The Art & Design Department offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with options in Studio Art or Graphic Design, Bachelor of Arts degree in I-Design, and the Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education for K-12 teachers. Through a combination of studio and art history courses, art majors build cognitive skills while engaging in the inherently creative activities of the art process. Majors acquire interrelated skills in visual perception, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking, all of which complement the objectives of a liberal arts education.?

Majors and minors study the history of art, focusing on human achievements of the past and present, as well as the various criteria by which they are evaluated. Studio majors develop expertise in specific media areas such as painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, or printmaking. Students studying design, either through the I?Design or Graphic Design program, enrich contemporary society and culture by creating unique expressive forms of communication and experiences through a broad range of design careers. In addition to their classes taken in the Department of Education, Art Education majors pursue a broad range of experiences in a variety of media to prepare them for K-12 Minnesota teacher certification.?

Building on a foundation in design, drawing, studio arts, and art history, students work with current graphic design software, gaining experience in print design and web design. The capstone experience includes required participation in the Senior Design Exhibition and possible internship in the graphic design field with a regional business. Students will be required to use Apple laptop computers.