Does Umass Amherst Have a Graphic Design Major

Fine Arts

Fine Arts | Courses | Arts Faculty

358 Fine Arts Center

Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bachelor of Arts

Contact: Martha Taunton

Director, Undergraduate Program

Office: 357 Fine Arts Center

Phone: 545-1904

Chair of Department: Ronald Michaud. Associate Chair: Jeanette Cole. Professors Davies, Hendricks, Jahoda, Kearns, Lasch, Miller Pollin, Ozereko, Patterson, Retz, Schlappi, Yarde; Associate Professors Coblyn, Galvis Assmus, Giloth, Kinoshita, LaPointe, Lugosch, Taunton; Assistant Professors Benn, Gatter, Gerbracht, Krupczynski, Lugosch, Page, Richardson, Wetmore; Lecturer Brenneman; Visiting Lecturers Barber, Barrett, Clark, Holland, Parnass, Porter; Adjunct Faculty Dabrowski, Martin.

The Field

Artists help people to understand the world and themselves. They develop personal expressions which are meaningful to society. The study of fine arts is as varied as the forms of visual communication and human expression itself and is as old as the history of humankind. The undergraduate major in fine arts is a general degree with a broad background in the fine arts and a concentration in one area. Many students go on to graduate schools. The concentration in Art Education leads to certification for teaching at the elementary or secondary level. The major in Design leads to licensing qualification and a professional career in design. Students with a B.F.A. emphasis in graphic design, computer graphics, interior design, or art education may go directly into professional positions or pursue further study at the graduate level.

Art students may take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad for one or two semesters or in a summer program. Internships are available to students in a variety of disciplines such as computer graphics, interior design, and graphic design.

The Majors

The department offers a Studio Art major leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts or the Bachelor of Arts, and a Design major leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts. Students completing the B.A. are subject to the foreign language and other College requirements of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. Students completing the B.F.A. programs are not.

There are four concentrations in the studio Art B.F.A. program, and two in the Design major. A variety of subdisciplines are offered within each area. For example, the Sculpture area includes welding, bronze casting, wood carving, clay, plaster, and site-specific works. Students are encouraged to take advantage of course offerings and faculty beyond the boundaries of declared departmental areas. The University and the Five College consortium members offer rich opportunity for expansive study in the arts and sciences.

During the first year all majors take the Foundations program. This two-semester experience evolves through a weekly seminar which provides concepts, art history, demonstrations, guest artists, and field trips to major museums in New York City and Boston. The program develops proficiency in drawing, two- and three-dimensional design, and color, and provides an introduction to a variety of media and techniques basic to all the upper-level major disciplines. All students are required to take a minimum of four art history courses beyond the foundations year. Sophomores continue to take courses in drawing and may begin to take courses in specialized areas. By the beginning of their junior year, students usually seek admission to one of the concentrations. All B.F.A. candidates are required to complete a B.F.A. Degree Project (written thesis and exhibition) in their senior year.

Admission to the Majors

Admission is selective and competitive. A portfolio of slides is required to apply to all programs. Freshman and transfer applicants are given more specific information by the Admissions Office after applying to the University. Students already attending the University should contact the department.

Students may initially apply only for admission to the Art major. Admission to this major does not guarantee acceptance into any particular concentration. The computer arts, graphic design, photography (CDP) concentration, for example, is very competitive, generally admitting only eight to ten students per year.

Students interested in the Art Education concentration must pass the Communication and Literacy Skills sections of the Massachusetts Educators Certification Test as a prerequisite for admission to the concentration and the MECT Subject Area test in Visual Arts before student teaching and graduation.

Students interested in the Design major must already be accepted into the Art major and have completed all Foundations courses before applying to the Design major.

Art Major (B.A., B.F.A.)

The B.A. program is based on aesthetic and historical knowledge of the visual arts and development of creative ability in several media. Students must meet the College requirements of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, including a foreign language. The B.A. program requires about 56 credits, including Art History.

The B.F.A. program is a more comprehensive studio program. It requires approximately 77-83 credits, including Art History. It offers concentrations in Two-Dimensional Studies (painting, printmaking); Three-Dimensional Studies (ceramics, sculpture); CDP (computer arts, graphic design, photography); and Art Education.

The B.F.A. Art Education concentration provides the student with a strong background in studio work, and courses necessary for certification application at the elementary and secondary levels in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Through reciprocal arrangements, teachers certified in Massachusetts may be qualified to teach in several other states. Student teaching is done for a full semester, usually at schools within a 45-minute drive from campus.

Design Major (B.F.A.)

The Design program is a fully accredited (FIDER) program leading to qualification for the national licensing exam (NCIDQ). Two options are provided within the Design Area: the concentration in Interior Design, for the student who plans to enter into the profession after graduation; and the concentration in Architectural Studies, for the student who plans to prepare for entry into a graduate program in architecture.

Admission is selective. Applicants must be accepted into the Art Department (refer to Art Department entrance procedures) and have completed all Art Foundations course work prior to consideration. Applications are accepted in the fall and spring and require a portfolio of slides or original work placed in a portfolio with transcript and statement of intent for consideration. Transfer students are not automatically accepted into the B.F.A. Design major and should plan to contact the Design Program Director as soon as acceptance to the University and the Art Department are certain in order to have their portfolios reviewed to avoid delay in academic progression.

The goal of the Design program is to develop individuals as problem-solvers capable of creative, sensitive, and viable solutions to impact the built environment. Students are exposed to a broad range of issues including concept development, design for special populations, adaptive re-use, and historical context, and for a wide spectrum of design project types, e.g., in health care, educational, instututional, retail, corporate, residential, financial services and public organizations. The program emphasizes the relationship between architecture and interiors with strong relationships to the social sciences, business, hotel, restaurant and travel administration, engineering, art and related design desciplines (planning and landscape architecture). Models, two-dimensional drawings, photography, verbal and writing skills are emphasized.

Interior Design: The majority of majors take this option, which requires four intensive design studios followed by the B.F.A. Degree Project and Workshop. In addition, students select course work as professional electives (architectural lighting, furniture design, shelter technology, materials and methods of construction, dynamics of human habitation, CAD, photography, etc.), professional practice and rendering. All students are encouraged to undertake the practicum to provide a stronger link to the profession.

Architectural Studies: Ten percent of the students in the Design major elect to take the option in Architectural Studies. Design studios during the first year are taken with those in the Interior Design option followed by two semesters of Architectural Design studio. In addition, course work in engineering, physics, furniture design, statistics, etc. is selected as professional electives. Applicants considering this program should be recommended for admission to the Design program by the Director of Architectural Studies for consideration by the Design Area faculty.

Career Opportunities

A fine arts studio background provides excellent opportunities in related areas such as graphic design, illustration, textiles, publications, advertising, and gallery work. Continued professional work in specific areas of concentration and exhibitions remain a major career goal for many artists.

Graduates who concentrated in Art Education often teach at levels from elementary through high school, in public and private schools, in education departments of museums and in community art programs. They often become art supervisors through additional training at the graduate level. In addition, they enroll in advanced degree programs (M.A. and Ed.D or Ph.D.) and develop and refine skills in research to further their training in studio art or choose to specialize in fields related to art education. While teaching, they continue in their own art production, exhibitions, and research.

The Design major enters the profession in a variety of capacities within the government, public and private sectors. Work in the private sector includes entry- to mid-level positions within notable architectural, engineering or interior design practice; government opportunities exist at the international, federal, and state levels; positions with organizations employing facility designers to provide in-house services include banks, colleges, universities, corporations, and hospitality and health care facilities. In addition, graduates find employment in design specialties including lighting, graphic design, rendering, model-making, textiles, furniture and exhibit design. CAD opportunities also provide a new avenue for employment to those electing to develop this capabililty through advanced course work.

Other art related careers: museum/gallery director or curator, recreation director, architect, photographer, display artist, clothing designer, stage designer, art critic, educational media director, package designer, art editor, jeweler, art therapist, textile designer, film animator.

The Minor

The Studio Art Minor is intended for students who have a strong interest in art and who major in an unrelated area. A total of 18 credits is required: 3 in Art History, 6 in Foundations, and 9 in upper level studio courses. A portfolio is required for acceptance to a Studio Art Minor.

Fine Arts | Courses | Arts Faculty

Does Umass Amherst Have a Graphic Design Major

Source: https://www.umass.edu/ug_catalog/archive_2002/art/art.html

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