General Education: 30 Credits; Major: 42 Credits; Elective Credits: 48 Credits
The MMC Art program provides an integrated study of the practice, theory, and history of art in the context of a robust liberal arts curriculum. Students concentrate in graphic design, illustration & animation, photography, or studio practices and build a unique program based on their individual interests. This approach encourages investigations of materials and methods within the art program as well as across a full range of academic disciplines. From this multifaceted curriculum, students gain diverse perspectives and learn to act creatively, think critically, and make their mark as socially engaged artists and designers.
Classes are held in the state-of-the-art studios of the Judith Mara Carson Center for Visual Arts. This remarkable facility supports an array of artistic practices, from the traditional to the experimental. Students build skills in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and darkroom photography as well as the latest digital and time-based media. Beyond the classroom, the unparalleled cultural resources of New York City add immediacy and breadth to the study of visual art. Students visit museums, galleries, auction houses, and artists' studios and work with leading artists, designers, photographers, curators, and scholars. They gain professional experience exhibiting in the Hewitt Gallery of Art and intern in the thriving creative industries and cultural institutions of NYC.
We offer a 60-credit Bachelor of Fine Arts degree designed to develop depth in a specific area of inquiry and a 42-credit Bachelor of Arts degree that supports opportunities to pursue a double major or minors. Minor courses of study are available in graphic design, illustration & animation, photography, studio practices, art therapy, arts management, and arts in the communities.
Learning Goals for the Major in Art
After completing the major in Art, students will be able to:
- Exhibit conceptual and technical skills in a chosen art or design medium.
- Demonstrate scope and depth of knowledge in art historical and aesthetic practices.
- Articulate aesthetic responses through critical observation, reading, writing, and oral presentation.
- Develop an individual artistic and/or design vision necessary to advance studies and/or enter career in the visual arts.
Foundational Requirements for all B.A. Art Majors (12 Credits)
All Art majors must additionally complete one of the following 30-Credit Concentrations.
Graphic Design Concentration (30 Credits)
Required Courses (24 Credits):
Two of the following electives: (6 credits):
Illustration and Animation Concentration (30 Credits)
Required Courses (24 Credits):
Two of the following electives (6 credits):
Students in illustration or animation are strongly encouraged to take at least one 3-credit internship where they gain first-hand experience assisting in an artist’s studio, or a design or animation studio. Internships may be counted as an elective(s) towards the major.
Photography Concentration (30 Credits)
Required Courses (24 Credits):
| ART 121 | Photography I: An Introduction to Medium, Content and Context | 3 |
| ART 205 | History of Photography | 3 |
| ART 213 | Photography II: An Intermediate Exploration of Medium, Content and Context | 3 |
| ART 226 | Digital Photography | 3 |
| ART 321 | Junior Art Seminar | 3 |
| ART 330 | Advanced Photography Practices | 3 |
| ART 335 | Studio Lighting | 3 |
| ART 411 | Senior Art Seminar | 3 |
Two of the following electives (6 credits):
By agreement, students may take up to 12 credits of ART 347 Photography Study in New York at The International Center of Photography towards the elective portion of the concentration. Courses should be chosen from the following:
Studio Lighting/Portraiture
Photojournalism
Intermediate Digital Imaging
Advanced Digital Imaging
Photography the Landscape/Cityscape
Studio Lighting/Still Life
Courses at ICP:
Studio Lighting
Portraiture
Documentary Photography
Fashion Photography
Photoshop I
Photoshop II
Photoshop III
Fine Art Digital Printing
DSLR Video for Photographers
Non-Silver Printing: Alternative Processes
Color Printing from Negatives
Intermediate Black and White Printing
Advanced Black and White Printing
Advanced Darkroom Techniques
Advanced Color Photography
Large Format Photography
Studio Practices Concentration (30 Credits)
Required courses (24 Credits):
Two of the following electives (6 credits):
The department strongly encourages students in studio art to take at least one 3-credit art-related internship where they could gain first-hand experience assisting in an artist’s studio, gallery, museum, not-for-profit art institution, auction house, or design studio. Internships may be counted as an elective(s) towards the major.
Honors in the Art Major (3 additional credits)
Art majors who have maintained a GPA in the major of 3.5 or higher are invited to apply for an Honors Independent Study (ART 499) to be taken in their final semester. Students who earn an A or A- will graduate with honors in the major. Non-majors may petition the Art & Art History department for approval.