Each is designed to encourage students in the development of personal ideas and to provide them with technical skills and aesthetic knowledge in preparation for a career in various design and art fields. The primary emphasis of the art degree programs is based on the student's selected art major. In additional, a general education component provides the student with opportunities to study the liberal arts - an essential and integral segment of the student artist's education which provides the knowledge needed to participate in our complex and changing society. The Bachelor of Arts degree meets the needs of students interested in focusing on art study within a liberal studies education. Students complete a minimum of 36 hours in studio art courses, including the studio core curriculum, plus two art history survey courses.
Students select a second academic subject area outside of art for a minor.
Some possible minor areas are business, communications, history, religion and philosophy and theater. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree prepares students for graduate study and to enter the professional field as artists, teachers, designers or other art related professions. Students in each program complete the School of Education requirements, the UE general education program, the Department of Art studio core curriculum plus art history and supervised student teaching. The All Grade Visual Arts major completes a minimum of 52 semester hours in art and art history which qualifies graduates to teach art in kindergarten through 12th grade. The visual arts teaching major earns a teaching minor in a second area such as mathematics, English or physical education.