The Art & Design program at CMU is designed to help students cultivate a rich and dynamic relationship to art, while providing the real-world skills and perspective required to pursue a career in the visual arts.

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​In the Department of Art & Design at CMU, students have the opportunity to take a variety of courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, fibers, printmaking, photography, and graphic design. Foundational coursework is intended to provide students with a hands-on understanding of the principles of art, as well as a critical perspective of art in practice and as a profession. In conjunction with foundational course requirements, students are able to take classes specific to their field of interest where they acquire a first-hand understanding of materials and emerging technologies related to their field of interest. As they begin to develop a relationship to materials and tools, students are encouraged to work across disciplines and consider their role as designers and makers in context to the world around them, leading to careers in graphic design, photography, studio art, art education, and art historians.​​​​