Courses

Build Your Artistic Practice

The School of Art curriculum is designed to help students develop technical skills, conceptual depth, and an individual artistic voice. Beginning with a shared foundation experience, students explore a range of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, new media, and socially engaged art before advancing into specialized studio courses and independent projects.

Students work closely with faculty, visiting artists, and peers through studio courses, critiques, exhibitions, and research-based seminars, culminating in a senior thesis exhibition.

student drawing near a window

First-Year Foundation Courses:

Every art student begins with a common foundation experience that introduces contemporary art practices, critical thinking, and hands-on studio making.

ART 101 – Signifying Practices: Art and Visual Culture

Explore how images, objects, and media shape contemporary culture. Students develop research, writing, and critical analysis skills while learning how artists engage with visual culture and social issues.

ART 112 – Introduction to Drawing

Develop observational and experimental approaches to drawing while working with a variety of materials, techniques, and concepts. Students explore drawing as both a technical skill and a creative form of expression.

ART 130 – Introduction to Painting + Color

Learn the fundamentals of painting through studies of color, composition, material processes, and contemporary approaches to image-making.

ART 140 – Introduction to Sculpture

Investigate three-dimensional art through sculptural materials, spatial thinking, installation practices, and contemporary approaches to object-making.

ART 150 – Introduction to New Media Arts

Create interactive artworks and responsive environments while exploring the relationship between technology, art, and contemporary culture.

ART 151 – Introduction to Creative Coding

Learn coding as a creative tool. Students work with platforms such as Processing, HTML, and JavaScript to create interactive projects that connect technology with artistic practice.

ART 160 – Introduction to Digital Photography

Develop technical and creative skills in digital photography while exploring image-making, lighting, editing, and contemporary photographic practice.

ART 170 – Introduction to Filmmaking

Experiment with moving image, sound, editing, and storytelling while exploring the history and contemporary practice of film and video art.

student looking at art

After completing the foundation program, students pursue advanced coursework.

Drawing & Painting

Students investigate contemporary approaches to image-making while developing technical expertise, conceptual rigor, and a personal visual language.

Featured Courses:

  • Topics in Drawing I & II
  • Topics in Painting I & II
  • Topics in Color
  • Advanced Critique
  • Senior Thesis

 

Sculpture & Installation

Explore material experimentation, spatial practice, installation, and contemporary approaches to three-dimensional art.

Featured Courses:

  • Topics in Sculpture I & II
  • Advanced Critique
  • Senior Thesis
A camera is pointed at a student who is standing in front of a green screen. We can see the frame of the camera's digital viewfinder.

Photography

Students work across digital and analog photography while exploring contemporary image culture, lighting, alternative processes, and independent project development.

Featured Courses:

  • Topics in Digital Photography
  • Analog Photography
  • Alternative Process & Lighting Studio
  • Advanced Independent Projects: Photography

 

Moving Image

Develop skills in experimental film, video art, documentary media, animation, motion graphics, sound, and screenwriting.

Featured Courses:

  • Topics in Film
  • Topics in Video
  • Motion Graphics
  • Documentary Media
  • Advanced Projects: Moving Image
  • Screen Writing
students on a field trip

New Media Arts

Create interactive experiences, creative code, virtual environments, physical computing projects, and emerging media artworks.

Featured Courses:

  • Creative Coding
  • Advanced New Media Arts
  • Physical Computing
  • Interactive 3D
  • Virtual Reality & Advanced Interactive Media

 

Socially Engaged Art

Work collaboratively with communities while exploring art’s role in civic life, activism, education, and social change.

Featured Courses:

  • Introduction to Socially Engaged Art
  • Prison Movies
  • Topics in Justice

 

All students complete a these/capstone sequence that prepares them for professional artistic practices

Senior Projects: Thesis

Present a culminating exhibition and written thesis that showcases the development of your artistic practice.

 

To see the Full Course Catalog listing, click HERE