The Graduate School Bulletin
Department of Art
138 Gatewood Studio Arts Building
(336) 334-5248
Department of Art Homepage
Admissions Information
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Faculty
Overview
Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts
Requirements for the Master of Education in Art Education
Art Courses
Faculty
Professors
Porter Aichele, Ph.D.
19th and 20th century art, interdisciplinary studies pairing the visual arts with music and literature.
Carl Goldstein, Ph.D.
Art history from Renaissance to modern, art criticism.
Billy Lee, M.F.A.
Sculpture; drawing, design.
John Maggio, M.F.A.
Tamarind Master Printer, printmaking, painting, mixed media.
Associate Professors
Michael Ananian, M.F.A.
Figurative painting and drawing.
George Dimock, Ph.D.
Modern art and critical theory, with emphasis on constructions of childhood.
Andrew M. Dunnill, M.F.A.
Steel, cast metal and mixed media sculpture, drawing.
Mark Gottsegen, M.F.A.
Landscape, still-life, figurative and non-objective painting and drawing; materials of painting and drawing; studio health and safety.
Amy Lixl-Purcell, M.F.A.
Intermedia art, work with computer and electronic media and installations.
Patricia Wasserboehr, M.F.A.
Sculpture and drawing (Head of Department).
Assistant Professors
Nikki L. Blair, M.F.A.
Ceramics and mixed media sculpture (Director of Graduate Study).
Christopher Cassidy, M.F.A.
Design (digital).
Seth Ellis, M.F.A.
Design (digital).
Heather Holian, Ph.D.
Ancient through Renaissance art history.
Elizabeth Leal, Ph.D.
Art education.
Sarah Martin, M.F.A.
Design (photography/video).
Mariam A. L. Stephan, M.F.A.
Painting and drawing.
Barbara Thomas, M.F.A.
Drawing and painting.
Lecturer
Richard Gantt, M.A.
17th and 18th century architecture.
Adjunct Faculty
Nancy Doll, M.A.
Museum studies (Director, Weatherspoon Art Museum).
Xandra Eden, M.A.
Museum studies (Curator of Exhibitions, Weatherspoon Art Museum).
Ann Grimaldi, M.Ed.
Museum studies (Curator of Education, Weatherspoon Art Museum).
Will South, Ph.D.
Museum studies (Curator of Collections, Weatherspoon Art Museum).
Overview
The Department of Art offers graduate work leading to two degrees: Master of Fine Arts with a major in studio arts, and Master of Education with a concentration in art. Only those students enrolled in a degree program with a full-time load of courses may use space, equipment, and facilities of the Art Department. Part-time students may use only the facilities directly connected with the courses in which they are enrolled.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School applicants should have 39 hours or the equivalent of undergraduate credits in studio art and 15 hours of art history and must submit 20 images on a CD or DVD of recent work. Candidates are also encouraged to attend a Portfolio and Interview Day following the deadline for applications.
Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts
To complete the M.F.A. program, the student must complete 60 hours of course work in studio art, art criticism, art history and electives, pass all required examinations, and complete thesis work.
Required Core Courses (9 hours)
ART 600 Writing Art Criticism (3)
ART 620 Drawing (4)
ART 622 Drawing Marathon (2)
Studio Courses (26-30 hours)
To be selected from the following:
ART 520 Anatomy for the Artist (3)
ART 525 Advanced Metal Casting (3)
ART 529 The Multi-Media Print (3)
ART 531 Painting (3)
ART 535 Variable Topics in Painting (3)
ART 540 Digital Visualization and Methods (3)
ART 545 Interactive Web Design (3)
ART 550 Sculpture/Installation (3)
ART 557 Site-Specific Sculpture (3)
ART 589 Experimental Course (when topic is appropriate)
ART 592 Professional Practices, Aesthetics and Preparation for the Visual Artist (3)
ART 626 Woodcut and Wood Engraving (4)
ART 627 Lithography (4)
ART 628 Etching (4)
ART 629 Studio Problems in Drawing, Painting, or Printmaking (4)
ART 631, 632 Painting and Drawing (2) (2)
ART 633, 634 Painting and Drawing (4) (4)
ART 635 Variable Topics in Painting (4)
ART 636, 637 Painting Research Seminar (4) (4)
ART 641 Variable Topics in Design (4)
ART 649 Studio Problems in Design (4)
ART 655, 656 Sculpture (2) (2)
ART 657, 658 Sculpture (4) (4)
ART 659 Studio Problems in Sculpture (4)
ART 682 Ceramics (4)
ART 685 Photography (4)
ART 699 Thesis (1-6)
ART 711 Experimental Course (when topic is appropriate)
Art History Courses (9 hours)
To be selected from the following:
ART 500 Traditions of Art Criticism (3)
ART 501 Topics in the History of Art (3)
ART 502 Historiography and Methodology (3)
ART 590 Museum Studies (3)
ART 601 Public Art (3)
ART 602 The Teaching of Art from Vasari to Albers (3)
ART 605 Perspectives in Contemporary Art (3)
ART 606 A Study of the Artist (3)
ART 618 Topics in the History of Art (3)
ART 619 Research Problems in Art History, Art Criticism (3)
Electives (12 hours)
Elective hours may be selected from any of the courses listed above, from other 500- and 600-level courses taught in the Department of Art, or from 500- and 600-level courses taught in related areas with the permission of the student’s advisor and the Department Head.
Admission to Candidacy
To be formally admitted to candidacy for the M.F.A. degree, students must have successfully completed two semesters of full-time graduate work, including ART 620 and 622, removed all deficiencies, possess a B (3.0) average in all courses taken during the first two semesters, and have an overall grade record consistent with the regulations stated in The Graduate School Bulletin. In addition, the application to candidacy must be approved by a committee of the Art Department graduate faculty to be appointed by the department head. The committee will meet with students to review work and sign candidacy forms early in the fall semester of the second year of graduate work. Students are limited to two candidacy reviews. If a student is not admitted to candidacy during the first review, the review team will issue written recommendations for further studies. The second review will take place within a year of the first. Failure to pass candidacy for the second time will prohibit the student from continuing in the program.
Comprehensive Examination
Studio Comprehensive
Once the student has passed candidacy, completed 16 hours of graduate studio work, has a B (3.0) average, and has been in residency for two semesters, a meeting is arranged to review the student’s work and consider the following options: 1) independent work to strengthen studio skills, or 2) further structured course study.
Students must pass the studio comprehensive prior to beginning thesis work.
Art History Comprehensive
This written examination is scheduled each semester and tests competence in art history with identifications of 25 specific works and three to four general essay questions.
Thesis (2-6 hours)
After passing candidacy review in the fall, the student consults with the Department Head to select a thesis chair. The thesis chair and the student will consult together on the remaining members of the committee. The Department Head and the Director of Graduate Study will review the membership of the committee before the student begins thesis work.
The committee shall consist of four to five faculty members who hold graduate faculty status in the University. Part-time faculty do not serve on thesis committees. One member of the committee shall be a studio faculty member who teaches in the same discipline as the student’s studio pursuit. One other member shall be an art historian. It is optional for the student to select one faculty member from another department or school on campus. This faculty member should be pursuing scholarly or research work that relates to the student’s field of interest. Thesis chairs can be selected from the studio art or art history faculty.
Students may undertake final thesis work (ART 699 Thesis) only after passing the studio comprehensive and receiving the approval of their thesis committee members.
Early in the final semester of thesis work, the student should arrange a meeting of the thesis committee. At this meeting the committee should discuss all aspects of final thesis work, including the thesis paper, the oral examination, and the thesis exhibition. The thesis paper should be five to ten pages in length, conform to Graduate School requirements, and be signed by all committee members before submission to The Graduate School. The body of work submitted for the thesis exhibition must receive final approval of all committee members.
Requirements for the Master of Education in Art Education
For 2007-2008, no new degree candidates will be accepted.
ART Art Courses
First-year M.F.A. students enroll in scheduled courses. Second-year students may enroll in one Studio Problems course (629, 649, 659) with the prior consent of the supervising instructor.
| 500 | Traditions of Art Criticism (3:3) |
| Pr. junior standing or graduate status A study of the major critical traditions from the Renaissance to the present. | |
| 501 | Topics in the History of Art (3:3) |
| Pr. junior standing or graduate status Special topics in the history of art, ancient to modern. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 502 | Historiography and Methodology (3:3) |
| Pr. graduate standing and completion of 15 or more undergraduate hours in art history or permission of instructor Case studies in the development of art history as a discipline and applied practice of methodologies developed for art-historical analysis. | |
| 520 | Anatomy for the Artist (3:1:6) |
| Pr. 150 or permission of instructor Visual analysis of the human form with an emphasis on the skeleto-muscular system. | |
| 525 | Advanced Metal Casting (3:1:6) |
| Pr. 353 or permission of instructor Advanced theory and practice of metal casting. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 529 | The Multi-Media Print (3:1:6) |
| Pr. one of the three 200-level courses in printmaking: 226, 228, or 229 and 241 Experimental forms of image making utilizing diverse sources of technical and aesthetic references including electronic media, photography, monoprints, collagraphy, 3-D constructions, and traditional printmaking methods and processes. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. | |
| 531 | Painting (3:1:6) |
| Pr. senior or graduate standing Theories, methods, and studio techniques characteristic of recent trends in painting. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 535 | Advanced Painting (3:1:6) |
| Pr. advanced undergraduate or graduate standing Advanced theory and practice of painting. Wide variety of media and genres will be explored. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 540 | Digital Visualization and Methods (3:2:3) |
| Pr. 240, 340, senior status or M.F.A. status or permission of instructor Studio investigation of the ways that digital methods expand and change visual vocabulary and methods. Emphasis on refining personal artistic vision and establishing connections between traditional and digital methods. May be repeated once for credit with permission of instructor. | |
| 545 | Interactive Web Design (3:2:3) |
| Pr. 240 and 340, or permission of instructor Development of web graphics and interactive web based environments that demonstrate an understanding of navigation, usability, and functionality within a creative framework. | |
| 550 | Sculpture/Installation (3:1:6) |
| Pr. 355, 356, 481 Investigate the sculpture possibilities of a space through art making, conceptual development, and personal research with a focus on contemporary and historical issues. | |
| 557 | Site-Specific Sculpture (3:1:6) |
| Pr. 355 or permission of instructor Provides opportunity to make site-specific sculpture; process of making work in the public arena from initial conception, interaction with jury committee, to completed sculpture. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 563 | Trends and Teaching in Art: Special Populations (3:2:1) |
| Pr. graduate status; completion of 363, student teaching or equivalent, or permission of instructor Curricular and instructional principles, processes, and designs applicable to special populations in various school, institutional, or community settings. | |
| 565 | Issues in Art Education (3:3) |
| Pr. graduate status or permission of instructor Exploration of issues in art or education which affect the teaching of art. May be repeated once for credit when topic varies. | |
| 589 | Experimental Course |
| This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings. | |
| 590 | Museum Studies (3:3) |
| Pr. junior standing and permission of instructor Study of diverse operations and institutional missions of art museums, including management, governance, development, collections management, education, and curatorial activities. | |
| 592 | Professional Practices, Aesthetics and Preparation for the Visual Artist (3:3) |
| Pr. full-time graduate status Emerging artists participate in their community and acquire the skills of career professionals. May be repeated once for credit. | |
| 600 | Writing Art Criticism (3:3) |
| Examination of the assumptions and methods of modern and contemporary art criticism through a close reading of texts and the writing of original criticism. | |
| 601 | Public Art (3:3) |
| Study of traditional monuments, such as the pyramids, Michelangelo’s David, and recent large-scale works, including the Vietnam Memorial, with attention to questions of site, scale, purpose, and audience. | |
| 602 | The Teaching of Art from Vasari to Albers (3:3) |
| A study of ways in which artists have taught art to other artists from the Renaissance of Michelangelo to the Modern period of such artists as De Kooning. | |
| 605 | Perspectives in Contemporary Art (3:3) |
| Seminar on artists whose work or writings have raised critical questions relevant to recent art. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 606 | A Study of the Artist (3:3) |
| Study of the biography, development, and critical evaluation of one artist, such as Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Rodin, Cézanne, Picasso, Matisse, or Pollock. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 618 | Topics in the History of Art (3:3) |
| Pr. permission of instructor Special topics in the history of art, ancient to modern. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 619 | Research Problems in Art History, Art Criticism (3:3) |
| Independent research in art history or criticism. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 620 | Drawing (4:2:6) |
| Pr. M.F.A. candidates or permission of instructor Drawing from observation, memory, imagination. Drawing as a record of the reflection and invention by which visual ideas are explored and developed. May be repeated once for credit when instructor changes. | |
| 622 | Drawing Marathon (2:1:3) |
| Pr. 620 Four two-day sessions of intensive drawing from figure, interior, still life, and imagination using a variety of materials. Emphasis on longer periods of uninterrupted drawing. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 626 | Woodcut and Wood Engraving (4:2:6) |
| Aesthetic and technical exploration of relief methods in woodcut. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 627 | Lithography (4:2:6) |
| Aesthetic and technical exploration of planographic methods in lithography. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 628 | Etching (4:2:6) |
| Aesthetic and technical exploration of intaglio methods in etching. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 629 | Studio Problems in Drawing, Painting, or Print-making (4) |
| Pr. admission to candidacy and permission of instructor Independent work in drawing, painting, or print-making. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 631, 632 | Painting and Drawing (2:1:3), (2:1:3) |
| Pr. 6 semester hours undergraduate painting and drawing, or a working knowledge of painting and drawing techniques Creative work in painting and drawing with an emphasis on observation. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 633, 634 | Painting and Drawing (4:2:6), (4:2:6) |
| Pr. 6 semester hours undergraduate painting and drawing or a working knowledge of painting and drawing techniques Creative work in painting and drawing with an emphasis on observation. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 635 | Painting (4:2:6) |
| Pr. M.F.A. candidates or permission of instructor Advanced practice and theory of painting with an inclusive interpretation of painting. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 636, 637 | Painting Research Seminar (4:2:6), (4:2:6) |
| Research and study on selected painting problems. | |
| 641 | Variable Topics in Design (4:2:6) |
| Special studio topics in design ranging from digital photography to systems based art. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 649 | Studio Problems in Design (4) |
| Pr. admission to candidacy and permission of instructor Independent work in design, fibers, clay, metals, or photography. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 655, 656 | Sculpture (2:1:3), (2:1:3) |
| Pr. 6 s.h. undergraduate sculpture or a working knowledge of basic sculpture techniques and permission of instructor Advanced work in sculpture. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 657, 658 | Sculpture (4:2:6), (4:2:6) |
| Pr. 6 s.h. undergraduate sculpture or a working knowledge of basic sculpture techniques and permission of instructor Advanced work in sculpture. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 659 | Studio Problems in Sculpture (4) |
| Pr. 6 s.h. undergraduate sculpture or a working knowledge of basic sculpture techniques. Admission to candidacy and permission of instructor Advanced work in sculpture. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 663 | Practicum: Schools, Museums, or Other Settings (3) |
| Planned administrative or research and development activities in a school, museum, or community setting. | |
| 665 | Art Education (3:3) |
| Selected problems of curricula, administration, method, and general education. | |
| 669 | Special Problems in Art Education (3:3) |
| Independent work in Art Education for advanced graduate students. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 682 | Ceramics (4:2:6) |
| Pr. 6 semester hours of undergraduate ceramics or a working knowledge of basic ceramic techniques and permission of instructor Advanced work in ceramics. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 685 | Photography (4:2:6) |
| Pr. 6 studio hours in undergraduate photography or a working knowledge of photographic techniques or permission of instructor Advanced work in photography. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 690 | Experimentation and Analysis: Studio Arts (3:1:6) |
| Designed to provide non-studio art majors an understanding of studio arts as creative activities. Not open to studio arts majors. | |
| 699 | Thesis (1-6) |
| 711 | Experimental Course |
| This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings. | |
| 801 | Thesis Extension (1-3) |
| 803 | Research Extension (1-3) |