Mission

The mission of the Department of Visual Arts is to provide a highly valued educational experience that will encourage students to think critically; create and appreciate art and participate in an aesthetic culture while recognizing art as an integral part of our global society. To this end student will experience effective innovative instruction in traditional studio arts methods and materials as well as contemporary graphic arts technologies. The practice based learning in studio courses is further enhanced by courses in art history and aesthetic theory. This foundation will prepare graduates to make informed, valued contributions to the global visual arts culture that expresses their diversity, our University and the communities we embody. Students will an l s o have the self-discipline, motivation, and the expertise necessary to maintain their artistic activities and goals well into the future.

Departmental Goals

Foster a student centered environment that nurtures the development of intellectual and aesthetic growth. Maintain a skilled faculty recognized as educators as well as professional artists. Provide students with access to state of the art instruction, technology and equipment. Raise a conscious appreciation for and understanding of the value of arts by enhancing the visual appearance of our university and community environment. Serve as a resource that supports and validates the artistry in the community. Promote interest in the rich diverse cultural experience of the African Diaspora. Develop a student/faculty exchange with institution abroad to foster global thinking, free exchange of ideals and total immersion in a divergent artistic cultural setting. To establish an environment that will allow students to experience, interact and analyze a rich variety of visual arts culture.

General Degree Competencies

All graduating art majors will be able to address the following competencies upon completion of the program: Competencies are listed alphabetically.
Understand basic design principles, concepts, media, and formats in the various visual arts disciples. Development of this sensitivity continues throughout the degree program.
Ability to apply principles of design and color and competency in drawing in work specific to visual arts specializations.
The ability to conceive, design and create works in one or more specific visual art fields.
Working knowledge of various aesthetic issues, processes, and media and their relationship to the conceptualization, development and completion of works of arts.
Understanding of the similarities, differences, and relationship among the various visual arts areas.
Experiences that encourage familiarity with a broad variety of work in various specializations and media, including broad exposure to works of art.
Opportunities to develop an area of emphasis in at least one of the visual arts areas.
The ability to create and develop visual forms in response to communication problems, including an understanding of principles of visual organization/composition, information hierarchy, symbolic representation, typography, aesthetic and the construction of meaningful images.
An understanding of the tools and technology, including their roles in the creation, reproduction, and distribution of visual messages. Relevant tools and technologies include but are not limited to, drawing, offset printing, photography, and time-based interactive media (film, video, computer multimedia).
An understanding of basic business practices, including the ability to organize design projects and to work productively as a member of teams.
The capacity to apply, explain and defend the critical analysis of works of art.

Advising

All declared art majors will be given an art adviser during their first semester enrolled. This adviser will help them select the proper classes throughout their college career. While declared art majors who are still in University College or college athletes will use the advisement center or their athletic advisor for official advisement, they should meet with the Department Chairperson or an Art Faculty member prior to finalizing their class schedule. The Art Faculty will be up to date on any changes that may not be published. Once your official file has been transferred to the art department, your art advisor will be your primary advisor. With limited space in some art classes, along with some classes being offered only once a semester, it is essential that students use early registration to secure enrollment in required classes. Students not able to enroll due to late enrollment, failing a class, withdrawing or missing a sequentially numbered class may delay their graduation.

REMEMBER, not all classes are offered every semester, and your art adviser will know the sequence of those classes. Please make sure you inform admissions and the advisement center during freshman orientation that you are an art major so they will assign you to someone who is aware of the current art curriculum. Also, contact the Art Department Chairperson. It is essentially the students’ responsibility to make sure they follow the guidelines set forth by the department and the university in order to graduate on time.