Art, Studio

Department of Art

The Department of Art offers three majors: Art History and Criticism, Studio Art and Media/Art/Culture. The courses of study, while allowing students a considerable degree of choice, will also usually fulfill requirements for admission to graduate study or preparation for professional work in the field.

The department also offers three minors: Art History, Studio Art, and Digital Arts (see separate listing for DIA minor in this Bulletin).

Art History and Criticism looks at images, objects, and spaces throughout history and across geographic regions. Majors and minors acquire a broad foundation in art history at the introductory level. Majors may then choose whether to specialize in a certain area, or continue to explore more broadly across different fields and perspectives, from ancient to modern and contemporary, and across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, including traditional fields of painting, sculpture and architecture, as well as digital technologies, photography and film. We also provide exposure to museum, gallery and curatorial studies through coursework and internships.

Media/Art/Culture is a specialized interdisciplinary curriculum that brings together art history, film and media history, and photography, film and digital media studio practice. The program offers courses informed by histories of media, technology, and art, explored through specific social  and cultural formations. Students engage critically with diverse topics and issues at the intersection of digital art, media, technology, and culture. Students acquire the practical skills to create innovative work in digital media, including writing, photography, video, sound, interactive, computational and internet based media. Coursework emphasizes cross-disciplinary, project- based, and collaborative learning; students practice working on their own and in teams using theory and practice in ways that will help prepare them to contribute in a wide range of contemporary workplaces. We prepare students to be socially aware global citizens who think critically about how to make positive change in a society that is ever increasingly shaped by new and emerging technologies.

Studio Art majors concentrate on the creative, technical, and practical aspects of the Fine Arts. They acquire a foundation in drawing, digital media and 2-dimensional/ 3-dimensional design, and select one of three areas of concentration to specialize in. The areas of concentration include: painting, drawing, and printmaking; photography, digital and electronic media; and sculpture and ceramics. Beyond their areas of specialization, students have the opportunity to take elective courses in all of the disciplines. Studio Art majors are expected to acquire a sound foundation in art history and criticism to inform and inspire their own creative work. Students have on and off-campus internship and exhibition opportunities, as well as faculty mentors to guide them in preparing for graduate studies, and professional work and creative opportunities.

Department of Art graduates who go on to work in the discipline usually acquire some postgraduate training, that may include anything from a few additional courses to such advanced graduate degrees as the M.A., M.F.A., or Ph.D. Studio Art graduates hold teaching positions up to and including the college, university, and professional school level; others work as independent artists, printers, photographers, and designers. Art History and Criticism graduates hold teaching positions in colleges and universities; others work as gallery or museum administrators, or as art critics, among other career paths.