Art Major

Department of Fine Arts

In the Department of Fine Arts, students gain advanced theoretical, performance, and production competencies for careers as educators and practitioners in the fine arts and music, and for further study for graduate degrees. Successful students will graduate with a baccalaureate degree in one of the department’s three fields of focus and the certification to teach (P-12) in that field. Many successful graduates will go on to teach, while others will become accomplished in the music industry, arts administration, media production, design, international relations, business, and as performers and creatives. The professional applications of what you will learn in our department are almost endless!

The interdisciplinary Fine Arts Department offers a broad liberal arts degree program, combining general education with studies in pedagogy and the practice of art and music. To earn the degree and teaching certification, students majoring in this department will fulfill the College’s general education requirements, the School of Education’s requirements, and major requirements, including a capstone thesis and exhibition or recital. Also, the Alabama State Department of Education requires students to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 to qualify for teacher certification.

Our mission is to empower students to forge genuine, joyful, and purposeful lives in a diverse and changing world through creative and original self-expression; assist students in discovering their voice, refining their talents, and making bold, courageous choices; and prepare students to contribute to local and global society with their heads and their hearts. Join us!

ART and ART EDUCATION

Mission Statement

We will strive to create a nurturing and encouraging environment for students of all disciplines to hone their creative talents and appreciation for the arts. Our diverse and talented faculty are active within their fields of endeavor and will design studio and small-group lecture environments to provide the best possible education in visual arts at the undergraduate level.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Art with certification in Art Education affords students an intensive and extensive introduction to the field. Stillman’s art faculty encourages students to explore and express their personal ideas and artistic skills through a variety of art mediums. Majors are given fundamental instruction in studio foundations and may choose a concentration in painting, ceramics, drawing, photography, sculpture, or printmaking. The candidate for the BA degree in Visual Arts will present a Senior Exhibition, an installation of a cumulative body of their work in a professional manner in the College art gallery.

The Art Education certification, conferred on successful completion of STEP (the Stillman Teacher Education Program) will prepare degree candidates to teach P-12 learners in the public school system. Students will train in pedagogical theory and methods and enjoy an immersive field experience, as they work side-by-side with cooperating teachers in P-12 settings.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Art major, students will be able to:

1.  Display a working knowledge of art history and art criticism (Critical Thinking).

2.  Display an appropriate level of competency in various art mediums (Critical Thinking).

3.  Display knowledge and command of design principles and concepts (Content).

4.  Display skills in seeing and observation (Critical Thinking).

5.  Express visual concepts and ideas in a creative manner (Communication).

6.  Install their work in a professional presentation in the College Art Gallery (Content & Critical Thinking).

Program Outcomes

As a result of successful completion of the Art Program, graduates will:

1. Be prepared for graduate school.
2. Be prepared to pursue other careers in art.
3. Be prepared to effectively express themselves using artistic skills in various art mediums.

Semester Plan

Included below is a sample semester-by-semester plan of the major in Art. Note that if a student is pursuing the Certification in Art Education, the ideal sequence will be different, to accommodate STEP classes. Your advisor or the department chair will be able to provide details.