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Department of

Art, Architecture + Art History

Visual Arts

About Visual Arts
Visual Arts Degree Requirements for Majors
Visual Arts Degree Requirements for Minors

Visual Arts

A primary objective of the Visual Arts program is to guide the student, major and non-major alike, to a practical understanding of many of the languages and traditions of visual expression. The program encourages a holistic exploration of the arts, while simultaneously requiring Art majors to develop advanced skills in at least one of the following sub-disciplines: Drawing; New Media; Painting; Photography; Sculpture/3D Studio Art; Visual Communications: and Art, Technology and Critical Studies (ATaCS). Visual Arts majors who are considering graduate study are encouraged to complete a minor in Art History.

New Media

New Media is an interdisciplinary program focused around video, performance, sound, installation, and emerging practices. The curriculum consists of medium specific courses and topics based seminars. In medium specific courses such as Video Studio, Web Art, and Installation Art, students engage specific mediums in an effort to realize its potential. In topics based seminars such as Noise and The Human/Animal Subject, students investigate different strategies for creating work in the mediums of their choice. All courses involve elements of production, history, and theory, and are based around discussions, critiques, lectures, field trips, and hands-on production. Ultimately students are encouraged to develop their own creative strategies for working between mediums, to best express themselves, and explore the issues they are most interested in. Facilites include a number of computer labs dedicated to video, audio, graphic imaging, web and print production in addition to equipment such as digital camcorders, digital still cameras and other media for working in the field. In addition to this, seniors are eligible to apply for studio space.

Painting and Drawing

The primary objective of the painting and drawing programs at USD is to enable each student to discover and articulate their creative voice in the expressive languages of painting and drawing. Rigorous technical and conceptual training enables the students to develop images that are visually, emotionally and intellectually compelling while emphasizing honest and meaningful exploration of each artist's concerns.

Photography

The Photography program is built around balancing the needs of the students providing a broad base of photographic education, and nourishing the individual voice of a creative art student. The curriculum regularly includes courses in Basic, Advanced, Portrait and Color Photography. A variety of Special Topics including Photo Strategies, Documentary Photography and Large format Photography are available on a cyclical basis, while internships and independent projects round out the curriculum. For digital image making our students utilize the Macintosh computer labs, and will soon be the beneficiaries of a new darkroom facility in Camino Hall.

Sculpture

The Sculpture Program is designed for students wishing to explore sculpture through a multidisciplinary approach to methods and materials. After completing the introductory Foundations in Form Space and Time and Introduction to Sculpture classes, students are able to choose from intermediate and advanced studio courses that are offered in a variety of mediums including metal, wood, concrete, and clay. Students will develop not only technical proficiency in working with these various mediums, but moreover the conceptual foundation from which their unique creative practice will be built. Experimentations with object making, installation, and intervention are actively encouraged and explored as a means of facilitating a critical engagement with the concerns of the student. Facilities include a fully equipped metalshop, woodshop, sculpture facility, and semi-private studio spaces, which students are able to apply for in their senior year.

Visual Communications

The Visual Communications program at the University of San Diego focuses on developing an in-depth understanding of the visual design language, and how to use this language to solve design problems. Visual communications students work on projects to acquire conceptual, theoretical and practical knowledge in design, while exploring and examining the role of design history in shaping contemporary design practice.

Art, Technology, and Critical Studies (ATaCS)

The intention of Art, Technology and Critical Studies is to integrate the making of art with the critical study of art. Students are prepared to be artists as both creative public intellectuals and cultural producers. The lower- and upper-division requirements are drawn from both Studio Art courses and Art History courses, with an emphasis on technology and its application to the making of art. Students choosing a concentration in ATaCS must complete a different set of upper division degree requirements.

Degree Requirements for Visual Arts Majors

Lower-Division

  • four of the following visual arts courses - 101, 103, 104, 108, 160
  • two of the following art history courses - 133, 134, 135, 138, 330
  • students selecting an emphasis in ATaCS‚ Art, Technology and Critical Studies are encouraged to take ARTV 104, 108, and 160 and should complete ARTH 109 and either 134 or 135 or 138
    d. Visual Arts students are strongly encouraged to complete the above six lower-division courses by the end of their sophomore year

Upper-Division

  • Complete 31 upper-division units (10 courses plus senior thesis)
  • Select at least one area of specialization from the sub-disciplines, and take three upper-division courses in that area
  • Complete ARTH 334 ‚ Art of the Twentieth Century in Europe and the Americas
  • Participate in a Junior Review during the second semester of the junior year
  • Complete ARTV 478 ‚ Senior Thesis Studio Seminar during the first semester of the senior year
  • Complete ARTV 495 ‚ Senior Thesis during the second semester of the senior year
  • Students must take at least one upper-division course in their chosen area(s) of specialization during their senior year
  • Students selecting Drawing or Painting as an area or areas of specialization must take ARTV 302

Upper-division requirements for students choosing an emphasis in Art, Technology, and Critical Studies (ATaCS)

  • Required upper-division Visual Arts courses: ARTV 364, 382, 424
  • Required upper-division Art History courses: ARTH 338, 345
  • Complete one of the following: ARTV 308* or ARTV 420
  • Complete three courses from the following list with at least one of those courses coming from the Art History area
  • Participate in a Junior Review during the second semester of the junior year
  • Complete ARTV 478 ‚ Senior Thesis Seminar during the first semester of the senior year
  • Complete ARTV 495 ‚ Senior Thesis during the second semester of the senior year

* ARTV 308 may only be taken once and will only fulfill requirements in one of the above designated areas in the ATaCS emphasis. Please note that under certain circumstances substitution of classes will be allowed with advisor approval

Degree Requirements for Visual Arts Minors