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, M. Rooker, 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.
Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Architectural Design
- Graphic Design
- Studio Art
Bachelor of Science
- Industrial Design
- Studio Art
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).
Coordinator: Trudy Cole, coletl@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-3488
The graphic design program provides a professional education with an interdisciplinary approach. Program objectives for the graphic design student are:
- Articulate ideas and understand the fundamental elements and principles of graphic design while using correct terminology pertinent to the field.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of artistic methods, craft and formal structure as vehicles to enhance a solutions communicative value.
- Demonstrate proficiency in both traditional and digital ways of making.
- Develop diverse problem-solving methodologies that combine theory, research, analytical skills and conceptualization to create effective graphic design solutions.
- Develop a professional graphic design portfolio reflective of one’s knowledge and abilities that encompasses the contemporary design market.
The graphic design program objectives are enhanced by frequent field trips to design events, guest speakers, workshops and internship opportunities. Design students have an opportunity to engage with design leaders in the field through field trips, events and participation in a professional design organization.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the B.F.A. in graphic design is selective and competitive for a limited number of reserved seats in upperdivision (300-400 level) graphic design courses. Declaration of graphic design as a major and completion of lower-division (100- 200) prerequisite ART and GRPH courses does not guarantee admission into the program. Admission to upper-division GRPH courses is based on completion of all prerequisite GRPH courses and merit as determined by a faculty review of portfolios submitted in satisfaction of GRPH 208 . Portfolio Review. GRPH 208 . Portfolio Review is a 0 credit, pass/fail course that functions as a prerequisite to enrollment in all 300-400 level graphic design courses. Students should enroll in GRPH 208 during the semester following completion of GRPH 200 , GRPH 202 and GRPH 206 (or concurrently with GRPH 206). GRPH 208 portfolios are reviewed each semester. Students enrolled in GRPH 208 will be emailed at the beginning of the semester and will be informed of the exact time and location of the GRPH 208 portfolio review. Any art major may take GRPH 200 , GRPH 202 and GRPH 206 , but is restricted from taking any 300-400 level graphic design course until GRPH 208 has been taken and passed. Accepted students who receive a passing grade for GRPH 208 will be able to register for upper-division courses GRPH for the following semester and are required to furnish a Macintoch laptop computer. Purchase recommendations can be found at http://www.jmu.edu/computing/purchase/dept.shtml Students not accepted will have one opportunity to reapply in the following semester or may choose to continue in another major within the School of Art, Design and Art History.
