Art Major: Graphic Design Concentration
Why study art and graphic design at CMU?
CMU's art program, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, helps each student prepare to start an art-related career, teach elementary or secondary art, or pursue a graduate degree. Learning from faculty members whose artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally, students will develop artistic abilities, strengthen analytical skills, and improve interpretive capabilities. Consider these key features distinguishing this program at CMU:
- Fully equipped studios for work in drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, and photography
- The Steven L. Barstow Artist-in-Residence program, featuring nationally acclaimed artists who teach, exhibit, and conduct workshops on campus
- Internship opportunities with area organizations, businesses, and artists
- Professional development through involvement in student organizations such as Students of Design and the National Art Education Association
Career outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, for all occupations through the year 2014:
- Employment of artists and related workers is expected to increase nine to 17 percent.
- Competition for jobs is expected to be keen for both salaried and freelance jobs in all specialties, because the number of qualified workers exceeds the number of available openings.
- Excellent job opportunities for all teachers are expected as retirements, especially among secondary school teachers, outweigh slowing enrollment growth; opportunities will vary by geographic area and subject taught.
Career options
Graduates of the art program at CMU will find a variety of career opportunities. Some of these may require additional education.
- Art Administrator
- Ceramicist
- Elementary or Secondary School Teacher
- Graphic Designer
- Illustrator
- Museum Curator
- Painter
- Printmaker
- Sculptor
- College or University Professor
Program Overview
The course listings below are a representation of what this academic program requires.
For a full review of this program in detail please see our official online academic bulletin
AND consult with an academic advisor. This listing does not include the General Education
courses required for all majors and may not include some program specific information, such as admissions, retention, and termination standards.
(Click on the course name or number for a complete course description.)
Art Major: Graphic Design Concentration
( Total: 78 semester hours )
(15 hours)
Core Courses I
Foundations
3
ART 105 Drawing I
Introduction to drawing media and techniques with a focus on drawing from observation and to formal principles of composition and conceptual inventiveness.
3
ART 115 Design I
Introduction to form and its relation to the two-dimensional surface. Focus on the elements and principles of design, creative problem solving and visual literacy.
3
ART 117 Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Art
Introduction to the aesthetic theory and visual language of Modernism, Post-Modernism, and Post-Postmodernism.
3
ART 118 Design II
Introduction to three and four-dimensional form and space. Focus on the elements and principles of design, creative problem solving and visual literacy. Prerequisite: ART 115.
3
ART 122 Color and Composition
An exploration of the theories and principles of color and composition. Prerequisite: ART 115. CR/NC option available.
(3 hours)
Core Courses III
Select one of the following:
3
ART 205 Drawing II
A concentration in experimental media, techniques, spatial relationships, and conceptual processes of drawing. Prerequisites: ART 105, ART 115.
3
ART 216 Introduction to Figure Drawing
Introduction to the study of the human figure in drawing with emphasis on three-dimensional representation, proportions, and anatomical structure. Prerequisite: ART 105.
(3 hours)
Core Courses IV
Select one of the following:
3
ART 150 Printmaking I
An introduction to intaglio and lithography printmaking techniques as a fine art. Prerequisite: ART 105.
3
ART 160 Sculpture I
An introduction to the basic tools, techniques, processes, materials, history and concepts of traditional and contemporary sculpture.
Select an additional art history course from:
3
ART 319 Art Criticism
The description, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of visual art. (University Program Group I-B)
3
ART 341 History of Photography
Introductory study of the history of photography from the advent of the camera obscura in the 1550s to the present.
3
ART 363 Design: The Interface of Art and Industry
Survey of the development of the applied arts in material culture from the invention of movable type through the twentieth century. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or above. (University Program Group IV-A)
3
ART 366 Contemporary Design Issues
A survey of the ethical, conceptual, and stylistic trends driving contemporary design theory and practice. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or above.
3
ART 380 Greek Art and Architecture
The art and architecture of ancient Greece from the Geometric to Hellenistic periods. Prerequisites: ART 185.
3
ART 381 Early Christian and Byzantine Art
Art of the early church. Byzantine art from the reign of Theodosius I to the fall of Constantinople in the fifteenth century.
3
ART 382/WST 382 Women and Art
Women's identities as artists, patrons, viewers, and subjects of representation, their changes historically, and their relationship to definitions of art. Identical to WST 382. Credit may not be earned in more than one of these courses.
3
ART 383 Modern Architecture
The history of building styles, technologies, and ideas in Europe and the United States from the late 18th century to the present.
3
ART 384 Arts of Non-European Traditions
An introduction to the visual arts of non-European cultures. Arts of Africa, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. Relations between arts, philosophies, and ways of life will be discussed. Prerequisites: 26 semester hours completed.
3
ART 386 American Art from the Colonial Period to 1913
A history of American painting, sculpture, architecture, and decorative arts from the colonial period to 1913. An analysis of major artists and regional styles. Prerequisite: completion of 26 credit hours.
3
ART 480 Roman Art and Architecture
The art of Rome and the Roman world from earliest times to Constantine the Great. Prerequisite: ART 185 or ART 380.
3
ART 481 Western Medieval Art
Art of western Europe from the fall of Rome to 1500. Origins of Romanesque art and dissemination of the French Gothic style throughout Europe.
3
ART 482 Italian High Renaissance Art
An intensive examination of the art and architecture of High Renaissance Italy with emphasis on the works of Leonardo, Bramante, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Prerequisites: ART 285.
3
ART 483 Nineteenth Century European Painting
Stylistic evolution of nineteenth century European painting as viewed against its political and cultural background. Neo-Classicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, the Pre-Raphaelites, the Symbolists, and Art Nouveau. Prerequisite: ART 285.
3-6
ART 486 Independent Study in Art History
Advanced research in a selected topic. Prerequisites: ART 185, ART 285; permission of instructor.
3
ART 487 Indigenous Arts of North America
Painting, sculpture, earthworks, masks, textiles, costumes, and festivals of the indigenous inhabitants of North America from the prehistoric to the present. Prerequisites: ART 126 or 3 credits in Art History.
3
ART 586 Seminar in Art History
Students will pursue topics of special interest and share their research with the group. May be taken for graduate credit. Prerequisites: 12 credits in art history.
(18 hours)
Core Courses II
3
ART 140 Photography I: Introduction to Digital Photography
Introduction to the basic technical and conceptual skills of digital photography as a fine art.
3
ART 185 Introduction to Western Art, Part I
History of Western art from prehistoric through medieval periods. Roots of Western culture as seen in differing artistic styles and attitudes. (University Program Group I-A)
3
ART 285 Introduction to Western Art, Part II
History of Western art from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. Relations of form and content to cultural attitudes. Unique contributions of major artists. (University Program Group I-A)
3
ART 318 Aesthetics
A philosophical understanding of art and its development.
3
ART 385 Art in the Twentieth Century
Study and analysis of the major movements of the twentieth-century visual arts and their philosophies with emphasis on the first half of the century. Prerequisite: ART 285.
3
ART 485 Seminar in Contemporary Art
Selected topics for critical studies drawn from problems of aesthetics, historiography, or stylistic analysis of contemporary art. Prerequisite: ART 285.
(33 hours)
Required Courses
Graphic Design Concentration
Select hours in consultation with an advisor from the following:
3
ART 135 Introduction to Graphic Design
An introduction to the theory and practice of communication design. An emphasis is placed on technical and aesthetic fundamentals.
3
ART 235 Logo and Identity Design
A continuation of ART 135, with emphasis on development of conceptualization and visualization skills. The course focuses on printed materials that apply to identity systems. Prerequisites: ART 135.
3
ART 239 Digital Imaging I
Classroom and lab work emphasizing photography and the fundamentals of digital image making. This class includes input, image adjustments, manipulations, output, and presentation. Prerequisite: ART 140.
3
ART 335 Design Bureau
Investigations into the conception and production of communication graphic solutions for real-world clients in a group or "bureau" pre-professional studio setting. Prerequisites: ART 140, 235, 349; signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
3
ART 349 Typography
An intensive survey of the history and application of letterform. Prerequisite: ART 135.
3
ART 358 Web Design I
Web design as it relates to graphic design. Prerequisites: ART 349; signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
3
ART 363 Design: The Interface of Art and Industry
Survey of the development of the applied arts in material culture from the invention of movable type through the twentieth century. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or above. (University Program Group IV-A)
3
ART 435 Professional Design Practices
Development of print production and portfolio skills in preparation for employment in the communication design field. Prerequisites: ART 335, signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
3
ART 436 Graphic Design Internship
Supervised internship of 180 hours in a graphic design firm or related field designed to complement classroom learning. Prerequisites: ART 235, ART 349, Minimum of 56 credit hours completed and permission of instructor.
3
ART 438 Motion Graphics
Introduction to computer-aided animation theory and application. Prerequisites: ART 235, 349; signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
3
ART 449 Advanced Typography
Advanced study in the theory and development of letterform. Prerequisites: ART 349, signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
3
ART 458 Web Design II
Advanced web design as it relates to graphic design. Prerequisites: ART 358, signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
3
ART 472 Graphic Design Capstone Experience
A graphic design capstone experience focusing on the development of a personal design philosophy, the senior project exhibition, a group capstone catalogue, and a portfolio critique by an external assessor. Must be taken in one of the last two semesters prior to graduation. Prerequisites: ART 435; signed BFA with concentration in graphic design; and senior standing.
3
ART 535 Digital Multimedia for Designers
The design and visual development of multimedia using a variety of authoring tools. Prerequisites: ART 358, ART 438, and a signed BFA with a concentration in graphic design.
Select in consultation with your major advisor.