Art

Until Further notice, the Art Department is no longer accepting students.

Program Overview

The mission of the Saint Elizabeth University (SEU) B.A. in Art Program is to develop the creativity of the individual, respect for human expression, and understanding of the importance of the world’s artistic objects from various religious, political, and social contexts throughout the ages. The program promotes communication, social responsibility, and service to others and the understanding and expression of our shared human condition through the practice and study of art.

All SEU students are invited and encouraged to take courses in studio art and art history to experience the excitement of artistic creation, which supports innovative learning across the disciplines and adds to the education of a well-rounded person who can enjoy making and reflecting on art for the rest of their life.

Ample studios and equipment, an art history lecture room, and the Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery with an active professional art exhibition schedule, all in Annunciation Center, provide increased learning opportunities for all SEU students. Embedded within the Art Studios area is a Mac computer lab with up-to-date hardware and photographic, graphic design, and multimedia-related software programs that promote the incorporation of computer- generated graphics in all courses.

The Art Department offers two levels for an art major and two separate minors. The general B.A. in Art Program (39 credits) provides the artistically minded major with the opportunity to become skilled and aesthetically enriched through a variety of art experiences. By earning a bachelor’s degree in art, the student will be prepared for entrance into art-related professions. If paired with a major in another discipline and/or with a minor in graphic design or another discipline, the art major will offer students visual acuity and design excellence beneficial in a variety of professions.

For the especially talented art students interested in pursuing graduate study in art, a more rigorous curriculum (71-77 credits) will offer that student broad and in-depth exposure to skills and techniques and the chance to be immersed in one medium as they prepare to apply to a Master of Arts or Master of Fine Arts program. This program of study must be approved by the chairperson. The student will work closely with an Art Department faculty mentor and will take art courses at SEU as well as at other nearby campuses.

The general art minor (17-19 credits) introduces basic artistic skills and allows each student to sample a variety of media and courses without the greater rigors of the full major.

The minor in graphic design (22-24 credits) was created to help students increase their fluency in graphic design aesthetics, strategies, and computer software, which will enhance their viability for employment. By combining an art major with a graphic design minor, students will be better prepared for a graphic design-related job and for possible application to graduate school in graphic design or a related design field.

Outcomes

  • Students will develop conceptual, analytical, and creative skills related to their own artistic practice and to the understanding of art around the world and across centuries.
  • Students will acquire the technical skills, familiarity with materials, and knowledge of safety procedures related to the practice of art in general and in their individual courses.
  • Students will acquire knowledge about major works of world art; learn to contextualize those objects within the societies, time periods, and circumstances in which they were created; be knowledgeable about the major methodologies for interpreting art; and be able to research and communicate about the history of art.
  • Highly qualified and motivated students will also learn about the aesthetic, practical, and professional requirements to prepare themselves for applications to graduate schools and for a professional career as an artist.

Graduates

Students completing the B.A. in Art Program are equipped with skills to succeed in a variety of art-related careers. Some of our students become professional artists, in arts organizations, at art museums or galleries, as designers or creatives, or in other art- related careers. Many combine art with education and use their art skills in the classroom or teach art as a specialized subject.

A double major or a major and minor in the following areas are just some of the combinations students follow to pursue various career paths:

  • Art and business
  • Art and communication
  • Art and English
  • Art and justice studies
  • Art and math
  • Art and psychology

With our minor in graphic design, students can be even better equipped to bring their artistic and design skills to their chosen professions.

Recent graduates have pursued graduate studies in programs such as Graphic Design at Pratt University, Visual Culture at New York University, Art Therapy at Caldwell University, Painting at Kean University and Montclair State University, Studio Art at Marywood University, Sculpture at the low-residency MA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, and Art Education at Kean University.

We encourage students who wish to go on to graduate programs at the master’s or doctoral levels to speak with the chairperson as soon as possible to construct the proper program to qualify for graduate school and to learn about the application procedures. Please contact the chair no later than the first semester of your junior year.