Students majoring in studio art take a minimum of 18 courses (50 credits) and complete a concentration in ceramics, graphic design, interactive media arts, painting or photography. All art majors are required to participate in a comprehensive portfolio review during the spring semester of the freshman year, as well as the senior exhibition held in the Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery during the spring of their final year.
Required courses:
- Freshman Studio Seminar
- Creativity and Technology
- Drawing I
- Drawing II
- Drawing III
- Art History Survey I: Prehistoric Through Gothic Art
- Art History Survey II: Renaissance Through Early 20th Century Art
- Studio Art Capstone Seminar
- Art, Aesthetics and Cultural Values
- Portfolio
- Senior Studio Art Seminar
- Senior thesis exhibition or one additional studio elective
- Two art history electives
Concentration in Ceramics
Students concentrating in ceramics explore the historic development of this medium while gaining technical experience with our hands-on approach to studio practices. Coursework fosters creative problem-solving skills through the creation and examination of both traditional and conceptual ceramic forms.
Required courses:
- Ceramics I: Clay, Culture and Creativity
- Ceramics II: Throwing on the Potter's Wheel
- Concentrated Studies: Ceramics III
- One two-dimensional studio elective
Concentration in Graphic Design
Courses in graphic design provide students with an understanding of how to visually communicate messages. Through the combination of type and image, students develop the ability to critically analyze and professionally produce effective design solutions.
Required courses:
- Graphic Design I
- Graphic Design II
- Concentrated Studies: Graphic Design
- One three-dimensional studio elective
Concentration in Interactive Media Arts
Coursework in interactive media arts develops conceptual, aesthetic and technical skills in the production of computer-generated media. As they explore how interaction, technology and art can create new forms of expression, students learn how to use these skills in their own creative practice.
Required courses:
- Interactivity I
- Interactivity II
- Interactivity III
- One three-dimensional studio elective
Concentration in Painting
An understanding of color theory, painting materials and drawing techniques is the foundation of the painting concentration. As they master the principles of rendering, discover the possibilities of color relationships and explore their personal style, students develop a sophisticated appreciation of the painter's art and craft while honing their creative and analytical skills.
Required courses:
- Painting I
- Color and Figuration
- Concentrated Studies: Painting III
- One three-dimensional studio elective
Concentration in Photography
The photography concentration explores both photographic techniques and the historic context of this medium. Coursework introduces the technical approaches to both darkroom and digital photography and examines the use of photography as a powerful means of personal visual expression.
Required courses:
- Photography I: A Mirror of Reality
- Intermediate Darkroom and Digital Photography
- Concentrated Studies: Photography
- One three-dimensional studio elective
Minor in Studio Art
Students completing a minor in studio art take a minimum of seven courses (21 credits).
Required courses:
- Drawing I
- Art History Survey I: Prehistoric Through Gothic Art or Art History Survey II: Renaissance Through Early 20th Century Art
- Sculptural Concepts or Ceramics I: Clay, Culture and Creativity
Students choose four additional courses approved in consultation with the department chair.