Art (B.A.)
At-a-Glance
Minimum hours required for major: 48
Minimum hours required for minor: 24
Special tracks: Art history, studio art, art education
Advising: Professor in each major track area. Department office phone: 216-687-2040
Student organizations: Student Organization for Fine Arts (SOFA); Student Educators Teaching Art (SETA); Student Chapter of American Institute of Graphic Artists (AIGA).
Additional information: Honors program. Scholarships based on merits awarded each year up to full tuition.
The creation of art and the study of its history are complementary activities that deepen a student's understanding of the aspirations of humankind. To develop both artistic skills and critical appreciation of art, the Art Department offers a broad range of courses in studio art, art history, and art education for both non-majors and majors. The Art Department also offers a minor. Art Department courses can be taken for personal enrichment, to fulfill university and college graduation requirements, and to prepare for advanced graduate-level study.
The course offerings are wide-ranging. For example, in studio art a student can select foundation courses in basic design and drawing, then more specialized studies of drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, ceramics, and computer graphics. In art history, there is an introductory course in art appreciation and surveys of world art, including Western, Asian, and African art. More specialized studies include courses in ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and modern art; Indian, American and African-American art; Western architecture, cities and planning; and Cleveland's urban environment. Art education offers a course that examines assessment models, and another course that studies art instruction and philosophy in different socio-vocational contexts. By selecting from these offerings, students can pursue a program of study for their general knowledge, professional career, or graduate work.
With the counsel of a faculty adviser in the Art Department, students wishing to major in art may elect a program from one of three curricular options: studio art, art history, and art education. For the Bachelor of Arts degree, all art majors are required to take a core curriculum of subjects for general preparation and additional hours of upper-level courses for diversification.
Requirements for Transfer Students
Transfer and non-degree students should submit a portfolio to the Art Department in order for a placement level to be determined. Students are encouraged to do this during the semester before their anticipated enrollment.
Major-Field Requirements
Art majors in Studio Art and Art History are required to take 24 credit hours of core curriculum courses. The core consists of 12 credit hours in Studio Art and 12 credit hours in Art History. In addition, they must elect a curricular option.
Art Major (Studio Art)
Core Curriculum:
- ART 102 Introduction to 2-D Art and Design (4 credits)
- ART 103 Introduction to 3-D Art and Design (4 credits)
- ART 211 Drawing I (4 credits)
- ART 252 or ART 253 (Western Art) (4 credits)
- ART 281 or ART 286 (Non-Western Art) (4 credits
- ART 495 Art Seminar (4 credits)
Curricular Options:
The option in Studio Art requires satisfactory completion of 24 credit hours beyond the core curriculum. Students take a sequence of 200-, 300-, and 400-level courses in one of the following areas: ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, or graphic design. Additional studio electives are required in all studio sequences except graphic design. The cumulative total of the core and studio sequence must be 48 credit hours minimum.
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Art Major (Art History):
Core Curriculum:
- ART 102 Introduction to 2-D Art and Design (4 credits)
- ART 103 Introduction to 3-D Art and Design (4 credits)
- ART 211 Drawing I or ART 226 Sculpture I (4 credits)
- ART 252 Introduction to Early Western Art (4 credits)
- ART 253 Introduction to Western Art Since 1400 (4 credits)
- ART 281 Introduction to Far Eastern Art or ART 286 Introduction to African Art (4 credits)
Curricular Options:
The option in Art History requires satisfactory completion of 24 credit hours beyond the core curriculum. These should consist of 16 credit hours in Art History at the 300 or 400 level, 4 of which must be non-Western, and 8 credit hours in Art Seminars (ART 495). The cumulative total of the core and Art History sequence must be 48 credit hours minimum. Art majors in Art History must also complete 4 semesters in German, French, an approved alternate language or two-year equivalency.
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Art Major (Art Education: Multi-Age Licensure)
The option in Art Education requires satisfactory completion of 36 hours in Art Studio courses, including a three-course sequence (200, 300, 400 levels) in one studio area and ART 226 OR ART 246, ART 221, ART 231, and ART 242 OR ART 244, 16 hours in Art History courses (including ART 252 and ART 253, and ART 281 OR ART 286) and 8 hours in Art Education courses (ART 341 and ART 441). The cumulative total must be 60 hours. Also required for licensure are 39 credit hours in professional education and art education courses taught in the College of Education and Human Services.
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Art Minor
In addition to the major program, the Art Department offers a minor in both Studio Art and Art History for those interested in art as a secondary field. All minors are required to take a curriculum of 24 credit hours to be determined in consultation with a faculty adviser in the Department of Art. Art majors cannot also minor in Art.
Studio Art
This option requires satisfactory completion of the following requirements: ART 102, ART 103, either ART 252 OR 253, for a total of 12 credit hours; and one studio sequence including one 200-level, one 300-level, and one 400-level course for a minimum total of 24 credit hours.
Art History
This option requires satisfactory completion of the following requirements: ART 102, ART 103, ART 252 for a total of 12 credit hours; ART 253 plus one 300-level and one 400-level Art History course, (one of which must be non-Western), for a minimum total of 24 credit hours.
Honors Program
Studio Art
Students of junior or senior standing who have a critical understanding of their discipline(s); and have a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average and a 3.50 average in Studio Art, may be invited by a committee of three faculty members, including the chairperson, to take this option.
Acceptance demands 12 credit hours in Studio Art beyond the curriculum requirements, 4 credit hours of which would include a portfolio review by a studio committee consisting of three studio faculty members. Successful completion of the program qualifies the candidate for graduation with honors in Studio Art.
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Art History
Students of junior or senior standing who have shown independent critical understanding while fulfilling all core requirements; have a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average with a 3.80 average in Art History; and have met the language requirement, may be invited by a committee of four faculty members, including the chairperson, to take this option.
Acceptance demands at least 12 upper-level credit hours in Art History beyond curricular requirements, including the required thesis credit hours, and at least one non-Western field. Successful completion of an oral comprehensive examination in the defense of the thesis qualifies the candidate for graduation with honors in Art History.
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Art Education
Students of junior or senior standing who have shown independent critical understanding of their discipline, and have a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average with a 3.80 average in Art Education and educational core requirements, may be invited by the art education faculty to take this option.
Acceptance demands 12 upper-level credit hours in Art Education beyond the curriculum requirements, including the thesis credit hours and supplemental independent study, and Art Education courses in research and/or curriculum development. Successful completion of the program qualifies the candidate for graduation with honors in Art Education.
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Teacher Licensure
The Art Department, in cooperation with the College of Education and Human Services, offers a program leading to a Provisional Multi-Age Licensure requiring completion of courses as prescribed by the Department of Art, with professional education studies as prescribed by the College of Education and Human Services.
For information concerning professional art and art education courses, students should confer with an adviser in the Art Department. For information concerning general education and professional education requirements for licensure, see the College of Education and Human Services chapter of this catalog.
Certificate Program: Graphic Design
This program prepares students, with or without a baccalaureate degree in art, for the conception and production of two-dimensional graphic designs, with emphasis on the utilization of software for the Macintosh computer. The certificate program is an alternative to a traditional four-year art degree, for creative and self-motivated students who specifically want to develop their technical proficiency, aesthetic sensibility, and design expertise.
The certificate program requires 16 credit hours in the Department of Art. ART 102 (Introduction to 2-D Art and Design) is prerequisite for all other courses. The required courses include ART 244 (Introduction to Macintosh), ART 344 (Advanced Raster-Image Development), ART 345 (Advanced Vector-Image Development), and ART 444 (Advanced Typography and Design) OR ART 445 (Introduction to Digital Media).
The Art Department also participates in interdisciplinary certificate programs in Arts Management and Multimedia Advertising. See Certificate Programs in this chapter of the catalog for additional information.
Evening Program
The Art Department offers a limited selection of courses in the evening each academic year, but at this time students cannot expect to complete a major or minor in Art with evening courses alone.
