School of Art, Design and Art History

Dr. Katherine A. Schwartz, Director
Phone: (540) 568-6216/6661
Email: schwarka@jmu.edu
Location: Duke Hall, Room 1011
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/art

Professors

T. Cole, R. Daniel, C. Diop,
D. Ehrenpreis, G. Freeburg, L. Halpern,
L. Katzman, J. McCaslin, D. McCusker,
J. Ott, K. Schwartz, M. Shanahan,
R. Silberman, G. Stewart, L. Tubach,
C. Welter, W. Wightman, S. Zurbrigg

Associate Professors

A. Adesanya, S. Brooks, S. Choi,
R. Hilliard, M. Rooker, K. Stevens,
W. Tate, A. Taylor, K. Tollefson-Hall,
R. Tomhave

Assistant Professors

A. Barnes, D. Hardy, C. Henriques,
R. Mertens, K. Phaup, E. Tickle,
S. Williams

Mission Statement

The School of Art, Design and Art History is a collaborative community that fosters independent thought and creativity, embraces the diversity of cultural expression, and cultivates excellence in the making and understanding of visual art.

Goals

The School of Art, Design and Art History discerns the following five distinct goals for the teaching of art at JMU:

To prepare future professional artists and designers.
To educate future art historians and museum specialists with a global perspective on the visual arts.
To develop and license future elementary and secondary art teachers.
To enrich the general education of non-art majors.
To supply professional instruction in the visual arts for students who wish to enrich their education by studying art as a second major or minor.

To meet these goals, the School of Art, Design and Art History offers three degrees, a choice of five majors and select areas of emphasis. PK-12 Licensure is available to every School of Art, Design and Art History major, regardless of their degree track. Minors are offered in select areas. All degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours. A full description of degree requirements is listed under degree requirements.

Career Opportunities and Marketable Skills

Art students at JMU have the opportunity to prepare for a wide variety of art and art-related career fields. Because the School of Art, Design and Art History educates art students as critical thinkers and creative problem solvers, graduates have an enhanced ability to think independently, respond flexibly, work productively and compete successfully for employment in career fields that value original and thoughtful creativity. Some possible careers include:

Advertising Designer
Architectural Designer
Artist
Art Critic
Art Educator
Art Historian
Ceramicist
Conservator
Gallery Owner
Graphic Designer
Illustrator
Industrial Designer
Jeweler
Multimedia Designer
Museum Curator/Educator
Painter
Photographer
Printmaker
Sculptor
Textile Designer

To discuss specific career options, students should contact the school and make an appointment with a member of the faculty.

Accreditation

Supplementing JMU’s general accreditation, all degrees offered by the School of Art, Design and Art History are professionally accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. In addition, the Art Education program is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Special Admission Requirements

Art History Majors

Students intending to major in art history are not required to submit a portfolio, but should follow the regular JMU admissions process. To be considered for departmental scholarships, students must submit a resume, writing sample, and short essay to the department. To enroll in the museum studies concentration in art history, students must have a 3.3 GPA in the major and a minimum of nine credits in Art History (ARTH) and General Education Art History (ARTH) courses.

Architectural Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Studio Art Majors

All prospective freshmen, transfer and change of major students intending to major in architectural design, graphic design, industrial design or studio art must meet JMU admission requirements. In addition to meeting JMU admission requirements, all students are required to submit a portfolio to the school’s SlideRoom account. There is a $10 charge for this submission. Additionally, transfer and change of major students will need to upload unofficial transcripts and a statement of intent to the school’s SlideRoom account that explains their educational and artistic goals, articulating the reasons for choosing this area of study. The submission of a portfolio is seen as evidence of a student’s interest and potential for future success in art. Students must attend an on-campus Portfolio Review day or schedule a Skype interview to be considered for a scholarship. All scholarship awards are based on merit and vary in amount, up to the full cost of tuition.

The School of Art, Design and Art History (SADAH) offers students the opportunity for feedback on their portfolio, prior to the digital submission, through several on-campus and off-campus portfolio review days. This portfolio review event will provide an opportunity for feedback on actual artwork, as well as an opportunity to meet with faculty from the school. Tours of facilities and program info sessions will take place at on-campus events. All prospective freshman, transfer and change of major students are strongly encouraged to attend a portfolio review day prior to submitting their portfolio. For these in-person feedback sessions, it is highly recommended that students show actual works of art; however, a portfolio that consists of printed images is acceptable. If time-based media examples are included (video and animation), students will need to bring their own digital device for presentation purposes. Refer to the SADAH website for the dates of the upcoming portfolio feedback days and for additional portfolio requirements.

Students seeking official acceptance into the graphic design major must enroll in GRPH 208 and submit a portfolio representing work completed in GRPH 200. Computer Graphics ; GRPH 202. Design Methodology ; and GRPH 206. Introduction to Typography . Students not admitted may reapply the following semester.

Students seeking official acceptance into the architectural design major must enroll in ARCD 208 and submit a portfolio representing work completed in ARCD 200. Architect Design Studio I and ARCD 202. Architect Design Studio II . Students not admitted may reapply the following year.