Areas of Study

Art areas of study

Areas of Study 

The mission of the Department of Art is to prepare students to use their artistic abilities to make a difference in society. A comprehensive multi-studio approach encourages independent thinking, strengthens creativity, and develops knowledge of the critical and historical aspects of art. Students acquire technical skills and gain confidence to work with a variety of materials while exploring and evaluating the broad and diverse heritage of art and design. Our goal is to train and graduate students who are empowered artists, focused on excellence in creative activity, learning and teaching and who are essential to the continued development of our vibrant culture.

Students can choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts, Art (BA), a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art (BFA), a Minor in Art, or an occupational Endorsement Certificate in Graphic Design.

The Art History area supports gallery exhibitions which are an integral component of the art students’ education as well as general education courses in the fine arts and humanities. The Art Education area provides an introduction for museum and community-based teaching, which are practices necessary for a teaching artist.

Gallery exhibitions, artist lectures, and workshops expose students to contemporary art developments both intellectually and visually. The Kimura Gallery and the Arc Gallery at the Consortium Library offer students and the community an opportunity to view and study the work of local, national and international artists. The Hugh McPeck Gallery in the Student Union provides a venue for students to exhibit their work through a series of invitational and juried exhibitions.

The UAA Department of Art is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).