Art & Design
Visual arts, graphic design, illustration, and studio practice.
Who It's For
You are a visual thinker who loves creating — whether through drawing, painting, graphic design, sculpture, or digital art. If you spend your free time making things, have a strong aesthetic sense, and want to develop your craft while learning design principles and art history, this degree nurtures both your creativity and technical skills. Students who are self-motivated, open to critique, and passionate about visual expression thrive here.
If you enjoy art purely as a hobby and dislike receiving critical feedback on your work, the studio critique culture can be difficult. Students who prefer structured, right-answer coursework may find the subjective evaluation in art courses frustrating.
How Your High School Classes Connect
How much each subject matters in this degree
Common Coursework
Explore form, space, and material through sculptural and installation projects using diverse media.
Develop observational drawing skills — line, shading, perspective, and figure drawing from life.
Learn principles of visual design — balance, contrast, hierarchy, rhythm, and composition.
Study how colors interact, create mood, and communicate meaning in visual compositions.
Survey art from ancient cave paintings through contemporary movements and global traditions.
Analyze current art trends, visit galleries, and discuss artists shaping today's art world.
Curate and refine your best work into a professional portfolio for job applications.
Plan, install, and present a solo or group exhibition of your culminating artwork.
Study letterform design, type selection, and how fonts shape readability and visual tone.
Create artwork using digital tools like Illustrator and Procreate for print and screen.
Create visual communication — logos, posters, layouts — solving design problems for real clients.
Build three-dimensional art using clay, metal, wood, and mixed media techniques.
Create art through relief, intaglio, screen printing, and lithography techniques.
Common Next Steps
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Is Art & Design right for you?
Take our free 20-minute assessment to find out if art & design matches your personality, interests, and strengths.
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