B.A. Degree in Art

Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Department of Art & Design offers an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education Certification, K-12. For successful completion of both B.A. degree in art and art education certification, K-12, the student is expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills and understandings within the following five categories (#5 pertains to the B.A. in Art Education Certification, K-12):

1. Promote visual literacy; e.g., the understanding of a work of art through its connections with history, criticism, aesthetics, culture, style and the formal elements.
2. Demonstrate the ability to create and solve the production of original, visual forms of expression in different media designed around a theme and to promote the interdisciplinary importance of art making as a method of knowing. 
3. Develop critical thinking in strategies of inquiry, iconology and comparative studies that will promote cross-cultural and ethnically diverse methods of art making. 
4. Establish methods of working and understanding the creative process and production in a variety of two- and three-dimensional media-graphics, computers, painting, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking and conceptional/ interdisciplinary work styles.
5. Develop methodology for effective teaching; creating lesson plans appropriate for a variety of academic venues; learn how to communicate effectively; be able to demonstrate effective technical skills; and understand the role of art education in human development.

Features

Additional focused programs exist in Graphic Design.

Portfolio Review

A portfolio is NOT required for admission. A prospective student who has a portfolio and wishes to have it reviewed by the department can schedule an appointment through the Art & Design department office; 717.477.1530.

Other Options

Continual development of selected topics courses, visiting artists’ programs, trips to Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia and credit-bearing trips to foreign countries provide students with opportunities to view the “world of art”. With 36 credits of free electives, many students choose from a number of different options. The student can elect to double major, minor in another field such as business, or strengthen their art major by taking additional unrestricted art electives. Selecting a double major, including art/communication, art/business or art/psychology, increases the student's career options, and the Interdisciplinary Arts minor allows the student to create a program of study to match their specific interests.