Visual communication is among the most basic of human languages. Through the study of art, students acquire a rich understanding of human nature, values, psychology, aesthetics and history. Well-prepared artists, designers and educators are crucial contributors to our increasingly complex visual world -- career opportunities are numerous. Graduates of our program now work in a variety of fields, such as educators at the secondary and collegiate level, art directors, illustrators and graphic designers in advertising agencies, studio photographers and filmmakers, museum and gallery curators, certified art therapists and as independent studio artists with professional gallery representation.
Admission to the Program
All students are welcome to declare an Art and Design major. There is no formal admission process, however, students are required to submit portfolios every year. Failure to submit an annual portfolio will lead to removal from the department. By the end of the junior year, students will submit another portfolio showing the artistic direction that they will focus on for the two-semester Senior Seminar, culminating in a professional group exhibition in the SXU Gallery.
Requirements (60 credit hours)
Students in the Art and Design major must earn grades of C or above in all courses required for the major.
Required Courses (42 credit hours)
Students must take the following courses:
- ART 101: Drawing I (3)
- ART 113: Digital Photography (3)
- ART 116: Computer Graphics (3)
- ART 119: Digital Imagery (3)
- ART 120: Graphic Design I (3)
- ART 124: Portfolio Seminar (3)
- ART 201: Drawing II (3)
- ART 202: Design: Three-Dimensional (3)
- ART 211: Typography (3)
- ART 220: Graphic Design II (3)
- ART 222: Art of the Renaissance (3)
- ART 223: Modern and Contemporary Art (3)
- ART 305: Senior Seminar I (3)
- ART 306: Senior Seminar II (3)
Electives (18 credit hours)
Choose six elective courses from this list:
- ART 105: Painting I (3)
- ART 106: Intro to Game Design (3)
- ART 107: Intro to New Media Production (3)
- ART 119: Digital Imagery (3)
- ART 125: Intro to Video (3)
- ART 203: Book as Art and Design (3)
- ART 205: Painting II (3)
- ART 206: Watercolor Painting (3)
- ART 207: Collage and Assemblage -- Alternative Expressions (3)
- ART 208: Ceramics: Hand Construction (3)
- ART 209: Figure Drawing I (3)
- ART 210: Printmaking: Silkscreen and Lithography (3)
- ART 212: Photo II: Digital Dark Room (3)
- ART 229: Printmaking: Relief and Intaglio (3)
- ART 237: Screen Printed Poster (3)
- ART 241: Illustration (3)
- ART 248: Motion Graphics (3)
- ART 258: Ceramics: Wheel Throwing (3)
- ART 309: Figure Drawing II (3)
- ART 317: Photo III: Advanced Photography (3)
- ART 322: Advertising and Marketing (3)
- ART 327: Multimedia (3)
- ART 365: Internship (3)
General Education Requirements (19 credit hours)
The following are seven specific courses that must be completed as part of the General Education Program requirements:
- GE Transitions -- TS 100: Transitions (1)
- GE Fine Arts -- MUS 133: Music Production Techniques (3)
- GE Humanities -- ENGL 210: Introduction to Creative Writing (3)
- GE Mathematics -- MATH 110: Geometry for Art and Design (3)
- GE Physical Science -- PHYS 101: Physics for Non Scientists (3)
- GE History: HIST 200 -- Digital Humanities (3)
- GE Social Science -- PSYCH 110: Psychology in Film (3)