Art Courses
100 Level
ART 105 Introduction to Studio Art (4)
Introduces basic studio materials and techniques for making art in a variety of media that may include painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, crafts, fibers, and/or digital technology. Includes lectures, demonstrations, studio participation, museum or artist studio visits, and related historical information. Lab fee. Offered intermittently.
200 Level
204 Digital Art I (4)
Explores the computer as an art-making tool. Includes practice exercises to learn software. Topics include photo
manipulations, the use of color, typestyles, page design, and composition. Students apply these concepts and skills to original, digital artworks. Computer and purchase of software license required. Lab fee. Offered every semester.
205 Drawing I (4)
Acquaints students with the basic concept of drawing with various media, including pencil, charcoal, chalk, and pen and ink. Experiences in skill-building exercises are emphasized, as well as their practical application. Offered every semester.
206 Painting I (4)
An examination of basic painting techniques. Students study and experiment with a variety of painting media, including watercolor, acrylics, and oil types on various working-surface materials. Students use these experiences to create their own pictorial interpretations. Studio course. Offered every semester.
208 Photography I (4)
Explores photography as an art form. Topics include the control of digital camera functions, composition, artistic techniques, and laws impacting the use of photos. Students must supply a digital camera. Offered every semester.
209 Sculpture I (4)
Explores the possibilities of sculptural form and three-dimensional problem solving through materials such as cardboard, paper, clay, plaster, wood, wax, etc. Emphasis is placed on understanding three-dimensional concepts of relief and sculpture- in-the-round through carving, modeling, and constructing. Lab fee. Offered intermittently.
213 Ceramics I (4)
Provides an introduction to ceramic art production, balanced with ceramic art history, criticism, and aesthetics. Includes techniques for hand-building and throwing on the potter’s wheel, clay and glaze preparation, glazing, and kiln firing. Provides students of all skill levels with a solid foundation in ceramics. Lab fee. Offered every semester.
220 Introduction to Glass (4)
An introduction to making art with glass taught through a series of hands-on projects. In addition, the Chrysler Museum’s extensive contemporary and historical glass collection and interaction with visiting and resident glass artists are utilized. Offered every fall.
300 Level
303 Graphic Design (4)
Introduction to the tools, methods, principles and practice of graphic design. Covers visual communication, the use of type,
the importance of visual research, communicating with vendors, clients and audiences, and the efficient use of graphics software. Students create an entry-level, interview-quality portfolio. Prerequisite: ART 204 or consent. Computer and purchase of software license required. Lab fee. Offered intermittently.
304 Digital Art II (4)
Explores digital tools for personal expression and art production. Concentrates on the effective use of composition and color.
Covers intermediate software features, web-based portfolios, & animation. Prerequisite: ART 204 or consent. Computer and purchase of software license required. Lab fee. Offered intermittently.
305 Drawing II (4)
An in-depth exploration of drawing techniques to include representational and expressive approaches in various media. This course builds on the tools of representational drawing from ART 205. Prerequisite: ART 205 or consent.
306 Painting II (4)
An in-depth exploration of painting focused on realism but also exploring abstraction and mixed media approaches. This course builds on concepts from ART 206. Prerequisite: ART 206 or consent.
307 Travel Photography (4)
Travel to specific regions or foreign countries for on-location photography. Students experience local arts and cultures, and create interpretations of travel experiences. Students must supply a digital camera. Travel may be physically demanding. Prerequisite: consent. Offered intermittently.
308 Photography II (4)
Intermediate exploration of digital photography. Emphasizes the development of personally meaningful portfolios. Topics include digital retouch and creative Photoshop and Lightroom techniques. Students must supply a digital
camera. Prerequisite: ART 208 or consent. Computer and purchase of software license required. Offered intermittently.
309 Sculpture II (4)
A continuation of Sculpture I, with special emphasis on exploring material for sculpture as used in mobiles, constructions, installations, and environmental works. Prerequisite: ART 209 or consent. Lab fee. Offered intermittently.
313 Ceramics II (4)
A continuation of ART 213, with special emphasis on wheel techniques and thrown forms. Students experiment with clays and glazes and have the opportunity to fire their own works. Prerequisite: ART 213 or consent. Lab fee.
319 Studio Art Teaching Assistant (1)
Allows qualified students to assist art instructors in teaching their classes. Pass/fail grading. Prerequisite: consent. Offered every semester.
350 Topics in Studio Art (4)
Focused, in-depth study of one studio art medium, including related aesthetic and historical considerations. Topics may
include: mixed media, jewelry, prints, fibers, public art, raku, glass, etc. May be repeated for credit as topics change. Lab fee. Offered every semester.
400 Level
404 Photo and Digital Art Lab (4)
Advanced studio art course designed for the student’s continued growth and exploration of digital tools and techniques. May be repeated for additional credit. Prerequisite: ART 303, 304, 308 or consent. Computer and purchase of software license required. Offered intermittently.
406 Advanced Drawing and Painting Lab (4)
Advanced art and design course exploring two-dimensional image making in traditional and non-traditional drawing and
painting media. Designed for continued growth and exploration of materials and concepts. May be repeated for additional credit. Prerequisite: ART 305, 306 or consent. Offered intermittently.
409 Sculpture and Ceramics Lab (4)
Advanced studio art course designed for the student’s continued growth and exploration of three-dimensional methods and materials. May be repeated for additional credit. Prerequisites: ART 309, 313 or consent. Lab fee. Offered intermittently.
420 Advanced Topics (4)
Advanced, in-depth study of one studio art medium, developing content and technical skills in the context of aesthetic and historical considerations. Topics may include mixed media, jewelry, prints, fibers, public art, raku, glass, etc. May be repeated for credit as topics change. Prerequisite: consent. Offered intermittently.
444 Studio Research (1)
Advanced Studio art course with individual faculty mentorship in studio work practice and historical research as a basis for the senior capstone “body of work.” Serves as the prerequisite for ART 450 Senior Art Seminar. Prerequisite: Consent. Offered every fall.
450 Senior Art Seminar (4) I
Requires the development of a studio research project. Students create artwork for exhibition, an explanatory paper, and an oral presentation while acquiring professional skills appropriate to arts-related careers. Prerequisite ART 444 and consent. Offered every spring.
485 Visual Art Internship (4)
Requires active involvement in an arts organization for a minimum of 130 hours, additional meetings with a faculty mentor, and submission of an electronic portfolio of materials including reflection on the internship experience. Prerequisite: junior/senior status, MUS 336, and consent. Offered every semester. Identical to ARTH 485.
Art History Courses
200 Level
231 Ancient and Medieval Art History (4)
A survey of the visual arts and how they functioned in culture, from prehistoric cave paintings to the art and architecture of late Medieval Europe. The course concentrates on the Western tradition of painting, sculpture, and architecture.
232 Renaissance to 20th-Century Art (4)
A survey of the visual arts and their relationship to social, cultural, and political history from the Renaissance to the Modern era. Concentrates on the European tradition of painting, sculpture, and architecture, especially the changing social role of artists and the development of modern definitions of “fine art.” This course is a chronological continuation of ARTH 231, but the latter is not a prerequisite.
300 Level
333 Art of Africa, Asia, and the Americas (4)
Surveys the long-lived art traditions of diverse global cultures, including Africa, India, China, Japan, the Pacific, and Pre- Columbian and Native America. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent.
341 American Art (4)
A history of the visual arts in America from pre-colonial to modern times. Particular attention is paid to the relationship of the visual arts to social and political history, and the issue of American identity in the arts. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent.
351 19th-Century Art History (4)
A history of European and American art from the era of the French Revolution to the end of the 19th century. The works of major artists, such as David, Goya, Turner, Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Munch, etc., are investigated within their historical contexts. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent.
352 Art since 1900 (4)
A history of artists and art movements, mostly in Europe and America, since 1900. This course investigates modern art within the context of shared understandings of the culture in which the art was produced. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent.
360 Topics in Art History (4)
An in-depth study of one period of art history or some disciplinary aspect or problem. May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent.
400 Level
485 Visual Art Internship (4)
Requires active involvement in an arts organization for a minimum of 130 hours, additional meetings with a faculty mentor, and submission of an electronic portfolio of materials including reflection on the internship experience. Prerequisite: junior/senior status, MUS 336, and consent. Offered every semester. Identical to ART 485.