Art (B.A.)
The art major provides an education in diverse media and focuses on creating, studying, and evaluating art. The program capitalizes on Marymount faculty expertise in fine arts and profits from easy access to the many art galleries and museums in the greater Washington, DC, region.
Upon successful completion of the art major, students will be able to
- skillfully differentiate, select, and apply visual arts media, techniques, and processes;
- differentiate and interpret meaning in the visual arts from past to present by researching cultural and historical context;
- integrate academic knowledge with the work environment; and
- effectively present and exhibit portfolio-quality work.
Foundation courses in design, drawing, and art history introduce basic skills of observation and visual communication, and many are open to all Marymount students. The studio courses provide rigorous training in the necessary skills for creating art in any medium, and art history courses supply a background in the traditions of visual art and the opportunity to analyze works of art in greater detail.
After completing the foundation curriculum, art majors broaden their studio experience by enrolling in courses that apply their foundation skills in a variety of artistic media. Art majors also take upper-division courses in art history, one of which focuses on art in the modern world, and complete an internship in a regional art agency, gallery, or museum, or an apprenticeship under a professional artist. Students complete their studies at the senior level by creating a body of work that demonstrates their breadth of talent and by assembling a new portfolio of work that highlights their skills and achievements. Their work is evaluated by school faculty and invited guests, and it is juried for a group exhibition on campus that is open to the public.
Students are also encouraged to complete a minor in business, marketing, entrepreneurship, or the pre-professional track in pre-art therapy.
The pre-art therapy track provides a full curriculum of art classes plus the psychology courses needed for entry into a graduate program to earn the master’s degree that is required to be a practicing art therapist. The undergraduate pre-art therapy degree can also prepare students to pursue graduate studies in related fields such as mental health counseling and counseling psychology.
The art major also leaves non-pre-professional track students a sufficient number of university electives to pursue other minors or a double major, allowing students the opportunity to prepare themselves for professional careers in the arts.
Minimum Grade Requirement: A grade of a C or better is required in any Art course that counts toward the degree.
Degree Requirements — Art
This degree requires a total of 120 credits.
Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements
See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details.
Major Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of this major, all students in this program will take the following courses in a sequence determined in collaboration with their advisor.
| AH 201 | Introduction to Art History: Ancient to Medieval | 3 |
| OR | |
| AH 202 | Introduction to Art History: Renaissance to Modern | 3 |
| | |
| AH 380 | Movements in Modern Art | 3 |
| AH 410 | Topics in Art History | 3 |
| ART 105 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 205 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 210 | Three-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| ART 301 | Professional Portfolio | 3 |
| | |
| ART 395 | Advanced 2D Studio | 3 |
| OR | |
| ART 396 | Advanced Ceramics and 3D Studio | 3 |
| | |
| ART 400 | Internship | 3 |
| ART 422 | Senior Project | 3 |
| VIS 101 | User Centered Design | 3 |
| VIS 111 | Intro to Color and Design | 3 |
| VIS 121 | Intro to Digital Tools | 3 |
| | Nine (9) credits in art studio electives, in three (3) different media | |
Pre-Art Therapy Track
Students in the pre-art therapy track should add the following courses:
Required Courses
| PSY 101 | General Psychology * | 3 |
| PSY 105 | General Psychology Laboratory | 1 |
| PSY 110 | Human Growth and Development * | 3 |
| PSY 230 | Abnormal Psychology * | 3 |
| PSY 330 | Counseling Theories and Process | 3 |
Required Electives
One (1) advanced psychology course from the following:
Sample Degree Plan — Art
Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections. This plan will differ for students who wish to pursue any minor or track.
Year One — Fall
Year One — Spring
| ART 210 | Three-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| VIS 121 | Intro to Digital Tools | 3 |
| EN 102 | Composition II * | 3 |
| TRS 100 | Theological Inquiry * | 3 |
| HI | Introductory History (HI-1) core course * | 3 |
Year Two — Fall
| ART 205 | Drawing II | 3 |
| | One (1) art studio elective | 3 |
| PH 100 | Introduction to Philosophy * | 3 |
| EN | Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course * | 3 |
| MA | Mathematics (MT) core course * | 3-4 |
Art studio elective: See Major Requirements above for course selections.
PH 100: PH-1 core course
Year Two — Spring
| AH 201 | Introduction to Art History: Ancient to Medieval | 3 |
| OR | |
| AH 202 | Introduction to Art History: Renaissance to Modern | 3 |
| | |
| | One (1) art studio elective | 3 |
| | Natural Science (NS) core course with lab * | 4 |
| | Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course * | 3 |
| | One (1) elective | 3 |
AH 202: FNA core course
Art studio elective: See Major Requirements above for course selections.
Year Three — Fall
| AH 380 | Movements in Modern Art | 3 |
| OR | |
| AH 410 | Topics in Art History | 3 |
| | |
| | One (1) art studio elective | 3 |
| | Advanced Literature (LT-2) or Advanced History (HI-2) core course * | 3 |
| | Introductory Social Science (SS-1) in a second discipline or Second Natural Science (NS) core course | |
| | One (1) elective - GP course if not already completed * | 3 |
Art studio elective: See Major Requirements above for course selections.
AH 380 or AH 410: WI core course
Year Three — Spring
| AH 380 | Movements in Modern Art | 3 |
| OR | |
| AH 410 | Topics in Art History | 3 |
| | |
| ART 395 | Advanced 2D Studio | 3 |
| OR | |
| ART 396 | Advanced Ceramics and 3D Studio | 3 |
| | |
| ART 301 | Professional Portfolio | 3 |
| PH | Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) or Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course * | 3 |
| | Introductory Social Science (SS-1) in a third discipline * | 3 |
Year Four — Fall
| ART 422 | Senior Project | 3 |
| | Advanced Theology/Religious Studies (TRS-2) or Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course * | 3 |
| | Advanced Social Science (SS-2) core course * | 3 |
| | One (1) elective - 3rd WI course if not already completed * | |
| | One (1) elective | 3 |
Year Four — Spring
| ART 400 | Internship | 3 |
| | One (1) elective - 3rd DSINQ course required if not already completed * | 3 |
| | Three (3) electives | 9 |
* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and the Course Descriptions for further information.