Overview
The Department of Art seeks to encourage personal and creative growth and to prepare the you for a career in the visual arts. Our programs of study offer aesthetic, scholarly, historical and technical instruction. Visual art processes, application, and methods are practiced in studio courses, leading to professional preparedness in the visual arts or design. Exploration of interdisciplinary possibilities and new technologies is encouraged.
It is the goal of each program of study and specialization to guide students toward understanding of the creation and analysis of visual art and design. A degree in art can prepare students for a graduate program in art and for careers in art education, in graphic design, in multimedia, as a practicing artist, and in related fields including arts management, art therapy and museum careers.
We're the only university in South Dakota to offer the B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees, and South Dakota's only art program accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. We offer a unique and cutting-edge preparation for a professional visual arts career, with a balance of scholarship and creative development.
Our Faculty
Faculty members are accomplished artists who continue to produce and show their own work. They are also academic experts in their field, with a commitment to mentoring students through close, personal attention. The Art Department offers students a 1:12 teacher to student ratio.
Our Advantages
We offer you a number of advantages:
Scholarships
Incoming freshmen and undergraduate art majors are eligible to apply for the Louise Hansen, H.J. and A.B. Gunderson, Oscar Howe and Lance Hyde scholarships.
Space
Art facilities include 11 studios equipped for everything from drawing and photography to bronze casting, classrooms, two galleries, an art history slide library and 9000-volume art library and several computer labs.
Beyond the Classroom
We host numerous visiting artists each year, providing master classes, critiques, gallery shows and more. Student trips to galleries, shows and art-related events expose you to art in a variety of settings. You'll also have opportunities to show your own work, including our annual juried art show.
Experience and Graduate Studies
Internship opportunities are available in all areas, and our students have access to the nation's top M.F.A. programs.
Integrated Learning
We are part of the College of Fine Arts, housed in the 104,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts. Art students benefit from this unique creative community that also includes students of music and theatre.
Careers
A quick glance at the number of magazines, animated entertainment shows and art galleries tells us there are wide ranges of job possibilities for visual artists. Whether you are looking to create public sculptures or design web pages, we can help you develop your portfolio for the competitive market.
Professional Visual Art Jobs may include:
- K-12 Art Teacher
- Web designer
- Studio Artist
- Print/Layout Design Technician
- Advertising Designer
- Photographer
- Animator/Cartooning
- Art Entertainment Industry
