Source: https://catalog.gmu.edu/colleges-schools/visual-performing-arts/art/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 10:13:24+00:00

Document:
George Mason University’s School of Art is a collaborative academic and professional community focused on advancing creativity through traditional and new media applied to varying social contexts. The School of Art is founded on the premise that art both reflects and inspires a creative society, improving the human condition while describing the world, both as it is and could be. We focus on the role of artists in that conversation. We encourage students to see art both as an individual expression and public interaction. We celebrate historical reference, current relevance and experimentation-emphasizing innovative ways of thinking that enhance the impact of art on the future of society.
Embedded in a major liberal arts university rich in learning resources, the School of Art plays a vital role in the creative climate of the institution and the region through the cross-disciplinary research it facilitates and the artwork it produces and exhibits. The School’s facilities engage an exceptional faculty of practicing artists, an active visiting artist program, and a diverse and intellectually curious graduate and undergraduate student body. Artistic skills and principles of creative practice in all visual media are grounded in a forward-thinking, adaptive curriculum. Faculty and students forge cross-disciplinary experimentation, challenging conventional thinking and blurring the lines between traditional artistic disciplines, indeed, between the arts and other humanities and sciences.
The School of Art educates artists and creative professionals to be responsible contributors to society, preparing them to be agents of change in an increasingly connected, complex, inclusive world. We highly value rigor in conceptual approach, skill in art production, and imaginative methods for implementing projects and engaging audiences. Each student is given a background in aesthetic and analytical judgment, the ethical framework for professional practice, the confidence to be both self-reliant and collaborative, and the mastery of design and production necessary to thrive as a professional artist in a competitive global environment.
Undergraduate studio degrees offered by the School of Art include the bachelor of arts (BA) and the bachelor of fine arts (BFA). An honors program enhances either degree for selected AVT majors. The school also offers undergraduate minors in art and visual technology, arts and social change, graphic design, photography, and web design.
For students who are interested in a career in teaching art in the public schools, neither the BA nor the BFA program satisfies all requirements for those seeking licensure. Undergraduate students interested in this field are highly encouraged to consider the accelerated degree path for the master of art in teaching and should contact the school’s art education advisor to learn more about teacher preparation.
All George Mason University students are welcome to enroll in course work in the School of Art to fulfill Mason Core for requirements for the arts or to pursue minors. Consult the course listings for prerequisites and requirements. Students should carefully examine prerequisites for School of Art courses. Students may be removed from a course if they enroll without having fulfilled the prerequisites.
The School of Art program is located in the Art and Design Building which houses well-equipped studios for drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture, as well as six computer-equipped studios that cross platforms and are installed with current software applications used for two-dimensional imaging, three-dimensional modeling, animation, video production, sound editing, multimedia authoring, photography, and web publishing.
Policies, procedures, and schedules for studio use are established by the AVT studio faculty and are posted in the studios.
The MA in Graphic Design offers students a comprehensive study and preparation for the graphic design profession. The program calls for 36 credits, which includes courses in typography, web design, image making, and brand design. The broad range of study is intended to develop professionals prepared for an ever-expanding graphic design field. This degree is the only MA in Graphic Design in the Washington Metropolitan region.
The Art Education Licensure Certificate is a post-baccalaureate program designed for those who currently hold a graduate degree in an art-related field along with those who want a more immediate entrance into the art teaching profession. This 'licensure only’ program, which results in a pre K-12 art certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a 21 credit program consisting of graduate education courses, area endorsements, student teaching internships and seminar.
The Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education is a pre-service degree program that prepares students with a BFA degree or equivalent for pre K-12 art licensure by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Using a studio-based approach to art education and working closely with area public school systems, the MAT degree consists of 30 credits of graduate art education, school practicum experience, studio work, and preservice teaching internship and seminar.
The School of Art offers two concentrations under the Master of Fine Arts, Visual and Performing Arts degree: Graphic Design and Visual Art. Applicants to the program must designate which concentration they intend to apply for on the application. Each concentration has its own unique set of admissions requirements and program requirements. For specific information, please refer to the Visual and Performing Arts, MFA entry.
The MFA is a terminal degree that prepares students to become professional artists, work in technology or arts-related fields, and teach at the university level. Candidates are required to complete 60 credits, of which 30 credits are made up from core requirements and 30 are made up of emphasis and studio requirements.
In the Visual Arts concentration, students may select an emphasis in new media, painting and drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, or InterArts. The latter offers students the opportunity to combine art forms in interdisciplinary projects that may be installation, performance, publishing, time-based, or writing-based; and combine creative and critical approaches to their work.
While it is anticipated that students will move through the MFA as described in this catalog, individuals with extensive professional accomplishment may, upon recommendation of the SOA Graduate Committee and with prior approval of the CVPA dean, craft an individualized program within their intended emphasis that meets curricular requirements.
Each program allows undergraduate students to take graduate classes that can be used towards a designated Master’s degree. Undergraduates who wish to pursue the accelerated Master’s route should talk to their academic advisor first to see if they qualify. Students must be within 75-100 credits of their Bachelor’s program to be eligible to apply; those who have earned more than 100 credits will not be considered. Students must be approved by their academic advisor and formally apply and be accepted to the Master’s program through an Accelerated Master’s application. For more information about admissions requirements and the application process, students should visit the website.
Students are admitted to School of Art degree programs separately from their admission to George Mason University and only by portfolio review. The College of Visual and Performing Arts strongly encourages students to apply to the university by November 1 in order to receive maximum scholarship consideration, including merit and talent-based scholarships.
Applicants apply to George Mason University. Admission to George Mason is determined by the Admissions Office and is separate from admission to the School of Art degree programs. All School of Art applicants are encouraged to apply for admission to the university prior to submitting a portfolio for review.
Successfully complete a portfolio review. Please refer to the Portfolio Review Criteria.
All AVT majors must meet the school’s requirement of travel to galleries and museums through the Artsbus program. Students meet this requirement by enrolling in AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance. The procedure and requirements for enrollment in AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance are the same as for any other class.
Freshmen who enroll as AVT majors must register for AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance 5 times during their course of study. Transfer students and students who change their majors to AVT must register for AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance for the equivalent of each semester they are enrolled at Mason, up to a maximum of five semesters. Semesters of enrollment in AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance do not have to be consecutive. Students may take AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance up to three times in a semester if they wish to accelerate their completion of the requirement although this is strongly discouraged.
All rules and requirements to AVT 300 Artsbus Attendance participation are posted on the Artsbus website. Students are responsible for being familiar with and following the posted rules and requirements for Artsbus. The site also provides pertinent information for each trip regarding exhibits as well as reviews and articles for exhibitions.
All AVT majors must fulfill three credits of AVT 301 Visual Voices Colloquium in order to graduate unless they are enrolled at Mason for fewer than three semesters. If enrolled for less than three semesters, students are required to register for AVT 301 Visual Voices Colloquium each semester in which they are enrolled. Visual Voices is an intrinsic part of the major, offering students a chance to meet with and hear nationally and internationally recognized artists speak about their work.
Mason requires all students to complete at least one course designated “writing intensive” in their majors at the 300 level or above. AVT students fulfill this requirement by successfully completing AVT 395 Writing for Artists.
All undergraduate students are required to complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division courses at the 300–499 level.
All School of Art BA and BFA majors, AVT minor, Arts and Social Change minor, Graphic Design minor, Photography minor, and Web Design minor students must earn a grade of C or better in required AVT coursework, including Studio Foundation, Critical Analysis and Contemporary Practice, Breadth and Experience, Synthesis and Concentrations. All School of Art undergraduate students must earn a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA in their major. To graduate with a BA or BFA in Art and Visual Technology with a concentration in Graphic Design, students are required to maintain a 2.40 GPA in concentration classes. Students who fail to maintain this minimum may either retake core classes (an earned higher grade replaces the old one) or take concentration special topics classes in order to raise their average to the threshold. The effect of this change will be that very weak students will have to return to required classes to master core skills, and marginally weak students will be able to meet the requirement while expanding the breadth of their education.
Students interested in the Honors Program in School of Art should contact the director of the school. Both BA and BFA students are eligible to apply for admission to the program. Honors students must complete at least 4 credits AVT 394 Honors Seminar. They must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 and at least 3.50 in AVT 394 Honors Seminar and the AVT major.
AVT 101: New Majors Colloquium. 1 credit.
Provides a common core experience of contemporary perspectives on the broad range of professional career options open to studio art majors. Lectures address practical concerns but emphasize social, ethical, and philosophical aspects of visual arts professions. Notes: Students who enrolled at Mason in Fall 2007 or later must take AVT 101 during or before their first semester as an AVT major. Required of all AVT majors. May be taken prior to declaring the major or during the first semester as a declared AVT major. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 103: Introduction to the Artist's Studio. 3 credits.
Through projects, readings, class critiques, visuals, and field trips, students explore materials, techniques, concepts, and processes essential to understanding the language of visual arts and the artist's role. Develops imaginative thinking and sensitivity to visual environment. Note: for non-majors only. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Students cannot enroll who have a major in Art and Visual Technology.
AVT 104: Two-Dimensional Design and Color. 4 credits.
Explores elements and principles of two-dimensional design, establishment of visual vocabulary, and critical analysis that supports conceptual development. Studio projects build fundamental knowledge, skills, understanding of precedents, and contemporary practices in visual arts. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 105: Three-Dimensional Design and Beyond. 4 credits.
Explores elements and principles of three-dimensional design, establishment of visual vocabulary, and critical analysis that supports conceptual development. Studio projects explore form and composition, time-based media, materials, precedents, and contemporary practices in visual arts. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 104, or permission of instructor.
AVT 180: New Media in the Creative Arts. 3 credits.
Introduces computing from artist's perspective. Emphasizes computer use for artistic creation and research. Overview of image making and time-based media within the broad context of contemporary art, new media art, and mediated culture. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 204: Visual Thinking. 3 credits.
Explores the ways contemporary artists use principles of design and perception to challenge how we see our world physiologically, psychologically, or socially. Examples drawn from film, photography, new media art, and other contemporary artistic media. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 206: Color. 4 credits.
Color theory and principles of color interaction, including additive, subtractive, and partitive color experience; study of harmony, contrast, focus, space, opacity, transparency, temperature and value in both wet and dry media; and related applications of color technology. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 215: Typography. 3 credits.
Introduction to history and use of type. Reading and projects develop awareness of type as a linguistic and visual communication tool. Introduces typographic design elements, including color, hierarchy, integration with imagery, structure, and content. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admittance into the Graphic Design Undergraduate Certificate or permission of instructor.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 104C and 180C.
AVT 217: Introduction to Web Design. 3 credits.
An introduction to contemporary web design, in particular to standards, as a successful tool in design communication. Students gain hands-on experience on design issues specific to Web-based presentations, learn web page layout, effective navigation and delve into the design process. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 222: Drawing I. 4 credits.
Introduction and exploration of the fundamentals of drawing methods and materials, with emphasis on observational study and critical analysis of the effective and expressive use of line, mass, value, perspective, and formal composition. Emphasis on problems involved in representational and abstract visual interpretations of forms. Notes: AVT majors encouraged to take AVT 222 with AVT 104. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 232: Painting I. 4 credits.
Introduction to the basic methods and principles of painting with a focus on observation, paint application, formal composition, color mixing, and the articulation of form. Students develop a visual awareness as they become familiar with the language of image making, construction, analysis, and awareness. Students prepare portfolios for collaborative and reflective critique. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 243: Printmaking I. 4 credits.
Introduction to basics of hand printing. Emphasis on translation and transferal of images, tools, equipment, and technical skills for making a well-defined print. Students explore drawing, synthesis, and multiplicity in this interactive and collaborative course. Presentations and field trips focus on aesthetic and cultural concerns of making multiple images. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 252: Darkroom Photography I. 4 credits.
Introduces photographic study and investigation of the fundamental practices and techniques of both film and digital forms with attention to its history and contemporary practices. Class discussions, field trips and critiques enhance visual and verbal vocabularies. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 253: Digital Photography I. 4 credits.
Introduction to the digital camera as a tool for electronic photographic image making. Students will be introduced to principles and exploration of the aesthetics of digital photography and also learn basic image-editing skills in a computer environment. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 254: Photography. 4 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Restricted to AVT majors and AVT minors.
AVT 262: Sculpture I. 4 credits.
Projects in sculpture that emphasizes contemporary theory and issues, the development of individual concepts, and creative solutions. Explores the application of materials, tools, and imaginative processes. Faculty demonstrations, lectures, gallery and museum visits, and regular student work critiques. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 272: Interdisciplinary Arts. 4 credits.
Introduces contemporary interdisciplinary art practice through readings and studio projects in performance and installation. Provides students with opportunities to deepen understanding of conceptual art, nontraditional media practices, and collaborative practice in visual arts. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 280: Introduction to New Media Arts. 4 credits.
Investigates ways in which contemporary artists employ tools in response to social, political and cultural conditions. Students create meaningful works of art that demonstrate conceptual and contextual awareness plus technical ability. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 300: Artsbus Attendance. 0 credits.
Students travel to New York or other destinations aboard the AVT Artsbus to attend faculty-selected exhibitions. Notes: AVT majors must satisfactorily complete course once for each semester they are enrolled as majors, up to five times. Repeatable up to three times per semester. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term.
AVT 301: Visual Voices Colloquium. 1 credit.
Students attend AVT Visual Voices lecture series during the semester and complete assignments related to the topics covered. Notes: AVT majors must accumulate at least 3 credits in this colloquium to graduate. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 8 credits.
AVT 305: Creative Processes. 3 credits.
Study of the creative process in general, with emphasis on the inspiration, working methods, and final creations of various artists. Students explore their own creative processes through journal keeping, collaborative exercises, and projects. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 307: Aesthetics. 3 credits.
Interdisciplinary course examines broad range of contemporary art and culture to engage an expansive conception of aesthetic experience. Students engage with historical and contemporary aesthetic theories, build heightened aesthetic sensibility, and explore their personal aesthetic. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 309: Art as Social Action. 3 credits.
Interdisciplinary exploration of work by citizen-artists whose art-making engages the social world. Students learn about the history of socially engaged art-making and experiment with individual and collaborative projects addressing social issues. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 311: Graphic Design Methods and Principles. 3 credits.
Emphasis on developing design solutions requiring demographic, historical, and/or cultural research. Course strengthens design and typography skills, introduces conceptual problem solving, audience considerations, and broad-based tools designers use to develop effective visual communication solutions. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 313: Editorial Design. 3 credits.
Development and production of long-form design projects (magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and other serial and/or multipage publications). Emphasis on narrative, consistency, structure, clarity. Addresses information design issues and reinforces conceptual skills and integration of imagery and text. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 318: History of Graphic Design. 3 credits.
A survey of design history. Looks at print and web design as both a reaction to and shaper of the broader culture (including other fine applied arts) through the study of major movements and designers. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 319: Mobile App Design. 3 credits.
Introduces students to designing user interfaces, and experiences for mobile devices. Students wdl be exposed to designing for a variety of mobile platforms including tablet, phone, and mobile web interfaces. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: C or higher in AVT 311.
AVT 323: Drawing II. 3 credits.
Students develop observational, sketching, and rendering skills. Introduction to a range of materials, methods, formal concepts, drawing in series, and critique vocabulary. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 324: Figure Drawing. 3 credits.
Drawing with an emphasis on the observational study of the human body. Human anatomy and proportion are examined through a series of methodological approaches, including gesture, contour, mass, and modeling. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 326: Nontraditional Approaches to Drawing. 3 credits.
Encourages students to challenge some traditional approaches to drawing by creating innovative works that combine familiar drawing techniques with a variety of materials, approaches, and unusual formats. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 222 or permission of instructor.
AVT 327: Illustration. 3 credits.
This course is intended to provide an overview of illustration as a visual communication medium. Sharing the tools and techniques of gallery artists and the communicative goals of graphic designers, illustrators work across media to make concepts understandable and powerful in the service of editorial, informational or persuasive goals. Students will begin to discover individually unique methods of problem solving by developing a personal visual vocabulary and relating it to historical and contemporary trends of art, design and illustration. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 323C or 324C.
AVT 328: Mixed Media. 3 credits.
Students investigate the contemporary innovations and disciplinary cross-pollination which have revolutionized and expanded the boundaries of traditional fine arts. Projects incorporate text, sound, computer generated imagery, collaboration and installation. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 333: Painting II. 3 credits.
Focuses on the development of formal and technical skills, with an emphasis on paint application, color interaction, and support building and preparation. Introduces concepts, methodologies, and approaches relevant to contemporary painting. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 336: Experimental Painting. 3 credits.
Using contemporary painting practices as starting place, students explore a variety of experimental and conceptual approaches to painting. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 232 or permission of instructor.
AVT 337: Figurative Painting. 3 credits.
Working primarily with live models, students explore the human form as the main subject for a variety of visual and expressive inquiries. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 232, or permission of instructor.
AVT 343: Printmaking II. 3 credits.
An introduction to relief, screenprint, and intaglio printing; including the study of historical antecedents and their relevancy to contemporary printmaking. Students learn reductive and additive techniques in preparing printing surfaces. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 344: Bookmaking: Books & Enclosures. 3 credits.
This course will introduce the basic concepts of book arts. Physical properties of book structures and binding methods will be developed alongside a conceptual rigor necessary to explore ideas of narrative and space within the book form. Through projects, readings, lectures, group discussions, individual reviews, and critiques, the course will introduce the history, tools, equipment, materials and processes that built the contemporary book. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 345: Paper/Print/Book as Language. 3 credits.
Introduces the artist's book as both physical structure and creative association of words and images. Students learn techniques of bookmaking, binding, and traditional and digital printmaking to produce an artist-made book with narrative and sequential elements. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 180, or permission of instructor.
AVT 346: Digital Printmaking. 3 credits.
A beginning course in hand printing digitally processed images. Projects focus on electronic means of creating and manipulating imagery. Students achieve skills in multiple steps and incremental development required in making prints. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 353: Darkroom Photography II. 3 credits.
Continuation of Fundamentals of Photography with further investigation into the aesthetics of photography through experimentation with new camera formats, films, papers, developers and development of a photographic portfolio. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 252C or 254C.
AVT 354: Digital Photography II. 3 credits.
A computer-intensive class in which students create digital images from the viewpoint of a photographic artist. Emphasis on digital photo techniques, including making digital negatives, concept development, and visual aesthetics. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 356: Photo Studio Techniques. 3 credits.
Introduces Theory, concepts and applications of photographic studio lighting. Emphasis on the ability to control and manipulate light in a photographic lighting studio environment using large format film cameras. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 353 or AVT 354, or permission of instructor.
AVT 357: Photobook: Concepts & Form. 3 credits.
The photobook is an increasingly diverse and versatile artistic medium. Through demos, readings, lectures, workshops, assignments and critiques the course will cover the fundamentals of current photobook theory. Upon successful completion of this course students will have created several books that demonstrate an understanding of, and comfort with, book development and production. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 359: Photography Seminar. 3 credits.
A combined studio and lecture course investigating photography's history, critical theory, philosophy, and practice. Lectures, discussions, readings, and projects focus on a medium that has enormously influenced art and culture. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 353 or permission of the instructor.
AVT 363: Sculpture II. 3 credits.
Expands on the principles and processes introduced in Sculpture I, developing a higher level of technical competence and critical sophistication. Notes: Lectures, independent student research, and gallery and museum visits required. Vigorous critiques. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 370: Entrepreneurship in the Arts. 3 credits.
Combined lecture and studio course in developing entrepreneurial skills in arts. Special focus on developing communication skills and planning strategies, as well as on nurturing skills that enable students to creatively solve problems and think about opportunities. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 371: Visual Perception and the Arts. 3 credits.
Review of major approaches to the study of visual perception. Topics include analysis of picture perception, visual thinking, the relationship between symbolic and non-symbolic thinking and representation, and how pathologies of vision affect art production. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 372: Hip Hop Culture. 3 credits.
Examines hip hop as an art form within a continuum of cultural expression. Explores multilayered social, political, and aesthetic aspects of hip hop, historical causes and precedents, and contemporary derivatives and implications. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 373: Performance Studio. 3 credits.
Studio course focused on theory and practice of collaborative performance art. Detailed analysis of creation and production processes from interdisciplinary perspective in conjunction with practical training in multimedia technologies, body sculpture, and theater of images. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 272, or permission of instructor.
AVT 374: Sound Art I. 3 credits.
Introduction to the physics, phenomenology, and production of sound as an expressive medium. Using analog and digital tools, students will explore constructing with sound. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 180, or 280, or permission of instructor.
AVT 376: Live Movies. 3 credits.
Advanced performance studio emphasizing cinematic forms and multimedia technologies. Also covers sound design, scenic design and materials, production planning, and interdisciplinary approaches to narrative and content in performance. Notes: Students collaborate on production projects. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 377: Cyberpunk. 3 credits.
Traces the ways that cinema, music, fiction, cultural theory, visual art, television, theater, and performance have embraced and been shaped by cyberpunk and cyberculture. Includes readings, writings, discussion, screenings, guest speakers, and research projects. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 380: Thinking Through Animation. 3 credits.
Students will be encouraged to expand their abilities and capabilities as thinkers, artists and citizens. This course will provide an introduction to issues relating to the production and reception of animated media bracketing the turn of the 21st century. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 382: 2D Experimental Animation. 3 credits.
Introduces conceptual, contextual, technical, and aesthetic practices of two-dimensional experimental animation. Students learn to animate hand-drawn and computer-generated images. Students work to create an imaginative and meaningful short animation with sound. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 280, or permission of instructor.
AVT 383: 3D Experimental Animation. 3 credits.
Students create socially relevant 3D scenes with scaled objects, surface textures, lights, and shadows. These scenes serve as environments for short, thought-provoking animations. Emphasis on idea development, critical examination of animation practices, and visual aesthetics. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 280 or permission of instructor.
AVT 385: EcoArt. 3 credits.
Develop collaborative projects that explore art and visual culture, the environment, and sustainability. Students are given access to the School of Art Permaculture Studio as a "green" work space for developing course projects. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 8 credits.
AVT 390: Video Art. 3 credits.
Integrates study of contemporary art theory, montage theory, and artistic practices with application to new media and technology. Special focus on visual culture and video art, sound design, and the sociopolitical implications of media. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 393: Field Experience in the Arts. 1-6 credits.
Introductory working and learning experience with an organization or individual in the arts or as a teaching assistant. Students must complete 45 hours of work at the internship site for each credit. Note: Departmental permission required to register. Notes: Placement documentation to include 45 hours of work per credit. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Junior standing and permission of instructor and academic advisor.
AVT 394: Honors Seminar. 1 credit.
Offers highly motivated students opportunities to interact with art world professionals through field trips, research, critiques, and creative assignments. Notes: Students accrue credits toward graduation with AVT honors. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 8 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Open only to qualified AVT honors students by invitation.
AVT 395: Writing for Artists. 3 credits.
Practical writing seminar in which students practice typical writing needs of creative professionals; including artist's statements, grant proposals, and reviews; while also exploring ways in which artists have used writing, books, and language in art making. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Required Prerequisites: ENGH 302C or ENGL 302C.
AVT 396: Writing for Designers. 3 credits.
Practical writing seminar in which students practice typical statements, design briefs and proposals, and reviews; while also exploring ways in which designers have used writing, publications, and language in expressing critical design thinking. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: C or higher in ENGH/ENGL 302.
AVT 407: Advanced Aesthetics. 3 credits.
Advanced examination of aesthetic concepts and theories, focusing on issues pertinent to artmaking. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 408: Visual Communication Theories. 3 credits.
Advanced lecture course focusing on key theories and themes that have informed 20th and 21st century design practice. Explores theory and criticism in a variety of contexts, from popular to scholarly, and considers the role of the designers as thinkers and writers. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: C or higher in ENGH/ENGL 302 or permission of instructor.
AVT 410: Experiential Design History. 3 credits.
This hybrid lecture/studio course provides a historical perspective of the evolution of graphic design and examines graphic design's contribution to culture through writing and design projects. The course will have both lecture and studio content, providing 'hands-on' experiential opportunities in traditional graphic techniques. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 411: Motion Design. 3 credits.
Motion Design introduces the theories, techniques and practices of motion design and the integration of design, image, sound, video and animation. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 217C and 311C.
Enrollment is limited to students with a major, minor, or concentration in Graphic Design or Web Design.
Enrollment limited to students in the AR-BFA-AVT program.
AVT 412: Advanced Typography. 3 credits.
An advanced exploration of type, design and the graphic organization of visual information. Emphasis is on the aesthetic and technical execution of typographic hierarchy in visual communications. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 413: Professional Design Practices. 3 credits.
Addresses the nature of the professional graphic designer in terms of career development and self-marketing, visual presentations of design work, preparation of written materials and interview techniques. Special emphasis will be given to the development of a design business, as well as freelance and pro-bono design work. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 313C and 414C.
AVT 414: Corporate Design and Branding. 3 credits.
Fundamentals of branding and identity design. Topics include logo development, product packaging, marketing and advertising collaterals, web branding, and broadcast advertising development. Special attention is given to the creation of a graphics standards guide. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admittance into the Graphic Design Undergraduate Certificate, or Graphic Design Minor, or permission of instructor.
Required Prerequisites: (AVT 252C or 253C) and (AVT 311C and 396C).
AVT 415: Web Design and Usability. 3 credits.
Introduces students to web design, usability, and the use of popular applications for static, interactive, and motion-based web development. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Required Prerequisites: (AVT 217C and 311C) and (AVT 313C or 414C).
AVT 416: Advertising Design. 3 credits.
Provides insight and practice in the creative design process behind effective and memorable advertising. Emphasis on the design and presentation of a series of portfolio-ready advertising campaigns for actual client use. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 417: Package Design. 3 credits.
Provides a focused studio experience to conceptualize and design multiple applications for contemporary package design. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Enrollment is limited to students with a concentration in Graphic Design.
AVT 419: Topics in Graphic Design. 1-6 credits.
Rotating subjects give students a deep look into and appreciation of a specific topic in design practice. Notes: Topics and credit vary with instructor. May be repeated when taken under different topics. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 311C and (AVT 313C or 414C).
AVT 420: Advanced Web Design. 3 credits.
Building on the principles and skills gained in AVT 415, this course delves deeper into web-related concepts and techniques. Students will gain advanced knowledge in evolving web technology, preparing them for professional entry into the web design field. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 422: Drawing III. 3 credits.
Builds on intermediate drawing skills, emphasizing individual exploration and expressive techniques. Along with rigorous observational study, students work from a variety of sources to develop a broad understanding of visual solutions within contemporary art practice. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 423: Drawing IV. 3 credits.
Students learn and practice advanced drawing skills and techniques in a variety of media and formats. Emphasis on development of content, personal sources, techniques, presentation strategies, and methods of analysis through critique. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 432: Painting III. 3 credits.
Intermediate course with an emphasis on developing personal content, concepts, painting strategies, and a practical understanding of contemporary ideas in painting. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 433: Advanced Painting I. 3 credits.
Students engage in a self-directed studio practice through the development of content, personal sources, techniques, presentation strategies, and methods of analysis through critique. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 434: Advanced Painting II. 3 credits.
Students work rigorously and independently, advancing individual studio practice through in-depth dialogue with faculty and formal group critiques. Emphasis on individual decision making, personal initiative, and critical vocabularies. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 435: Advanced Painting III. 3 credits.
Advanced directed research in painting. Employing rigorous concepts, presentation strategies, and in-depth critique, students develop independent projects into a cohesive body of work. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 442: Printmaking III. 3 credits.
An intermediate print media course with an emphasis on a wider variety of tools and concepts that investigate photo-based imagery and advance personal narrative. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 443: Printmaking IV. 3 credits.
An advanced print media course that uses hand-drawn, digital, and photo-based imagery. Students explore traditional and new printmaking techniques in a series of related prints and explore their relevancy to contemporary printmaking. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 444: Printmaking V. 3 credits.
Advanced print media course incorporating three-dimensional applications of hand printmaking. Students develop concepts in digital printmaking, book making, sculptural prints, and installation works. Explores issues in contemporary printmaking through critical discussions, reading, and writing assignments. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 453: Professional Practices. 3 credits.
This course prepares studio art majors for their professional careers. Each student will select a facet of interest to develop assets for a professional portfolio. Emphasis will be placed on developing your professional brand and accompanying materials such as portfolio, websites, CVs etc. with critiques focusing on the individual's process. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of 60 credits, including 12 credits of upper-level studio coursework.
AVT 454: Alternative Photo Processes. 3 credits.
Introduction to 19th century and nontraditional photographic processes including cyanotype, van dyke, gum bichromate, liquid emulsion, and image transfer. Exploration and discussion of photography's influences, application, and use in other mediums. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 455: Digital Printing Techniques. 3 credits.
Continuation of 354 Digital Photo Methods with further examination into digital techniques, personal expression and digital printing. Course emphasis is on the fine art and craft of the digital print and portfolio development. Notes: Continuation of AVT 354 Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 354, or permission of instructor.
AVT 457: Documentary Photography. 3 credits.
Introduces documentary photography: techniques, history, choices, and ideas necessary to create meaningful photo essays that incorporate a personal, committed, in-depth approach to seeing and depicting lives and situations. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 353 or permission of instructor.
AVT 458: Advanced Studio Lighting. 3 credits.
The advanced study of photographic studio lighting concepts using electronic strobes and power packs with emphasis placed on constructing studio materials, metering techniques, staging complex sets, and on-location photography. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 462: Sculpture III. 3 credits.
Advanced studio course for continued individual, conceptual, and critical development in sculpture. Biweekly seminar, independent research, museum and gallery visits, vigorous individual and group critiques, required documentation, and portfolio preparation supporting studio projects. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 463: Sculpture IV. 3 credits.
Intensive studio course for advanced sculpture students to further individual, conceptual, and critical development. Students produce a body of work based on technical exploration, critical discussion, reading, and writing. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 464: Sculpture V. 3 credits.
Advanced studio course for rigorous and independent production of sculpture. Weekly topical seminar, vigorous critiques, museum and gallery visits, professional documentation, and research resulting in a body of work to be exhibited. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 465: Sculpture VI. 3 credits.
Students work rigorously and independently, gaining insights into personal process and direction through one-on-one critical dialogue with faculty and formal group critiques. Emphasizes individual decision making and personal initiative. Notes: Continuation of advanced work in AVT 465. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 472: Critical Theory in the Visual Arts. 3 credits.
Examination of currents in theory and criticism that inform contemporary practice and critical analysis in the visual arts. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 473: Advanced Performance Studio. 3 credits.
Advanced laboratory for performance. Emphasis on new technologies and their applications, multimedia scriptwriting and storyboarding, and the creation of audiovisual performance. Students participate in collaborative production. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 373 or Permission of Instructor.
AVT 474: Sound Art II. 3 credits.
Extends a working knowledge of the materiality of sound into an in-depth exploration of creation in the sonic realm. May include synthesis, circuit-bending, use of field recordings and other samples, and live performance. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 479: Digital Media and Web Design Capstone. 3 credits.
Student team-based experience grounded in the work of the preceding courses in the digital media and web design minor. Each individual student will produce a portfolio of digital media and web-design related products and features that demonstrate core competencies in coding, design, content, and accessibility. Students will work in cross-disciplinary teams to carry out a client-based web design project, the process and outcomes of which will also be represented in the individual portfolio. Offered by School of Art. Limited to two attempts. Equivalent to ENGH 479.
Recommended Prerequisite: Before enrolling in the Capstone seminar, students need to have completed all required courses for the Digital Media and Web Design Minor.
AVT 482: Advanced Image Making. 3 credits.
In-depth look at the processes and mechanisms used to generate, reconstruct, and/or create new media images. Students are required to create a series of contextually related images and to further develop their critical analysis abilities. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 483: RS: Art and Interactivity. 3 credits.
Provides a context for art making as an interactive and participatory experience while critically examining the ways in which technologies may aid and also inhibit engagement with the social and political world. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 487: Advanced Topics: New Media Art. 3 credits.
Provides a context for exploring current developments in new media art practice in and outside the studio. Specific course content adapts and responds to ongoing movements in new media art and contemporary culture. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 280 plus one 3XX-level New Art Course, or permission of instructor.
AVT 489: Internship in Art and Visual Technology. 1-6 credits.
Unpaid professional-level work experience in a professional organization or with an individual artist, related to the student's concentration and career plans. Students must complete 45 hours of work at the internship site for each credit. Note: departmental permission required to register. Notes: Placement documentation to include 45 hours of work per credit. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Senior standing, completion of 12 concentration credits, and permission of instructor.
AVT 491: Independent Study in Art and Visual Technology. 1-6 credits.
Opportunity for development of advanced skills and concepts in a field of interest. Study proposal must be approved by instructor prior to registration. Students must complete 45 hours of work at the internship site for each credit. Notes: Project documentation to include 45 hours of work per credit. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 24 credits.
AVT 493: Teaching Visual Thinking Through Media, PK-12. 3 credits.
Investigates range and appropriateness of media and materials that encourage creative expression in the art classroom for PK-12 students, and expands the artist-teacher's visual repertoire. Incorporates art history, criticism, and aesthetics, as well as language arts and other content areas that challenge students' artistic growth and human development. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 494: Strategies in Art Room: PK-12. 3 credits.
The study of various media, skills and concepts adapted for PK-12 curriculum. Includes instructor demonstrations, prototypes, practicum, and class presentations. Participants will learn appropriate instructional strategies for implementation. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
AVT 495: Introduction to Art Teaching and Learning. 3 credits.
Explores art-teaching profession through readings, discussion, hands-on activities, and visits to diverse area public schools. Students discover a variety of ways that art is taught and evaluated to meet multiple educational needs of today's PK-12 students. Notes: Prior to enrollment, students must complete art education inquiry form. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Junior standing, and completion of at least 20 credits of AVT coursework with a C or higher; or permission of art education advisor.
Required Prerequisites: (ENGH 302C and AVT 307C).
AVT 496: Special Topics. 1-4 credits.
Explores topical studies in AVT including theoretical and critical aspects of art or studio production. Notes: Topics and credit vary with instructor. May be repeated when taken under different topics. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree.
AVT 497: Senior Project. 3 credits.
Capstone course in which students develop and present a cohesive body of work along with written materials and documentation. Students participate in critiques with visiting artists or AVT faculty and in workshops supporting professional goals. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Senior Art and Visual Technology major, completion of 12 concentration credits, and completion or concurrent enrollment in all required Mason Core courses.
AVT 498: Senior Design Project. 3 credits.
Capstone course in which students develop and present a design project exploring the possibilities of personal or professional expression. Students participate in critiques with visiting artists or AVT faculty and in workshops supporting professional goals. Offered by School of Art. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Senior Art and Visual Technology major.
Required Prerequisites: AVT 311C, 313C and 414C.
AVT 507: Advanced Aesthetics. 3 credits.
Graduate seminar in aesthetic concepts and theories, focusing on issues pertinent to artmaking. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the MFA program or permission of instructor.
AVT 519: Special Topics in Graphic Design. 1-6 credits.
Exploration of topical studies in graphic design, including theoretical and critical aspects of studio production. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 13 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to AVT graduate program or permission of instructor.
AVT 522: Drawing V. 4 credits.
Drawing on an advanced level, emphasizing individual decision-making and personal initiative. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program, or permission of instructor.
AVT 523: Drawing VI. 4 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program, AVT 522, or permission of instructor.
AVT 595: Introduction to Art Teaching and Learning. 3 credits.
Explores art-teaching profession through readings, discussion, hands-on activities, visits to diverse area public schools and action research. Students analyze ways that art is taught and evaluated to meet multiple educational needs of today's PK-12 students. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the MAT Program or permission of the art education advisor or director.
AVT 596: Independent Study. 1-6 credits.
Independent reading and research on specific project under department faculty member's direction. Notes: Written reports required. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term.
AVT 599: Special Topics in Art and Visual Technology. 1-6 credits.
Exploration of topical studies in AVT, including theoretical and critical aspects of art or studio production. Notes: Topics and credit vary with instructor. May be repeated when taken under different topics. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the term.
AVT 600: Research Methodologies. 3 credits.
Graduate seminar focusing on development of independent research project in student's area of emphasis. Explores principal methods of researching and documenting art and arts practice. Along with traditional methods of library research, emphasizes new processes of examination and investigation through the use of computer-aided research systems. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Art Education, Art and Visual Technology, Graphic Design or Visual and Performing Arts.
AVT 605: Issues and Research in Art Education. 3 credits.
Readings and projects explore historical and contemporary ideas, issues, philosophies, pedagogy, and research in art education. Investigates teachers' use of research-oriented questions and data to explore classroom issues and improve teaching and learning. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the MAT graduate program and permission of instructor.
AVT 606: Creativity and Cognition in the Arts and Media. 3 credits.
Focuses on research on cognition, development, learning, and creativity in the visual arts and media in formal and informal educational settings. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit. Equivalent to EDEP 601.
AVT 610: Graduate Seminar. 2 credits.
Students present their work or the work of contemporary artists for discussion and peer and faculty critiques. Special focus on developing public communication and presentation skills on contemporary issues in the arts. Notes: Seminar course required of all AVT graduate students four times during course of study. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 8 credits.
AVT 611: Graduate Design Seminar. 1 credit.
A laboratory for the exploration of contemporary design theory and practice through writing and design making, this class will have rotating topical content. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 3 credits.
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Art and Visual Technology, Graphic Design or Visual and Performing Arts.
AVT 612: Independent Project Research. 1 credit.
Provides the development and research phase in preparation for AVT 794: Independent Design Project, the capstone course in the Graphic Design masters program. Students will prepare their written final project proposal for presentation to the AVT GD Graduate Faculty Committee. Notes: To be completed prior to enrolling in AVT 794: Independent Design Project. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree.
Enrollment limited to students in the AR-MA-GD program.
AVT 613: Experiential Design History. 3 credits.
This hybrid lecture/studio course provides a historical perspective of the evolution of graphic design and examines graphic design's contribution to culture through writing and design projects. The course will have both lecture and studio content, providing hands-on experiential opportunities in traditional graphic techniques. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program or permission of the instructor.
AVT 614: Brand Identity Design. 4 credits.
This is an advanced design course with an emphasis on brand identity development. Topics include logo development, product packaging, marketing and advertising collaterals, web branding, and broadcast advertising development. Special attention is given to the creation of a graphic standards guide. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program or permission of instructor.
AVT 615: Technology for Art Teachers. 3 credits.
Addresses use of technology in PK-12 art classroom. Focuses on research, presentation and instruction, and image creation. Students develop technology-enhanced teaching units for different grade levels and explore related issues, including copyright, plagiarism, and appropriation. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the Art Education concentration ASTL and/or permission of art education director.
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Graduate, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
AVT 616: Advanced Art and Interactivity. 4 credits.
Studio, lecture course investigating art as networked activity. Particular attention focused on Internet as context for creation, distribution, and patronage of art. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to AVT graduate program.
AVT 617: Advanced Typography. 4 credits.
Students will produce a body of work exploring the opportunities and limitations of typographical design. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to graphic design MA (or MFA) program, AVT graduate program or permission of the instructor.
AVT 618: Visual Communication Theories. 2 credits.
Advanced graduate seminar focusing on key theories and themes that have informed 20th and 21st century design practice. Explores theory and criticism in a variety of contexts, from popular to scholarly, and considers the role of designers as thinkers and writers. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to MFA program, or permission of instructor.
AVT 619: Advanced Web Design. 4 credits.
Develops skills for the application of information, interaction, usability, and visual design for web site developments. Students gain in-depth knowledge of user behaviors and broader context of social, cultural, and contemporary issues in web communication. Students learn professional design processes and integrate multiple web developing technologies. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to Graphic Design MA program or permission of instructor.
AVT 620: Theory, Criticism, and the Arts. 3 credits.
Cross-disciplinary graduate seminar focusing on key theories and themes that have informed 20th- and 21st-century arts practice. Explores theory and criticism in a variety of contexts, from popular to scholarly, and considers the role of artists as thinkers and writers. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 621: Art Writing Seminar. 3 credits.
Includes criticism, the artist statement, manifestos, and language as visual art. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Enrollment limited to students in the AR-MFA-AVT or AR-MFA-VPA programs.
AVT 622: Advanced Drawing. 4 credits.
Advanced directed research in drawing with continued development of individual aesthetic. Study of historical and philosophical precedents integral. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 632: Graduate Painting I. 4 credits.
Entering students are expected to be competent painters, with technical proficiency, a disciplined process, and a directed personal vision. Students work rigorously and independently toward the understanding and mastery of techniques, methods, and concepts relevant to formal expression of personal content. Students expected to participate in critical discourse with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at mid-semester and term's end. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 633: Graduate Painting II. 4 credits.
Building on research and practices established in Graduate Painting I, students continue to develop strategies for the expression of personal vision and style. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic one-on-one critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at mid-semester and term's end. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 632, or permission of instructor.
AVT 634: Advanced Graduate Painting I. 4 credits.
Working independently on a cohesive body of work, students must demonstrate a thorough understanding and mastery of techniques, methods, and concepts relevant to their own practices, and be able to discuss their work within the context of historical and contemporary art practices. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic one-on-one critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at mid-semester and term's end. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 633, or permission of instructor.
AVT 635: Advanced Graduate Painting II. 4 credits.
Advanced independent studio production. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at mid-semester and end of term. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 634, or permission of instructor.
AVT 641: Graduate Graphic Design I. 4 credits.
Working independently on a cohesive body of work, students must demonstrate a thorough understanding and mastery of techniques, methods, and concepts relevant to their own practices, and be able to discuss their work within the context of historical and contemporary design practices. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic one-on-one critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at term's end. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to MFA program.
AVT 642: Graduate Printmaking I. 4 credits.
Directed research and practice in printmaking focuses on individualized development of content and technique. Explores intellectual and expressive aspects of printmaking process. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 643: Graduate Printmaking II. 4 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 642, or permission of instructor.
AVT 644: Advanced Graduate Printmaking I. 4 credits.
Intensive course of creative exploration in print media that furthers students' independence through production of individualized body of work reflecting interests within the broader contexts of contemporary social, technological, and cultural issues. Students also engage in collaborative studio practices to integrate visual technologies in their work. These may include digital imaging, drawing, graphic design, painting, performance, photography, and sculpture. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program, AVT 643, or permission of instructor.
AVT 645: Advanced Graduate Printmaking II. 4 credits.
Intensive studio course that furthers student independence through production of a body of work reflecting a broad context of social, cultural and contemporary issues. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to MFA program, and AVT 644.
AVT 646: Graduate Graphic Design II. 4 credits.
Continuing to work independently on a cohesive body of work, students must demonstrate a thorough understanding and mastery of techniques, methods, and concepts relevant to their own practices, and be able to discuss their work within the context of historical and contemporary art and design practices. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic one-on-one critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at term's end. (This is the second course in a two-course sequence.) Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 647: Advanced Graduate Graphic Design l. 4 credits.
AVT 648: Advanced Graphic Design II. 4 credits.
Continuing to work independently on a cohesive body of work, students must demonstrate a thorough understanding and mastery of techniques, methods, and concepts relevant to their own practices, and be able to discuss their work within the context of historical and contemporary art and design practices. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic one-on-one critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at term's end. (This is the second course in a two course sequence.) Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to MFA program, and AVT 647.
AVT 652: Graduate Photography I. 4 credits.
Critical theory and directed practice in photography focusing on development of a personal voice and working method through intellectual activity and creative work. Emphasizes ability to explore concepts, develop skills, and evolve as a communicator of ideas and photographic artist. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 653: Graduate Photography II. 4 credits.
An intensive critique class concentrating on the development of creative work with emphasis on articulating responses to others' work, the cultural climate, and issues involved in one's own work as it progresses. Notes: Continuation of Graduate Photography I. Weekly classes share equal time with critical theory and hands-on studio work. Includes readings, visiting artists and lecturers, and field trips. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 654: Advanced Graduate Photography I. 4 credits.
Intensive critique class concentrating on the development of creative work with emphasis on articulating responses to others' work, the cultural climate, and issues involved in one's own work as it progresses. Notes: Advanced graduate photography course. Weekly classes share equal time with critical theory and hands-on studio work. Includes readings, visiting artists and lecturers, and field trips. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program, AVT 653, or permission of instructor.
AVT 655: Advanced Graduate Photography II. 4 credits.
AVT 655, Advanced Graduate Photography ll, Advanced independent studio production. Progress tracked and assessed through periodic critical discussions with supervising faculty. Achievement measured by faculty review board at mid-semester and end of term. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 652, or permission of instructor.
AVT 662: Graduate Sculpture I. 4 credits.
Intensive studio course that furthers student independence through production of a body of work reflecting interests, including a broader context of social, cultural, and contemporary issues. Emphasizes self-evaluation, critical discussion, reading, and writing. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 663: Graduate Sculpture II. 4 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program, AVT 662, or permission of instructor.
AVT 664: Advanced Graduate Sculpture I. 4 credits.
Emphasizes individual creative production and development, with periodic exposure of student's work and ideas to the critical attention of the AVT teaching faculty and other graduate students. Notes: Writing and reading components. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT graduate program, AVT 663, or Permission of Instructor.
AVT 665: Advanced Graduate Sculpture II. 4 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 664 or permission of the instructor.
AVT 667: Two-Dimensional Art Making and Differentiated Instruction. 3 credits.
Through studio work and research on basic and innovative drawing strategies, students explore expressive visual qualities, composition, and color. Students develop professional portfolios that incorporate meaningful themes and contexts for developing visual literacy in PK-12. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the MAT in Art Education program and permission of instructor based on a portfolio review.
AVT 668: Three-Dimensional Art Making Across Cultures. 3 credits.
Explores the diversity of art forms in world cultures and work of traditional and contemporary artists. Students learn basic three-dimensional art-making techniques, including ceramics and fibers, and learn to design three-dimensional art instruction for PK-12 levels. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 669: Four Dimensional Art Making: Technology and New Media. 4 credits.
Develops teacher skills for the application of advanced technology for the PK-12 art program and examines the changing nature and uses of technology for expanding visual literacy through pedagogical strategies. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 670: Teaching Practicum. 1 credit.
Supervised classroom teaching practicum in Mason's undergraduate program or community college program. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 4 credits.
AVT 672: Performance Studio I. 4 credits.
Introductory studio course looking at performance as a visual art practice and focusing on time, space and the body. Emphasizes artist as performer. Students study the work of performance practitioners, make short performance pieces, document and exhibit their work, and go to galleries and performances locally and in New York. Notes: Substantial research project required. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 674: Advanced Performance Studio. 4 credits.
Advanced laboratory for creating and producing performance art. Emphasizes new technologies and their applications, multimedia scriptwriting and storyboarding, and the creation of audiovisual performance. Students work independently and also contribute to collaborative production. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 673 or permission of instructor.
AVT 676: Graduate Sound Art. 4 credits.
Assuming basic competency in digital audio production and within the theory of sounded experience, students will be assisted in the incorporation of sonic material into their graduate research projects. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 678: Interface and CD-ROM Design. 5 credits.
Combined lecture and studio course in multimedia interface and CD-ROM design. Focuses on exporting traditional visual and aural artistic aesthetic to the computer environment within a multimedia context. Assigned class readings augmented and supported by presentations of various digital interfaces and CD-ROM examples. Discusses commercial, entertainment, and educational titles, as well as CD-ROM experimental art works. Studio time divided between AVT labs and area multimedia facilities. Students conceive, design, and develop two CD-ROM or kiosk interfaces due at midterm, and complete a dual platform CD-ROM project due at semester end. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 682: Experimental 2D Animation. 4 credits.
Designed to broaden range of visually expressive, time-based media from cell animation and stop motion animation to rotoscoping and two-dimensional digital animation. Emphasizes idea generation, concept development, and visual aesthetics. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 684: Advanced Image Making. 4 credits.
Overview of two-dimensional computer-imaging applications in the arts, including painting, printmaking, mixed media, illustration, video, and animation. Lectures combine technical and aesthetic material, including image processing for artists and color reproduction. Emphasis on developing advanced studio portfolio. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 685: Video Art. 4 credits.
Explores video as medium that is transforming art and is transformed by art. Emphasizes developing an approach to personal narrative, creative skills, and construction of meaning, as well as on acquiring technical skills. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 686: Experimental 3D Animation. 4 credits.
Teaches how to create realistic, three-dimensional scenes with scaled objects, surface textures, lights, and shadows. Emphasizes idea generation, concept development, visual aesthetics, and technical abilities. Students required to render a portfolio of high-resolution images. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 687: Advanced Topics: New Media. 4 credits.
Advanced course in digital media, including layer compositing, digital video editing, rotoscoping, and cell animation. Emphasizes integrating traditional techniques with software applications; and publishing projects to CD-ROM, DV tape, DVD, and Internet. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT program, or permission of instructor.
AVT 688: Hybrid Animation. 4 credits.
Study of digital two-dimensional and three-dimensional animation practices. Introduces lighting, camera movement, object motion, timing, and texture mapping as students plan and produce a short animation. Emphasizes idea generation, concept development, visual aesthetics, and technical abilities. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 691: Elementary Art Education. 3 credits.
Concepts and methods in early childhood and elementary art education. Notes: Students spend three hours per week in class and one hour per week in required field experience in public schools and other educational settings. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the MAT program and permission of instructor.
AVT 692: Secondary Art Education. 3 credits.
Concepts and methods in secondary art education. Notes: Students spend three hours per week in class, and one hour per week in required field experience in the public schools and other educational settings. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: AVT 691, or permission of the instructor.
AVT 694: Advanced Studies in Teaching Critical Response to Art, PK-12. 3 credits.
Develops visual literacy and critical thinking skills by examining diverse theoretical models and applying strategies to expand knowledge about art and artifacts in the PK-12 classroom and museum. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the Art Education concentration ASTL and/or permission of the art education director.
AVT 695: Internship in Art Education (Student Teaching). 5 credits.
Full-time internship in which students teach in elementary and secondary schools with guidance from cooperating mentor teachers. College supervisors make periodic site visits to observe, assess, and evaluate progress. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of all other MAT program requirements.
AVT 696: Internship in Art Education Seminar. 1 credit.
Weekly professional seminar focused on needs and concerns of student teachers. Covers issues as they emerge in practice, and concludes with an "Art of Teaching Art" exhibit of work by students of preservice teachers. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 697: Advanced Strategies and Curricular Innovations in the Visual Arts. 3 credits.
Synthesizing knowledge and understandings gained in ASTL program, seminar focuses on innovative curriculum design, mastery of effective instructional strategies, and developing leadership potential for the field of visual art education. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of all ASTL Art Education Concentration courses.
AVT 698: Independent Study/Directed Readings. 1-3 credits.
Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
AVT 794: Graphic Design Project. 4 credits.
The capstone course in the graphic design Master of Arts degree. Provides for the independent development, design, production and presentation of a graduate-level design project guided by faculty and design professionals. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to the AVT Graphic Design graduate program and completion of 30 graduate credits.
AVT 796: Directed Reading. 1 credit.
The development of independent research into the historical precedents, theoretical underpinnings, cultural forms, and idea territories pertinent to student's individual studio practice. Individualized section under the direction of division member. Notes: One of three courses comprising the MFA comprehensive experience for AVT students. Offered by School of Art. May not be repeated for credit.
AVT 798: Directed Project and Exhibition. 1-6 credits.
The construction and presentation of a professional-quality public exhibition. Course includes significant independent studio production of a comprehensive body of work, leading to the MFA Thesis Exhibition. Exhibition must demonstrate student's mastery of studio craft and concept. Individualized section under the direction of division member. Notes: One of three courses comprising the MFA comprehensive experience for AVT students. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
AVT 799: Thesis. 1-3 credits.
The written thesis informs, documents, and enhances the MFA thesis exhibition, which is the student's primary creative research activity. The content of the written thesis may vary in accordance with artistic discipline and final exhibition. Individualized section under the direction of division member. Notes: One of three courses comprising the MFA comprehensive experience for AVT students. Offered by School of Art. May be repeated within the degree.

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