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Art and Design

This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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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 your academic adviser.

Many students pursue this BA degree in conjunction with a second major or minor such as journalism, advertising, business, history, or psychology.

The two Art and Design curricula provide a solid liberal arts educational experience that can be a springboard into a wide array of graduate school and career opportunities, including art criticism, art history, art sales, corporate art collections, gallery/museum studies, and art therapy.

Art and Culture Option

The Art and Culture option provides a general studies degree in which students combine studio art with another area of interest. Students create their own programs of study, which may include another major or minor in addition to the concentration emphasizing studio art.

Visual Culture Studies Option

The Visual Culture Studies option provides concentrated study of art and design history, theory, and criticism. Courses may include up to nine (9) credits of museum or gallery internship, for those students interested in museum studies. Students also create their own programs of study, which may include another major or minor in addition to the concentration in visual culture studies.

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 120.5-credit undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree.

Total Degree Requirements: 120.5 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. Diversity: 3 credits
Communication: 10 credits

(C or better grade in ENGL 150 and ENGL 250)

ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 160Information Literacy1
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Communication Studies
Interpersonal Communication
Communicating with the Deaf
Listening
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Total Credits10
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 300-400 from College of Design General Education Approved Course List6
3 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List3
Total Credits9
College of Design Core: 11.5-12 credits
DSN S 102Design Studio I4
DSN S 115Design Collaborative Seminar0.5-1
or DSN S 110 Design Exchange Seminar I
DSN S 131Drawing I4
DSN S 183Design in Context3
Total Credits11.5-12
Art History and Theory: 15 credits
ART H 280History of Art I3
ART H 281History of Art II3
Six credits from 300-level or above from ART H6
Three credits from courses in ART H, or approved history courses in ARCH, CRP, or LA3
Total Credits15
Art and Culture Concentration: 12 credits

12 credits from 200-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 300-400 level.

Electives: 15 credits

Visual Culture Studies Concentration

Total Degree Requirements: 119 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. Diversity: 3 credits
Communication: 10 credits

(C or better grade)

ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 160Information Literacy1
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Communication Studies
Interpersonal Communication
Communicating with the Deaf
Listening
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Total Credits10
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 300-400 from College of Design General Education Approved Course List6
3 credits from College of Design General Education Approved Course List3
Total Credits9
Visual Culture Studies Core: 9 credits
ART H 280History of Art I3
ART H 281History of Art II3
Choose ONE from the following
DSN S 183Design in Context3
or ART H 292 Introduction to Visual Culture Studies
Total Credits9
Visual Culture Studies Concentration: 34 credits

6 credits foreign language. 24 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 300 level or above. 4 credits ART H 499 Visual Culture Studies Writing and Methods Seminar.

Program of Study: 24 credits

24 credits from an approved program of study, including 6 credits at 300-400 level.

Electives: 15 credits

Art and Design, BA, Art and Culture Concentration

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
DSN S 102 or 1314DSN S 131 or 1024
DSN S 183 (or General Education)3DSN S 183 (or General Education)3
ENGL 150 (or General Education)3ENGL 150 (or General Education)3
DSN S 110 or 1150.5-1General Education3
General Education3General Education3
General Education3LIB 1601
 16.5-17 17
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Studio Option3Studio Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
General Education3General Education3
ART H 280 (fall only)3ART H 281 (spring only)3
ENGL 250 (or General Education)3ENGL 250 (or General Education)3
 15 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Studio Option3Studio Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
General Education3Elective3
ART H 300-level or above3ART H 300-level or above3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
Art History or Design History3 
 15 12

Art and Design, BA, Visual Culture Studies Concentration

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ART H 280 (fall only)3ART H 281 (spring only)3
DSN S 183 or ART H 292 (or General Education)3DSN S 183 or ART H 292 (or General Education)3
ENGL 150 (or General Education)3ENGL 150 (or General Education)3
LIB 1601General Education3
General Education3General Education3
General Education3 
 16 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Visual Culture Studies Option3Visual Culture Studies Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
General Education3Approved POS3
General Education3General Education3
ENGL 250 (or General Education)3ENGL 250 (or General Education)3
 15 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Visual Culture Studies Option3Visual Culture Studies Option3
Visual Culture Studies Option3Visual Culture Studies Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Elective3Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ART H 499 Visual Culture Studies Writing and Methods Seminar4Visual Culture Studies Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Elective3Approved POS3
Elective3Elective3
 Elective3
 13 15