Art & Design (B.A.)
This major offers a comprehensive approach to studio art, photography and graphic design. Students may immerse themselves in a variety of traditional and contemporary media, taught by practicing artists with local, national and international professional experience. Learning takes place in a state-of-the-art facility that’s unmatched in the region, offering dedicated spaces for a variety of media such as ceramics, digital arts, graphic design, photography, printmaking, studio arts, video editing and woodshop.
Classes are small (usually ranging from 8–15 students), giving each student the opportunity to develop enriching educational relationships with classmates and professors. The Art & Design department emphasizes the importance of blending the faculty’s professional experience with the students’ understanding of contemporary aesthetics and their development of ambitious studio practice.
Area of Studies
The Art & Design program provides a variety of courses to enhance and offer balance to the liberal arts at USF.
The Art & Design major offers concentrations in the following areas:
- Graphic Design
- Photography
- Studio Art
Visual Arts Education major
Minors are offered in the following areas:
- Art & Design
- Fine Arts History
- Photography
Students majoring in Art & Design develop fundamental skills in design, drawing, contemporary art practices and three-dimensional design during their first year in the program. This foundation is enhanced through intermediate art courses and an introduction to art criticism, history, applied design, and computer art. In upper level courses, students integrate skills and technology to prepare a thesis exhibition or performance supported by an articulate written element. Each student’s capstone course is developed with continual encouraging input from faculty and peers during their tenure at USF.
The major in Art & Design prepares students for various professions in the arts. The Graphic Design concentration addresses a traditional design core coupled with digital, portfolio, and seminar courses for preparation to work as a design professional. The Photography concentration is designed to secure students introductory to upper level knowledge in photography application, practices, history, and theory. The primary goal of this concentration is to prepare the student for a career in a photography related position. The Studio Art concentration equips students with a sound foundation for entry into a graduate program or a career as an artist. The Visual Arts Education major prepares students to be licensed to teach art. For additional information about the program see the Teacher Education section of this catalog.
Art & Design minors are compatible with related majors in the humanities, which may broaden and enliven the students’ learning experiences. The minor may also be combined with other majors, including Business, Education, Communication and Media Arts, Recreation Administration, Social Work, and Theology. These combinations enrich the individual and enhance career opportunities.
Program Goals:
- To gain an understanding of the visual arts in relation to culture and history
- To introduce the student to historical and contemporary artistic and design practices
- To provide an environment that fosters critical thinking in traditional to new art and design
- To provide facilities that are current with industry standards in graphic design, photography and studio art
- To assist students in the preparation of a senior portfolio and thesis exhibition
- To prepare Visual Arts Education students for a Professional Educator License in Visual Arts
Art & Design Major (55-61 credit hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| ARTD 101 | 2-D Design Principles | 3 |
| or ARTD 103 | Art & Design Foundations | |
| ARTD 201 | 3-D Design Principles | 3 |
| ARTD 209 | Typography I | 3 |
| ARTD 321 | Contemporary Art Practices I | 3 |
| ARTD 450 | Portfolio Development | 3 |
| ARTD 451 | Art & Design Seminar | 3 |
| ARTD 452 | Art & Design Thesis | 1 |
| Art History Required Courses | ||
| ARTD 257 | Ancient, Medieval & Non-European Art History | 3 |
| ARTD 258 | Renaissance to Modern Art History | 3 |
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Art & Culture Travel Studies (1-3) | ||
| Exploring the Fine Arts (3) | ||
| Art Now (3) | ||
| Twentieth Century Art (3) | ||
| Film & Photo Visual Culture (3) | ||
| Comics & Graphic Novels: A Seminar (3) | ||
| Video Game Seminar (3) | ||
| Women in Art (3) | ||
| Graphic Design History (3) | ||
| Required Concentration | ||
| Select one of the following concentrations: | 24-30 | |
| Total Hours | 52-58 | |
Graphic Design Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses for concentration | ||
| ARTD 209 | Typography I | 3 |
| ARTD 215 | Photo 1 | 3 |
| ARTD 297 | Introduction to Individual Studio Practice | 3 |
| ARTD 309 | Typography II | 3 |
| ARTD 312 | Packaging Design | 3 |
| ARTD 414 | Publication Design | 3 |
| Select 9 credit hours of the following: | 9 | |
| Topics in Art & Design (1-4) | ||
| Art & Culture Travel Studies (1-3) | ||
| Screen Printing (3) | ||
| Digital Art (3) | ||
| Color Photography (3) | ||
| Comics & Graphic Novels: A Seminar (3) | ||
| Digital Studio (3) | ||
| The Photobook (3) | ||
| Topic in Photography (1-3) | ||
| Topic in Art (1-4) | ||
| Individual Studio Projects (1-6) | ||
| Digital Photography Editing (3) | ||
| Multimedia Arts I (3) | ||
| Web Page Design (3) | ||
| 2D Animation (3) | ||
| Special Effects and Animation (3) | ||
| Web Publishing and Platforms (3) | ||
| Multimedia Arts II (3) | ||
| Digital Illustration (3) | ||
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Photography Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses for concentration | ||
| ARTD 215 | Photo 1 | 3 |
| ARTD 317 | Documentary Photography | 3 |
| ARTD 318 | Portrait Photography | 3 |
| ARTD 319 | Color Photography | 3 |
| ARTD 360 | Film & Photo Visual Culture | 3 |
| Select 9 credit hours of the following: | 9 | |
| Art & Culture Travel Studies (1-3) | ||
| Screen Printing (3) | ||
| Introduction to Individual Studio Practice (3) | ||
| Digital Art (3) | ||
| Photo 2 (3) | ||
| Studio Lighting (3) | ||
| Alternative Photo Practices (3) | ||
| Digital Studio (3) | ||
| The Photobook (3) | ||
| Topic in Photography (1-3) | ||
| Directed Study (1-3) | ||
| Independent Study (1-3) | ||
| Individual Studio Projects (1-6) | ||
| Art & Design Internship (1-16) | ||
| Digital Photography Editing (3) | ||
| Video I (3) | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
Studio Art Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses for concentration | ||
| ARTD 151 | Introduction to Drawing | 3 |
| ARTD 152 | Introduction to Painting | 3 |
| ARTD 250 | Screen Printing | 3 |
| ARTD 297 | Introduction to Individual Studio Practice | 3 |
| ARTD 497 | Individual Studio Projects | 3 |
| Select 12 credit hours of the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Cartooning (3) | ||
| Topics in Art & Design (1-4) | ||
| Art & Culture Travel Studies (1-3) | ||
| Screen Printing (3) | ||
| Intermediate Drawing (3) | ||
| Intermediate Painting (3) | ||
| Ceramics (3) | ||
| Figure Drawing (3) | ||
| Advanced Drawing (1-3) | ||
| Advanced Painting (1-3) | ||
| Digital Art (3) | ||
| Color Photography (3) | ||
| Sculpture (3) | ||
| Installation Art (3) | ||
| Performance Art (3) | ||
| Ceramics II (3) | ||
| Film & Photo Visual Culture (3) | ||
| Contemporary Art Practices II (3) | ||
| The Photobook (3) | ||
| Publication Design (3) | ||
| Topic in Photography (1-3) | ||
| Topic in Art (1-4) | ||
| Directed Study (1-3) | ||
| Independent Study (1-3) | ||
| Art & Design Internship (1-16) | ||
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Students work with their advisors in selecting additional elective credits to fulfill the 120 credit hours required for graduation.