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, 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, 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 and design.

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

Phone: (540) 568-6216/6661 Email: art-arthistory@jmu.edu
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/art

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 and general education art history 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 or studio art must meet JMU admission requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Catalog. In addition to meeting JMU admission requirements, all students are required to submit a portfolio to the school’s SlideRoom account (https://jmuart.slideroom.com). The submission of a portfolio is seen as evidence of a student’s interest and potential for future success in art. The deadline for submitting portfolios to the school’s SlideRoom site is the first Monday after the last portfolio review day in January. There is a $10 charge for this submission.

Transfer and Change of Major Students

Transfer and change of major students will also 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.

On-Campus Portfolio Review Days and Scholarships

All students who would like to be considered for scholarships are required to attend one of the on-campus portfolio review days. Students will show their original art and participate in a faculty interview. If time-based media examples (video and animation) are included, students will need to bring their own digital device for presentation purposes. Refer to the SADAH website for the dates of the upcoming portfolio review days and for additional portfolio requirements. All scholarship awards are based on merit and vary in amount, up to the full cost of tuition. Tours of facilities and program information sessions will take place at on-campus events.

Off-Campus Portfolio Review Days

The SADAH also offers students the opportunity for feedback on their portfolio, prior to their digital submission and before an on-campus portfolio scholarship interview. The portfolio review events provide an opportunity for feedback on actual artwork, as well as an opportunity to meet with faculty from the school. All prospective freshmen, transfer and change of major students are strongly encouraged to attend a portfolio review day, on or off campus, prior to submitting their portfolio.

Graphic Design

Students seeking official acceptance into the graphic design major must enroll in GRPH 208 and submit a portfolio representing work completed in GRPH 200 , GRPH 202 and GRPH 206 . Students not admitted may reapply the following semester.

Architectural Design

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

Industrial Design

Students seeking acceptance into the advanced industrial design courses must enroll in INDU 208 and submit a portfolio representing work comprised of projects completed in INDU 200 , INDU 202 , GRPH 202 , INDU 220 , INDU 380 and independent design related work. It may be repeated once for a pass/fail standing.