Art

Undergraduate

Stuart Robinson, Ph.D., Chairperson
www.radford.edu/art-web/

Undergraduate Program

Art encompasses how we create, see, think, feel, and experience. Art captures what it means to be alive in a particular place, time, culture, mind, and body. Students in art courses learn how to create images and objects that express personal, cultural, or commercial ideas. They connect with and respond to influential artists, designers, and thinkers from diverse cultures and historical periods, and they explore human themes like beauty, politics, and identity. By making, interpreting, and analyzing art, you gain ways to know yourself, express ideas, and understand people and cultures, of today and yesterday.

The Art Department offers three undergraduate degrees with five different concentrations: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art with a concentration in art history and museum studies, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Art with a concentration in studio art, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Art with concentrations in art education, graphic design, and studio art. Students in the art education concentration may also earn a K-12 teaching license in visual arts. All art students in the Art Department develop skills in diverse disciplines and explore a variety media, including drawing, painting, watercolor, photography, ceramics, sculpture, animation, and graphic design.

Students in any concentration within the art department must receive a grade of C or better in any course that counts toward the major. Courses receiving a D must be retaken.

Graduate

Department of Art
MFA – Graduate Program Coordinator, Studio Art: Ken Smith

Department of Interior Design & Fashion
Holly Cline, Department Chair
MFA – Graduate Program Coordinator, Design Thinking: Joan Dickinson

Master of Fine Arts

The terminal degree program has two separate concentrations: (1) Studio Art from the Department of Art and (2) Design Thinking (an online program) from the Department of Interior Design & Fashion. Students interested in Art Education at the graduate level can seek a concentration in Art Education through the Department of Education and Human Development.

Graduate Program General Requirements

The graduate program draws students from many parts of the United States as well as other countries, promoting a global perspective and experience. The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) requires 60 graduate hours and allows students to seek a terminal degree. The M.F.A. program has two concentrations – one in Studio Art and one in Design Thinking. The latter is a totally online program. Admission requirements differ for each concentration.

In the Studio Art concentration, students work with faculty to design their course of study. Because of the comfortable size and flexibility of the concentration, students benefit from close association with professional faculty and fellow students. Students elect an area of specialization. A final thesis/exhibition developed with the guidance of the thesis advisory committee culminates this concentration’s requirements.

The Design Thinking concentration provides a completely online experience to develop expertise in the design thinking process. Individual and collaborative assignments through courses and studio experiences are the framework of this program. A final project or thesis developed with the guidance of the thesis advisory culminates this concentration’s requirements.

Application Deadlines:

Nov. 1: Deadline for consideration for Spring semester admission
April 1: Deadline for consideration for Fall semester admission

Admission Requirements

M.F.A.: Studio Art Concentration

Admission to the program is competitive.

Minimum grade point average of 2.75 overall and in the major
Two letters of reference
A cover letter indicating professional goals and an Artist’s or Designer’s statement
BFA or a B.A. in art or graphic design, including at least 12 credit hours in upper level studios and 6 credit hours in art history, or a bachelor’s degree in any major with a strong portfolio showing evidence of equivalent proficiency
Electronic portfolio with 15 - 20 recent works in a single PDF document, optimized not to exceed 50 mb; at least 15 images should be of work in your preferred medium

Students not meeting these requirements may be reviewed for conditional admission or admission with deficiencies in their program.

M.F.A.: Design Thinking Concentration

Admission to the program is competitive.

Minimum grade point average of 3.0 overall and in the major preferred
Three letters of reference
Undergraduate degree and GPA
Prior experience/work history
Evidence of creativity and leadership
Statement of philosophy, overall goals and synopsis of why obtaining this degree is important for your future

Programs

Degree

*Programs may have different REAL designations based on the concentration(s) selected. Click on the major for more details.

Academic Minor

To graduate with a minor, a student must have a 2.0 or higher GPA in all courses required for the minor, and should be officially registered for the minor at least one semester prior to graduation. Courses used to fulfill major or minor requirements cannot be used to fulfill concentrations or option requirements within Interdisciplinary Studies.

Master’s

A degree represents the academic level of a program and the general category into which it falls. For example: Master of Arts, Master of Science, etc. At Radford University, the term “Arts” in a graduate degree generally implies a language and thesis requirement. The minimum number of semester hours for a Radford University graduate degree is 30.

Art, M.F.A.

Art