Dec 08, 2024  
2024-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Fine Art, B.A.


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Goals:

The goals of the Fine Art Major are: to provide the opportunity for the student to develop historical and philosophical perspectives on the visual arts; to provide the opportunity for the student to develop a competitive portfolio of work or experiences in one or more areas of the visual arts; and to develop the student’s capacity for diligent and persistent inquiry.

 

Descriptions of focus areas:

Art History

Art history is the study of humanity through the analysis of visual artifacts.  While studio majors study art history to enhance their critical thinking skills, and analyze the processes of artistic production as they refine their techniques, students who are concentrating in art history learn how to conduct research in order to situate works of art within their historical, social, and political contexts.  The focus on research prepares students for careers as academic art historians or curators in art museums.

 

Graphic Design

Morgan’s Graphic Design concentration in the Fine Arts program focusing on visual arts.  The Graphic Design concentration is built around training students in creative problem solving using the latest design standard  technology (Adobe Creative Cloud), while also providing cultural and social context to their projects.  The B.A. in Fine Arts provides students with the opportunity to focus on graphic design methods and techniques used in effective design thinking for visual communication.  

 

Illustration

Illustration focuses on strengthening the fundamental elements of communication imagery and the “language” of this art form.  Students are challenged to consider how to manipulate various media and to intelligently communicate through complex compositions while working to create works that shed light on particular themes.  Students are also encouraged to consider whether they desire to pursue illustration’s commercial uses or to move in the direction of fine arts illustration.  Our primary purpose is to provide guidance that allows the student to reach their short-term goals with the understanding that there is more to achieve beyond the undergraduate level such as animation, book illustration, sequential illustration among others.

 

Multi Media Studio

Multi Media Studio engages students in material skill building with emphasis on the mastering of materials associated with art production while intellectually pursuing complex visual communication.  Students are exposed to the potentials of mediums such as, Ceramics, Digital Media, Drawing, Painting, Printmaking and Sculpture and Mixed Media.  

Requirements:

The department offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree in Fine Art. Under this degree program, students may focus in one of four areas of fine art: (1) Art History (2) Graphic Design/Illustration, or (3) Illustration or (4) Multi-Media Studio. It also offers a minor in Fine Art for those wishing to develop their arts interests as a supplement to their major field.

Teacher Certification:

To attain certification to teach art, students must complete one of the focus areas in art and see the School of Education and Urban Studies for additional courses required for teacher certification and/or the five year Master’s Program in Education.

College-wide Requirements:

In addition to meeting the requirements in General Education and in the major, students must also complete six (6) credits in the Liberal Arts Core. Other options for satisfying this requirement are outlined under the College of Liberal Arts. Also, to qualify for graduation, Graphic Design, Illustration and Multi-Media Studio students must pass the Juried Senior Portfolio Review, must have taken all of their junior- and senior-level requirements in the major at Morgan (unless granted prior written permission by the Dean to take courses elsewhere); and must have earned a cumulative average of 2.0 or better and a major average of 2.0 or better, with no outstanding grades below “C” in the major (which includes all courses required for the major and required supporting courses including foreign language requirement). Art History majors are required to take World History and must pass the Senior Research Project, and must have taken all of their junior- and senior-level requirements in the major at Morgan (unless granted prior written permission by the Dean to take courses elsewhere); and must have earned a cumulative average of 2.0 or better and a major average of 2.0 or better, with no outstanding grades below “C” in the major (which includes all courses required for the major and required supporting courses).

 

Requirements for the B.A. Degree in Fine Art

A minimum of 120 credit hours are required to graduate with a B.A. in Fine Art.  These credit hours are distributed as follows:

General Education and University Requirements    43

Liberal Arts Core Requirements    6

Required Core Courses for the Fine Arts Major    30

Required Courses for the  Fine Art Track     41

TOTAL CREDITS     120

General Education and University Requirements 43 credits


  • 3 credits EC
  • 3 credits EC
  • XXXX - MQ General Education Req. 3 credits MQ
  • XXXX - HH General Education Req. 3 credits HH
  • XXXX - IM General Education Req. 3 credits IM
  • XXXX - BP General Education Req. 4 credits with lab BP
  • XXXX - BP General Education Req. 3 credits no lab req. BP
  • XXXX - SB General Education Req. 3 credits SB
  • XXXX - SB General Education Req. 3 credits SB
  • XXXX - AH General Education Req. 3 credits AH*
  • XXXX - AH General Education Req. 3 credits AH
  • XXXX - CT General Education Req. 3 credits CT
  • XXXX - CI General Education Req. 3 credits CI
  • 1 credits
  • XXXX - Phys. Activity or FIN 101 or MIND 101 1 credit

Note


* HUMA 201 strongly recommended to satisfy AH requirement since it is a prerequisite for major core requirement ART 303  

Please see General Education Requirements Distribution Areas  for courses that satisfy General Education Requirements where not specified by the department

Liberal Arts Core 6 credits


  • XXXX - Liberal Arts Core 3 credits
  • XXXX - Liberal Arts Core 3 credits

Required Core Courses for the Fine Art Major 30 credits


Required Courses for the Graphic Design Track 41 credits


Required Courses for the Illustration Track 41 credits


Required Courses for the Multi-Media Studio Track 41 credits


Note


* Art Multi-Media Course must be chosen from the following:  ART 205 ART 270 ART 302 ART 305 ART 340 ART 370 ART 440 ART 477 ,

 ART 482  

Required Courses for the Art History Track 41 credits


Total Credits 120


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