Department of Art, Design, and Visual Studies PLOs
History of Art and Visual Culture BA
Identify the monuments and principal artists of the major Western art historical periods.
Identify the monuments and principal artists of at least one non-Western culture.
Cultivate a broad global historical perspective.
Acquire advanced knowledge in at least one area of emphasis to the advanced seminar level.
Demonstrate knowledge of the principal theorists and debates relevant to the area of emphasis.
Develop skills in at least one foreign language to support research in the emphasis area.
Actively research and write analytical and critical essays using the tools and techniques of art historical scholarship.
Gain practical functional experience in the applications of art and art history.
Art Education BFA
Exhibit familiarity and competence with the basic expressive, technical, procedural and organizational skills and conceptual insights which can be developed through studio art and design experiences.
Apply theories of children’s artistic development and national and state educational standards to curriculum planning and development.
Prepare and provide learning experiences in art making, art appreciation, art history, aesthetics, art criticism, community arts and multicultural arts utilizing a variety of innovative topics, instructional strategies, teaching environments and technological practices to peer and student groups.
Possess the ability to assess aptitudes, experiential backgrounds, and interests of individuals and groups of students, devise learning experiences to meet assessed needs, develop criteria for making intelligent visual interpretations and judgments about student art work as well as the work of other artists in school and life.
Exemplify cultural competence and respect for diversity through appropriate fieldwork experiences and utilize multicultural contemporary and folk traditional artists and art works in curricula development.
Actively participate in a variety of clinical observation/teaching experiences in school and community organizations and reflect upon learning and challenges.
Develop and analyze curricula, physical site needs, classroom management plans and safety guidelines.
Prepare a professional educational portfolio including a formal and personal, valid philosophy of art education as a teacher in 6-12 or K-12 schools.
Participate in local, state and national art education service.
Develop broad competencies in several art media, and deeper competency in media/area of emphasis building a significant artistic practice.
Graphic Design BFA
Graduates attain professional skills in the visual, conceptual, developmental, interactive and technical aspects of graphic design. Key skills include mastery of typography and the use of visual elements; independent and self-directed command of evolving technologies, ability to conduct research and thoughtfully consider the experiences of users and audiences. Graduates must design well, with visual style, flexibility and originality; they should be attentive to the integrity and appropriateness of design solutions.
Graduates must demonstrate an understanding of the historical and theoretical contexts of graphic design. In addition to considering its traditional relationship to communications theory and the fine arts, graduates must confront graphic design’s (reflexive) influence upon contemporary culture, and its role in promoting diversity, inclusion, sustainability and other humane values.
Graduates should attain a level of visual and cultural literacy commensurate with a professional role in creating and disseminating content in the public sphere. Graduates must learn to think broadly across disciplines, to practice autodidactic learning, and to conduct effective research. Their skills may be applied to myriad different types of content, and their future clients may look to them for broadly informed perspectives.
Graduates must demonstrate an ability to clearly express both verbally and in writing the meanings of design decisions. They must be prepared to serve and inform the client, the project and the public capably, ethically and responsibly.
Illustration BFA
Students will understand the scope illustration as an art form and profession; beyond the limited understanding of illustration as commercial art.
Students will see the relationship of illustration to the other visual arts and life historically and in practice.
Students will comprehend illustration and drawing as a visual language.
Students will understand methods and media in terms of tools to realize an idea or solve a problem (including digital media as a tool).
Students will improve their drawing and technical skills and over time gravitate toward skills that can be refined.
Students will attempt to discover if illustration is a true passion.
 Students will develop and update portfolio for professional presentation to potential clients.
Visual Art BA, BFA
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of basic design principles, concepts and media in various disciplines.
Graduates will demonstrate a proficiency of basic foundation techniques to specific fine art applications.
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to conceive, design and create works in one or more fine art fields.
Graduates will demonstrate a working knowledge of various production methods and their relationship to the conceptualization, development and completion of works of art.
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the similarities, differences and relationships among the various fine art disciplines.
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to produce, orally present and write about a cohesive body of their work in a specific discipline.*BFA Only
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of general Art History and an understanding of contemporary practices in visual art and culture.
Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the practices and procedures of installing an exhibition of visual art.
Visual Arts MFA
To acquire technical skill in a chosen fine art discipline.
To produce a professional body of artwork suitable for exhibition.
To become aware of and be able to situate the artwork in relation to contemporary art theory and practice.
To be able to place the work in the context of the world at large.
To be able to write and speak clearly and critically about the essential ideas, processes, and intentions in the artwork.
To be able to do research and write a thesis that supports the studio practice.