Art
and Design at NMU
The objective of the Art and Design
Department is to prepare students for participation in the
professional fields of art, design, and education, broadening the
scope of their experience by providing intellectual support for
art beyond the limits of studio skills. The department, through
the Northern Michigan University Art Museum, also provides
students with exposure to exhibitions exemplifying the cultural
breadth of the visual arts from national, regional and local
sources, including the university’s permanent art collection.
The
Art and Design Department prepares
students for the many occupations that incorporate artists,
designers and educators. Graduates of the program are employed
throughout the country in careers ranging from art directors and
art teachers to entrepreneurs of large and small enterprises. In
recent years the department has expanded its offerings to provide
additional career opportunities in areas such as blacksmithing,
printmaking, electronic imaging, video production and commercial
photography.
In addition to the baccalaureate
degree, the department offers the required courses for art teacher
certification, a two-year associate degree, a non-teaching minor
and a minor in art history.
All of the department’s faculty
members are regionally and nationally recognized for their work.
Art
and Design Programs
The
Art and Design Department
curriculum provides students with a broad knowledge of concepts,
social issues, procedures and tools in the design and production
of art objects. Liberal studies and art courses are combined in
programs which lead to the bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of
arts, bachelor of science, or a two-year associate of applied arts
degree.
The department also provides support
courses in the technical communication major (see
Interdisciplinary and Individually Created Programs section of
this bulletin). Information for students interested in a career in
architecture is found in the Preprofessional Programs
section.
The department offers a master in art
education degree in conjunction with the College of Professional
Studies.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
This degree is for students who wish
to be fully prepared professionals in the visual arts with the
appropriate credentials for participation in professional
associations in various fields of art and design. The program
combines the advantages of professional art school experience with
the university’s concern for intellectual support of professional
action. It prepares students to participate more broadly in the
arts beyond the limits of studio skills.
Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science
Under the general university rules
governing these two degrees, the following curriculum choices are
available:
-
The major-minor combination provides
breadth and depth of experience for professional performance
while allowing students to minor in an area of art and design
according to their interests or specific vocational aims. The
major-minor provides enough credits to assure students
accreditation as artists or art educators anywhere in the United
States.
-
The major in art and design,
together with minors in associated fields, prepares students
especially well for particular career goals. This planning is
done with the aid of faculty advisers.
Criteria for
Remaining in the Art and Design Program
-
Students in AD 203 Individual Art
Review must receive a grade of "S" to proceed into upper level
courses in art and design.
-
Students in AD 303 Individual Art
Review must also receive a passing grade of "S."
-
Both courses may be repeated, but
students receiving one or more grades of "U" or "W" will not be
allowed to continue in the program.
Art
Education-Certification in Art K - 12
Certification is obtained by
completing a major/minor in art and design and the professional
education sequence.
Associate of Applied Arts Degree
A two-year art associate curriculum
leads to an associate degree in one of three area majors:
-
Media Illustration—electronic
imaging (drawing/painting), drawing/painting, illustration,
printmaking;
-
Crafts—ceramics,
sculpture, metalworking, woodworking, product design/furniture design;
-
Industrial Media—electronic
imaging (publishing, modeling), graphic communication,
photography, digital cinema, environmental design.
Pre-Architecture
Students interested in the
pre-architectural program should inquire at the department office.
Details of the program are listed under Pre-professional
Programs.
Areas of Concentration
In each area, students are taught
knowledge, social aspects, techniques and skills to prepare them
for the design and construction of images and/or products at a
professional level. Areas include:
|
• Ceramics |
• Furniture Design |
• Printmaking |
|
• Digital Cinema |
• Graphic
Communication |
• Product Design |
|
• Drawing/Painting |
• Illustration |
• Sculpture |
|
• Electronic Imaging |
•
Jewelry/Metalsmithing/Blacksmithing |
• Woodworking |
|
• Environmental
Design |
• Photography |
|
Types of Course Offerings
The
following courses provide artists with greater depth in the
supporting knowledge of the visual arts. The study of humans, their
behavior and the context of art are incorporated in the content of
all major courses.
1. Concentration–
courses comprising one studio area or studio concentration—100,
200, and seminar level courses.
2. Cognates–
courses developing the concepts drawn from sociology, psychology,
and the physical sciences that are used by artists.
3. Art History–
courses devoted to the study of western and non-western art and
architecture within a historical framework. Since art and design
is primarily a studio department, art history courses take as
their central concern (though not exclusive) concepts that are
relevant to the studio artist.
4. Individual Art
Review– a series of courses required of art and design
majors to develop at each level as professional artists. All work
is evaluated by the faculty.
5. Associate Research–
courses arranged with the major professor of the studio
concentration for students working toward an associate degree that
offer an opportunity for students to advance their skills and
experience with studio equipment.
Department/Program Policies
Students
must purchase supplies individually and/or contribute to a
purchasing cooperative for the studio courses in which they are
enrolled.
Community college transfers should take liberal
studies courses and art courses in the areas of design, drawing and
history of western art.
Students majoring in art and design education
must maintain a grade point average of 2.7 or greater with no grade
below a "C" in the professional education sequence, the major and/or
minors and required cognates combined.
Prerequisites for Individual Art Review
Students
registering for AD 203 Individual Art Review, AD 303 Individual
Art Review and AD 403 Individual Art Review must complete
the following prerequisites prior to enrollment:
1. Instructor permission;
2. Receive a grade of "S" in all previous
Individual Art Review courses; and
3. Complete the required congnate courses in
their selected studio concentration with a "B-" (2.70) average.
|
