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Art and Design

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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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 (BA) 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 BA in Art and Design. Many students, working with an advisor, design a course of study that allows them to pursue the BA degree in conjunction with a second major or minor such as journalism, advertising, business, entrepreneurship, history, or psychology.  

The BA 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 300/400 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. 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 160Introduction to College Level Research1
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Communication Studies
Interpersonal Communication
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: 13 credits
DSN S 102Design Studio I4
DSN S 115Design Collaborative Seminar1
or DSN S 110 Design Exchange Seminar I
DSN S 131Drawing I4
DSN S 132Digital Design Literacy1
DSN S 183Design in Context3
Total Credits13
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: 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. Diversity: 3 credits
Communication: 10 credits

(C or better grade)

ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 160Introduction to College Level Research1
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Communication Studies
Interpersonal Communication
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: 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 300 level or above. 3 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 110 or 1151DSN S 183 (or General Education)3
DSN S 1321ENGL 150 (or General Education)3
DSN S 183 (or General Education)3General Education3
ENGL 150 (or General Education)3General Education3
General Education3LIB 1601
General Education3 
 18 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
 DSN S 301 (Rome option only)1
 15 16
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 Language Requirement3Visual Culture Studies Language Requirement3
Visual Culture Studies Option3Visual Culture Studies Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Elective3Elective3
 DSN S 301 (Rome option only)1
 15 16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ART H 499 Visual Culture Studies Writing and Methods Seminar3Visual Culture Studies Option3
Approved POS3Approved POS3
Visual Culture Studies Option3Approved POS3
Elective3Elective3
Elective3Elective3
 15 15