Art

The visual arts program at North Dakota State University offers a broad range of degree programs from art emphasis areas in graphic design, painting, printmaking, ceramics, drawing, sculpture and photography to a degree in Art Education. It provides a wide range of courses with the philosophy that a strong foundation in the development of creative strategy, digital literacy, design ability, critical thinking and art/design historical awareness will prepare our students for the art and design world today.

The Program

With a vibrant major and minor program, the Visual Arts Department brings together students from every college in the University. As a primary career specialization, or as a supplement to some other major field, art and design is one of the most versatile areas of study. Housing in one of the finest facilities in the upper Midwest for art and design, the department is home to eight professional artists who teach every class we offer. We are an undergraduate program only, and are focused on the individual attention, modest class sizes and high quality advising for our undergraduate students.

The Facilities

Renaissance Hall, a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art facility, houses the Department of Visual Arts. The building provides well-equipped studio facilities for graphic design, drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and ceramics. Our new digital media lab has been equipped with the most current output devices and the program has access to A second digital media studio, LAAVA Lab, provides a design thinking gathering space with high tech tools including 3D printing, laser cutting and virtual reality. The print shop houses several etching and litho presses as well as facilities for letterpress and silkscreen printing. The ceramic student is well equipped with three gas kilns and a wood burning kiln, clay mixing facilities and 25 throwing wheels. The large sculpture studio houses various types of welders, a plasma cutter and other tools for metal work, woodworking and carving in stone. A high-tech classroom for art history seats 75 and is also available for smaller classes. The department has its own gallery in the Renaissance Hall and has a partnership with the Memorial Union Gallery on main campus. A wide range of exhibitions, including national traveling exhibitions, and student and faculty shows are always available on and off campus. In close proximity to the Plains Art Museum, the department and the Plains work closely together, enhancing art experiences for the entire region.

The Faculty

The faculty is composed of Department Head, Michael Strand, Kimble Bromley, Kent Kapplinger, Kristi Groberg, David Swenson, Meghan Duda and Andrew Stark. These faculty members are professional artists and academics active at regional, national and international levels in art exhibitions, art research, art organizations and critical writing. The art faculty prides itself in being very accessible to students at all times for individual consultation and critique.

PEARS Program

The Printmaking Education and Research Studio (PEARS) is housed in the Department of Visual Arts. This specialized program broadens student exposure to artists working in the printmaking medium by facilitating collaborations to create editions of prints. The program provides classes and workshops for students, instructors and artists seeking both traditional and the latest in technological information. The program offers artist residencies, internships and studio rentals to qualified artists and promotes sales and exhibition of artwork produced in the studio.

Career Opportunities

Art and Design students develop a range of skills from creative strategy to technical proficiency. These skills are broadly applicable to careers in many different disciplines. Potential careers include marketing, advertising, illustration, graphic design, user experience specialist, animation, arts marketing, art historian, commercial photography, museum and gallery work, exhibition design, art therapy, professional studio artist, municipal art programs, art criticism, independent art instruction, industrial design, art media research, arts organizations, university instruction and K-12 education.

The Curriculum

With an early emphasis on technology and skills relevant in the 21st century, all students graduating from Visual Arts have a background in design. From this foundation, students select tracks including: K-12 education, graphic design/illustration, printmaking, painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture and drawing. The program offers a highly flexible and personal approach to each student’s development. The middle of the program focuses on developing a portfolio strong enough to apply for the capstone experience which is either a three-credit or six-credit baccalaureate project and thesis exhibition during the senior year. The Tri-College University, which includes Concordia College, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Minnesota State University Moorhead and North Dakota State College of Science offers students access to specialized courses not offered in the NDSU art curriculum.

The Degrees

Students majoring in art have several degree options. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is the professional degree requiring 75 hours in art with an emphasis in one or a combination of the following: graphic design, painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, photography or drawing.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BS) requires 57 hours in art with an emphasis in one of the following: graphic design, painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, photography or drawing.

The BA also requires a competency in a foreign language through the intermediate level and the BS degree requires a minor in another discipline.

Art Education is offered as a BS degree in collaboration with the NDSU School of Education. A minimum of 120 credit hours are needed for graduation.