About Art and Design Programs

We believe it is essential to cultivate an environment that encourages aesthetic awareness, historical consciousness, critical analysis, and an appreciation for the role of art in a comprehensive education.

Our mission is to maintain an educational setting that fosters creativity, analytical thinking, critical discourse and innovation through a commitment to the following:

• Technical and conceptual proficiency in the chosen area of concentration within the Department
• Technical and conceptual knowledge in the various areas of concentration within the Department
• An emphasis on critical thinking and creative production through the continued development of analytical, formal, and conceptual skills
• An understanding of the creation, production, and interpretation of art across cultural and historical contexts

This mission is realized within the context of a comprehensive liberal arts university.

Our goal is to provide a learning environment in each of our classes that will:

• Cultivate critical inquiry, analysis and reflection.
• Embrace and integrate liberal arts education.
• Foster self-motivation.
• Encourage each student’s sense of his or her individual vision and potential.
• Develop effective visual, oral, and written communication skills.
• Develop a working understanding of and competency with materials and techniques.
• Acquire a foundation in art history and its methodologies.
• Provide professional, safe, clean, and accessible facilities.
• Provide initiatives and opportunities for professional practices.
• Provide a network for students, faculty and alumni to engage in continuing dialogue.

Under most circumstances, Art History and studio courses are open to all students. However, for students not majoring in Art and Design, FA 102 Studio Art Foundations I, or FA 103 Studio Art Foundations II or FA 104 Drawing I, and either AH 111 Renaissance to Modern Art or AH 112 Egyptian to Medieval Art are prerequisites for advanced work, unless the student receives permission from the instructor. Certain 200-level studio courses fulfill non-major Undergraduate Curriculum requirements. No prerequisites are required for these courses.