Department website: http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/
- Degrees Offered
- Mission
- Nature of the Program
- Global Positioning Studies (GPS)
- International Study Opportunities
- Scholarships
Degrees Offered
- Bachelor of Arts with majors in Art History, Art Therapy, Game Design and Interactive Media, and Technical Art History.
- Bachelor of Fine Arts with majors in Art and Design and in Art Education, with both majors offering studio areas of emphasis in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Time-Based Art.
Mission
The mission of the School of Art and Design is to contribute to the greater good of art, education, and culture.
Nature of Program
West Virginia University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the School of Art & Design's degree programs are regularly evaluated to insure they are meeting these national standards. The curriculum of the School is designed to afford the student an opportunity to explore the visual arts. Undergraduate programs offer scholarly and studio experiences to potential artists and teachers. The in-depth instruction is enhanced by the close working relationship between students and faculty, which allows sharing the insights and investigative processes of professional artists and scholars.
Global Positioning Studies (GPS)
Global Positioning Studies (GPS) is an interdisciplinary visual arts initiative within the School of Art and Design. It positions students at the crossroads between a local sense of place and a global understanding of that place in the world. Through direct experience, GPS courses encourage students to engage the world as a fertile ground for art making and critical research. Art and Design majors (except those in the Art Education, Art Therapy, or Game Design and Interactive Media programs) are required to take at least one GPS-designated course to count toward degree requirements. See course details at artanddesign.wvu.edu/gps.
International Study Opportunities
The School of Art and Design has established excellent international educational programs. These include summer study, short term, and semester-long programs. The focus of these international programs is with sister institutions in Chile, China, and Italy. Additional opportunities in other countries are also available. Students should consult with their academic advisor about taking language courses and other liberal studies courses that would support international studies. See details at: artanddesign.wvu.edu/field-study/international-programs.
Scholarships
The College of Creative Arts offers a limited number of special College-based scholarship awards for freshman and current students enrolled in its programs. College-based awards are granted on the demonstration of outstanding talent, academic achievement, and potential success in the Art and Design program.
Information regarding both University, College of Creative Arts, and Art and Design Scholarships can be found at ccarts.wvu.edu/academics/scholarships.
Faculty
Director
- Kristina Olson - M.A. (Stony Brook University)
Art History-Modern and Contemporary, Art Criticism
Associate Director and Graduate Advisor
- Joseph Lupo - M.F.A. (University of Georgia)
Printmaking
Undergraduate Advisor
- Dylan Collins - M.F. A. (Kent State University)
Sculpture, Drawing
Professors
- Alison Helm - M.F.A. (Syracuse University)
Sculpture - Joseph Lupo - M.F.A. (University of Georgia)
Printmaking - Kristina Olson - M.A. (Stony Brook University)
Art History-Modern and Contemporary, Art Criticism - Naijun Zhang - M.F.A. (West Virginia University)
Painting, Drawing
Associate Professors
- Dylan Collins - M.F.A. (Kent State University)
Sculpture, Drawing - Joseph Galbreath - M.F.A. (Maryland Institute College of Art)
Graphic Design - Terese Giobbia - Ph.D. (Northern Illinois University)
Art Education - Gerald Habarth - M.F.A. (University of South Florida)
Time-Based Art - Jason Lee - M.F.A. (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Sculpture, Foundations - Robert Moore - M.F.A. (Utah State University)
Ceramics - Kofi Opoku - M.F.A. (West Virginia University)
Graphic Design - Rhonda Reymond - Ph.D. (University of Georgia)
Art History-American, African American, 17th-19th century European art - Shoji Satake - M.F.A. (University of Indiana-Bloomington)
Ceramics - Michael Sherwin - M.F.A. (University of Oregon)
Photography, Digital Imaging
Assistant Professors
- Kent Kerr - M.F.A. (Radford University)
Graphic Design - Anne McFarland - Ph.D. (Florida State University)
Art Therapy, Art Education - Jeffrey Moser - M.F.A. (University of Delaware)
Game Design, Interactive Media
Service Assistant Professors
- Heather Harris - Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Museum Studies
Teaching Assistant Professors
- Megan Leight - Ph.D. candidate (City University of New York)
Art History-Ancient, Anthropology, Archaeology, Mesoamerican, Museum Studies
Visiting Assistant Professors
- Nichole van Beek - M.F.A. (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Painting, Foundations
Lecturers
- Jennifer Allen - M.F.A. (Indiana University-Bloomington)
Ceramics - Douglas Barkey - M.F.A. (University of Iowa)
Photography, Game Design - Aaron Blum - M.F.A. (Syracuse University)
Photography - Sarah Ceci Dadisman - B.M. (West Virginia University)
Arts Administration - Kelley Galbreath - M.F.A. (Maryland Institute College of Art)
Graphic Design - Ronald Hollingshead - M.F.A. (West Virginia University)
Sculpture - Katherine Inge - Ph.D. candidate (University of Arizona)
Art History - Patrick Jones - M.F.A. and M.A. (West Virginia University)
Painting, Drawing, Art History - Lourdes Karas - B.A. (Allegheny College)
Arts Administration - Eowyn Kerr-Di Carlo - Ph.D. candidate (Courtauld Institute of Art)
Technical Art History - Michael Loop - M.F.A. (West Virginia University)
Foundations, Sculpture - Jack Moffett - Master of Design in Interaction Design (Carnegie Mellon University)
Graphic Design - Abigail Ruppert - M.A. (West Virginia University)
Foundations - Ian Sampson - M.F.A. (University of Delaware)
Game Design, Interactive Media - Charles Scott - M.F.A. (Southern Illinois University)
Sculpture, Foundations - Nathan Ward - M.F.A. (University of Oregon)
Photography - Jason Zeh - M.F.A. (University of Kansas)
Time-Based Art
Professors Emeriti
- Eve Faulkes
Graphic Design - J. Bernard Schultz
Dean and Art History - Janet Snyder
Art History
Associate Professors Emeriti
- Victoria Fergus
Art Education
Admissions
BA Degrees
There are no additional entrance requirements for applicants to the Bachelor of Arts programs in Art History, Art Therapy, Game Design and Interactive Media, or Technical Art History. Applicants should visit the School website: http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/academics or phone the School office at (304) 293-2552.
BFA Entrance Portfolio
The School of Art and Design requires a portfolio review for all applicants to the Bachelor of Fine Arts programs including the Art Education major. This evaluation is conducted by the art faculty and is designed to ensure that all students entering the studio program have certain basic competencies and skills. Students are encouraged to apply and complete the portfolio review at the earliest possible date. Applicants should visit the School website: http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/academics or phone the School office at (304) 293-2552 to receive detailed instructions and portfolio review application material.
Transfer
Transfer applicants in studio art must undergo a portfolio review to gain admittance in the program. Evaluation for advanced standing or transfer credit in studio subjects is not made solely upon the presentation of a transcript but may also depend on the evaluation of a portfolio of artwork.
Policies
- Advising
- Audit, Credit by Examination, Pass/Fail, and Non-Art Major Courses
- Grade Point Average
- Student Work
- Art Supplies
- Graphic Design Portfolio
Advising
The College of Creative Arts requires all art majors to confer each semester with an academic advisor in order to maintain the correct distribution of coursework, to plan schedules for future semesters, and to prepare for graduation. BFA students will find it difficult to carry more than three studio art classes in one semester. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements for graduation are met.
Audit, Credit by Examination, Pass/Fail, and Non-Art Major Courses
No studio or art history courses are available on an audit or credit by examination basis for degree-seeking students. Students enrolled in the School of Art and Design may not take art or art history classes on a pass/fail basis. Courses designated for non-art majors may not be substituted for art degree requirements unless approved in advance by the director of the School of Art and Design.
Grade Point Average
A degree candidate in the School of Art and Design must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 (C); admission to the teacher certification program requires a 2.5 GPA. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in art studio and/or art history and/or art education classes in order for the course to fulfill degree requirements. In addition, students may be requested to present a portfolio of selected works for examination and evaluation by a faculty committee. The committee is empowered to make recommendations regarding the student’s status as a major in the School and their continuation toward a degree in art.
Student Work
Every effort is made to protect student work and property. Work displayed in the Mesaros Galleries is insured for the exhibition period. The School of Art and Design and the College of Creative Arts does not accept responsibility for damage or losses under any other circumstances. The School of Art and Design reserves the right to retain examples of student work for reproduction and exhibition purposes and NASAD accreditation reviews.
Art Supplies
The School of Art and Design orders in advance some necessary supplies for course projects. Students will also need to purchase materials for individual or specialized projects.
Graphic Design Portfolio
Following completion of the Foundation Core along with ART 223S and ART 224S, students wishing to pursue the graphic design area of emphasis must submit a portfolio for review in the spring, normally during the second semester of the sophomore year. Contact the area coordinator for information regarding the portfolio review for graphic design.