Art Major, B.A.

The Bachelor of Arts in Art is a liberal arts degree. Students who successfully complete this degree will be prepared to:

• Select and apply appropriate visual principles, processes, techniques and materials to communicate an idea effectively in a variety of media.
• Articulate in written, verbal, and visual form connections between concepts and formal and design elements, processes, techniques and materials.
• Classify major achievements and developments in the history of art, including the works and intentions of leading artists in the past and present, and assess the way art reflects cultural values in both Western and non-Western worlds.
• Explain the nature of contemporary thinking on art and design and analyze issues of quality in design projects and works of art.

A minor is required for students pursuing the B.A. in Art. Art majors may not minor in Studio Art. Art majors may minor in Art History, Theory and Criticism, a distinct academic discipline from Art or Communication Design, although all reside within the Department of Art and share common foundational requirements. Coursework used to meet requirements for the major may not be used to meet requirements for a minor.

B.A. in Art majors are required to meet with an advisor midway through their program to discuss educational goals and selection of a minor; this must be done upon completing 21 credits in the major, inclusive of the 18 hours of foundations courses required for all students in the Department. Additionally, students must have completed their General Studies requirements in Written Communication, Oral Communication, and Quantitative Literacy at the time of the advising review.

Foundation courses are prerequisites for courses within the Art, Communication Design, and Art History, Theory and Criticism majors. Check each course description for specific prerequisites or corequisites. A grade of “C-” or better is required in each required course before progressing to subsequent courses. Students should note that programs differ in the minimum grade required.