Art

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Chairperson: Dr. Alden Cavanaugh
Department Office: Fine Arts Building, room 108
Web site: http://www.indstate.edu/art-dept
E-mail: artdept@indstate.edu

The undergraduate programs offered by the Department of Art encourage students to think and work creatively, and to become engaged members of a variety of artistic and scholarly communities. The programs are designed to develop broad and versatile creative abilities while providing a highly professional education that prepares students for careers as studio artists, designers, educators, multimedia practitioners, and a host of other creative endeavors, as well as for future graduate study. The Department of Art has  been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) for over two decades.

In support of the liberal arts and sciences mission of the College of Arts and Sciences and Indiana State University, the Department of Art participates in the Foundational Studies Program, the Honors Program, and the Women’s Studies Program.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Degrees Offered

The Department of Art offers the bachelor of fine arts and the bachelor of science in art, the bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in art with a concentration in art history, and the bachelor of science in art education. Candidates for any of these degrees must successfully complete the University requirement of a minimum of 124 credit hours, including Foundational Studies course work and the requirements for the departmental major.

The bachelor of science in art education prepares students to become licensed as teachers of the visual arts. The 52-credit program provides for licensure to teach kindergarten-12 and to supervise art programs at these levels. Students should be thoroughly familiar with the teaching curriculum and the requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program, which are detailed in the Bayh College of Education and the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology sections in this Catalog. All art education majors must obtain a grade of C or better in the core classes to advance in the teacher licensure program.

In the studio art degree programs, areas of emphasis include: 2-D arts, 3-D arts, and graphic design. Course work in art history is a major component of these degree programs, which encourage students to think and speak about the visual arts in an articulate and informed way. Drawing is a vital part of all studio degrees, providing students with basic perceptual and technical skills. The newly created courses in computer and digital art provide students with both practical and conceptual knowledge of one of the fastest growing fields in art and technology.


Departmental Opportunities

The department considers advising to be an important part of a student’s academic program. There are many differences among students in their career goals, and each major and minor in the Department of Art receives professional guidance to determine an appropriate and specialized program. Students who work closely with their academic and area advisors in this way are more likely to meet their goals and achieve academic success. All students must work with their academic advisor prior to registration each semester, and must participate in annual department assessment reviews that serve to enhance students’ scholastic and creative development. Refer to “Major and Minor Requirements,” below.

The programs of the Department of Art are conducted in over 70,000 square feet of professionally equipped and maintained space. The Fine Arts Building houses the graphic design and computer graphic studios, classrooms, the art education facility, an extensive visual resources library, and departmental offices. The studios for painting, photography, printmaking, papermaking, and drawing are located in historic Fairbanks Hall. The Fine Arts Annex is a vast factory-like space that houses ceramics and sculpture.

Students gain exposure to artists of national and international significance through a regular schedule of exhibitions and lectures in the University Art Gallery, located in the Center for Performing and Fine Arts Building. The Bare-Montgomery Gallery, located in Fairbanks Hall, provides students with the opportunity to exhibit their own work or to curate exhibitions of student work. The renovated Turman Art Gallery, located in the Fine Arts Building, offers professional artists and students an excellent space to display their work. In addition, the Indiana State University Permanent Art Collection contains an impressive inventory of twentieth century artwork that is exhibited throughout the University.

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