The School of Art and Design prepares students for rewarding careers in art and design by providing an intellectually rigorous curriculum and state- of-the-art studio facilities. The School offers a foundation for students to develop independent and critical thinking abilities, acquire technological and creative skills, respect diversity, and expand artistic and creative modes of expression for lifelong achievement while preparing to be productive global citizens. The DeVos Museum of Art supports the mission of the School by providing exhibitions in the visual arts from global, national and regional sources.

Liberal studies and art courses are combined in programs that lead to the bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or a two-year associate of applied arts degree. The school also offers the required courses for art teacher certification, a non-teaching art and design minor and an art history minor.

Information for students interested in a career in architecture can be found in the “Preprofessional Programs” section.

All of the school’s faculty members are regionally and nationally recognized for their work.

In each area of concentration, the Art and Design curriculum provides students with a broad knowledge of concepts, social issues, procedures and tools to prepare them for the design and production of art objects at a professional level. Areas of concentration include:

• ceramics
• electronic imaging
• digital cinema
• drawing/painting
• furniture design
• graphic communication
• human centered design
• illustration
• jewelry/metalsmithing/blacksmithing
• photography
• printmaking
• sculpture
• woodworking

• American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA )
• Art Students League
• Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA)
• Mudslingers (ceramics group)
• Student Photographic Society (SPS)
• Student Michigan Education Association  

The School of Art and Design has professionally equipped, safe, new, state-of-the-art studios to support 13 concentrations. Equipment includes:

• large induction furnace
• ceramic kilns
• casting and blacksmithing facilities
• computer labs
• woodworking, papermaking, digital video facilities
• photography darkrooms (color and black and white)
• professionally equipped lighting studios
• combination machine lathe and mill
• CNC router and 3D printer and scanner

• over 10,000 volumes
• 50 journals and periodicals
  
• large slide collection

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 into the content of all major courses.

Concentration: Courses comprising one studio area or studio concentration—100-, 200-, and seminar-level courses.

Cognates: Courses developing the concepts drawn from sociology, psychology, and the physical sciences that are used by artists.

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 school, art history courses take as their central concern (though not exclusive) concepts that are relevant to the studio artist.

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.

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 2.70 or greater with no grade below a “C” in the professional education sequence, the major and/or minors and required cognates combined.

Students registering for AD 303 Individual Art Review and AD 403 Senior Exhibition must complete the following prerequisites prior to enrollment:

1. Instructor permission.
2. Receive a grade of “S” in AD 303 Individual Art Review for enrollment in AD 403 Senior Exhibition.
3. Complete the required lower cognate courses with at least a "B-" (2.70) average.
4. Complete the selected studio concentration with at least a "B-" (2.70) average.

1. Students in AD 303 Individual Art Review must receive a passing grade of “S.”
   
2. AD 303 Individual Art Review may be repeated. Although this course may be repeated, students receiving either two "U" grades or who withdraw twice from the course will not be allowed to continue the program.