Department of Art

Programs and Degrees

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STUDIO ART DEGREES

In our studio degree programs, you'll learn about artistic expression and aesthetics, while developing media skills, a personal vision, and conceptual language. Hone your proficiency in design, drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, installation, ceramics, photography, digital arts, graphic design, and interactive media. The study of studio art provides a special avenue of liberal education for knowledge, discovery, cultural engagement, and creative skills that can be applied toward a range of career goals or toward graduate study in art.

There are two main degree paths - the bachelor of fine arts degree (B.F.A.) or the bachelor of arts degree (B.A.). The B.A. degree provides a broad liberal art and studio experience. Students interested in a more rigorous, professional studio experience should apply to the B.F.A. program. Here you can choose a concentration in 2D Studies, 3D Studies, Photography and Digital Media, or Graphic and Interactive Design.

The department provides unique opportunities to gain “real world” experience through internships at sites which may include: non-profit organizations, community businesses, art museums, and within the university.

Our unique museum campus, featuring the award-winning Center for the Visual Arts, the Center for Sculptural Studies, and the AXON Labs, allows students to take advantage of outstanding research facilities. Experiences beyond the classroom often include field trips guided by the Department of Art faculty to national museums, galleries, and historical sites.

ART HISTORY

B.A. Art History
The Art History program offers students a unique opportunity to explore the diverse history of art and architecture at UToledo’s award-winning Center for the Visual Arts, adjacent to the world-renowned Toledo Museum of Art. The close relationship between these two institutions enables students to make full use of the museum's art library, outstanding research facilities, exhibitions, and art collections. As you explore and analyze artistic style, social context, and meaning in both Western and non-Western cultures, you gain insight into the richness of both personal and cultural expression, theory, and criticism. Art History majors and minors have the opportunity to participate in special undergraduate research projects, and the concentration in Art Museum Practices (AMP) offers further opportunities to gain hands-on professional experience working in the museum setting.

The optional concentration in Art Museum Practices (AMP) makes extensive use of the collections and research facilities of the Toledo Museum of Art. Art Museum Practices (AMP) emphasizes professional standards, practices, and procedures used in contemporary museums of art. In this unique program, students work with UT faculty and the Toledo Museum of Art staff professionals and curators to design and install exhibitions of artworks from the permanent collection at least once a year in the Hitchcock Gallery. Internships for credit may be arranged with the Toledo Museum of Art and with other local arts organizations.

ART EDUCATION DEGREES 

The Art Education program, housed in both the College of Arts and Letters’ Department of Art and the Judith Herb College of Education, offers you a unique opportunity to pursue a career as an art teacher. Located in the Center for the Visual Arts, adjacent to the internationally recognized Toledo Museum of Art, the Art Education program offers an enriched curriculum which few universities offer.  

The Art Education program at the University of Toledo treats art education as a form of art that unites educational theory with practice, and studio skills with the ability to engage with art history and criticism. The program is designed to develop one's knowledge and skills as a student, teacher, and artist. In addition to education classes, students complete a broad range of liberal arts courses creating a broad knowledge base and honing research and writing skills. The Center for the Visual Arts campus boasts excellent instructional and research facilities including state-of-the-art studios and labs. Studio coursework is integral to the program and prepares you for creative classroom engagement and growth as an artist.

You have access to the Museum's superb collections which trace nearly the entire history of art, providing primary sources for the study of visual creativity. As an Art Education major, you will have the opportunity to observe, research, and participate in regional K-12 classrooms and the Museum's nationally-acclaimed programs for children and youth. The Art Education program also offers graduate-level degrees for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree.

MINORS IN ART

The Studio Art minorArt History minor, and the Community Arts Education minor are open to all university students regardless of major. 

Art Students can also select an Interdisciplinary Minor in Sound Production and Design, Visual Effects and Animation, Digital Arts and Visual Communication, or Documentary Theory and Production. 

Last Updated: 2/23/24