art and Culture has a greater emphasis on studio components, and Visual Culture Studies on humanities and liberal arts components.

Both concentrations are combined with an applied career minor or an approved program of study.

Transfer students with studio credits from other colleges and universities must present a portfolio of work done in those courses to determine if these credits can be applied toward specific studio requirements. Students are required to present this portfolio upon admission and prior to registration for classes. Arrangements for this process must be made with department advisers.

The department offers no minor but participates in the undergraduate minors in Critical Studies in Design, Design Studies, and Digital Media.

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Graduate Study

The department offers the degrees of Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Graphic Design, Integrated Visual Arts, and Interior Design, Master of Industrial Design (M.I.D.), and Master of Arts (M.A.) in Art and Design, with degree specialization in interior design, graphic design, and environmental graphic design.

The M.F.A. curricula in Graphic Design and Interior Design require a minimum of 60 credits. The M.F.A curriculum in Integrated Visual Arts requires a minimum of 61. These programs include an art and design seminar, a studio concentration, history and criticism courses, a teaching seminar, elective courses outside the department or area of study, and the completion of a thesis-exhibition or thesis.

M.F.A. graduates in Graphic Design are skilled in communication design, problem solving, and are adept in the use of visual language, symbology, and interaction. Graduates are proficient in the design of communications and the use of technologies that incorporate human interaction with environments, objects, and electronic and traditional publications. The M.F.A. is recognized as the terminal degree in the graphic design field. The degree requires completion of a written thesis integrating theory, research, and design problem solving.

M.F.A graduates in Interior Design are proficient in visual communication skills, design theory, human factors, and space planning. The M.F.A. degree is considered a terminal degree in the interior design field. The degree requires completion of a written thesis comprised of original research.

M.F.A. graduates in Integrated Visual Arts link traditional studio disciplines with interdisciplinary studies. Graduates are prepared as visual artists to enter studio research, business, higher education or new interdisciplinary fields. The MFA is recognized as the terminal degree. A required thesis-exhibition is composed of two parts, a substantial exhibition and a written statement that describes the development of the work in the exhibition, its objectives, and its historical and cultural points of reference. A thesis may be an appropriate alternative, but some portion of the work should entail an element of design problem-solving in the form of a visual product.

The Master of Industrial Design (M.I.D.) program emphasizes strategy and innovation and consists of two tracks: research and practice. The research track focus on the creation and application of new knowledge through research and culminates in a thesis. The practice track specializes in commercial issues of management and product realization and culminates in a final project.  The M.I.D.requires a minimum of 45 credits. Applicants without industrial design degree or background may be required to take up to 18 additional credits for successful completion.

The M.A. in Art and Design with specialization in interior design requires a minimum of 34 credits including a studio concentration and work in research methods and human factors. Candidates focus on research in an area of specialization culminating in a written thesis comprised of original research. Graduates have a broad understanding of current interior design issues and design research, preparing them for special analytical aspects of design practice and further studies leading to the PhD. Applicants without a degree in interior design may be required to complete up to 40 additional credits of course work.

The M.A. in Art and Design with a specialization in graphic design requires a minimum of 30 credits including seminar courses in art and design, a studio concentration, a history course, a business practice course, courses outside of graphic design, and the completion of a capstone course in graphic design. Graduate students selecting the M.A. in graphic design will focus on a first professional degree. Applicants without a degree in graphic design may be required to complete up to 17 additional credits of coursework.

The M.A. in Art and Design with a specialization in environmental graphic design requires a minimum of 34 credits including a seminar course in art and design, a studio concentration, a history courses, courses in design methods, and the completion of a capstone course in environmental graphic design.

Graduate students selecting the M.A. in environmental graphic design will focus on a first professional degree. Applicants without a degree in background in environmental graphic design may be required to complete up to 15 additional credits of coursework.

Credit earned at Iowa State University or other institution for the Master of Arts degree may be applied toward the Master of Fine Arts degree at the discretion of the program of study committee.

Applicants to the graduate program should have an undergraduate major in an art or design area and demonstrate the ability to do technically competent and original work through the presentation of a slide or digital portfolio for faculty review. Past academic performance and the quality of studio work are critical in the admission process. A minimum 3.0 GPA in the student’s undergraduate major is the standard for full admission to the graduate program. Admission is also determined by studio space available within the program area, which changes yearly due to graduate students’ progress in their programs of study.

Graduate students who have not completed an undergraduate program of study substantially equivalent to that required of undergraduates in the department can expect that additional supporting coursework, determined by the graduate faculty, will be required.

Prospective students are advised to contact the graduate coordinator with specific questions about admission procedures and portfolio review. Application and additional program information may be obtained from the Department of Art and Design, College of Design, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-3092.

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Curriculum in Art and Design—B.A.

The Curriculum in Art and Design leads to a 120.5 credit undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree including the 30 credit core Design Program.

This curriculum offers two concentrations: Art and Culture, and Visual Culture Studies. Both concentrations are combined with an applied career minor or approved program.

Consideration for admission into the B.A. curriculum is based upon department resources and GPA earned in the Core Design Program.

Transfer students with studio credits from other programs, colleges and universities must present for department review a portfolio of work done in those courses in order to have the credits apply toward studio requirements. Students are required to present this portfolio upon admission and prior to registration for classes. Arrangements for this process must be made with department advisors.

Total Degree Requirement: 120.5 cr.

Only 65 cr. from a two-year institution may apply which may include up to 16 technical cr.; 9 P-NP cr. of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA.

International Perspective: 3 cr.

U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.

Communications: 10 cr.

(C- or better grade)

ENGL 150	Critical Thinking and Communication	arr †
ENGL 250	Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition	arr †
LIB 160	Information Literacy	arr †
One course from the following:		arr †
COMST 101	Introduction to Communication Studies
COMST 102	Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
CMDIS 286	Communicating with the Deaf
SP CM 110	Listening
or SP CM 212	Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Total Credits		0 †
† Arranged with instructor.

Humanities: 6 cr.

6 cr. from department curriculum sheet.

Social Sciences: 6 cr.

6 cr. from department curriculum sheet.

Math/Physics/Biol. Sciences: 6 cr.

6 cr. from department curriculum sheet.

General Education Courses: 9 cr.

Six credits of course level 300-400 from department curriculum sheet		arr †
Department curriculum sheet		arr †
Total Credits		0 †
† Arranged with instructor.

College of Design Core: 11.5 cr.

DSN S 102	Design Studio I	arr †
DSN S 115	Design Collaborative Seminar	arr †
or DSN S 110	Design Exchange Seminar I
DSN S 131	Design Representation	arr †
DSN S 183	Design Cultures	arr †
Total Credits		0 †
† Arranged with instructor.

History and Theory: 15 cr.

ART H 280	History of Art I	arr †
ART H 281	History of Art II	arr †
Six credits from 300-level or above from ArtH		arr †
Three credits from Arch, Art H, Dsn S, or L A.		arr †
Total Credits		0 †
† Arranged with instructor.

Art and Culture Track requires 57 credits distributed as follows:

Art and Design Options: 12 cr.

12 cr. from 200 level or above in College of Design courses.

Program of Study: 30 cr.

30 cr. from an approve program of study.

Electives: 15 cr.

 

Visual Culture Studies Track requires 57 credits distibuted as follows:

Art and Design Concentration: 12 cr.

12 cr. in Art H at 300-400 level and Art 498 (Museum/Gallery internship).

Program of Study: 30 cr.

30 cr. in approved program of study, including 6 in foreign languages and another 6 at 300-400 level

Electives: 12 cr.

 

On this page

• Undergraduate Study
• Graduate Study
• Curriculum in Art and Design—B.A.
• Courses
• Courses primarily for undergraduates
• Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduates
• Courses for graduate students

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In this section

• Agriculture and Life Sciences
• Business
• Design
  • Architecture
  • Art and Design
  • Art Education
  • Art History
  • Design
  • Community and Regional Planning
  • Design Studies
  • Graphic Design
  • Industrial Design
  • Integrated Studio Arts
  • Interior Design
  • Landscape Architecture
• Engineering
• Human Sciences
• Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Veterinary Medicine
• Graduate
• Interdisciplinary Programs