Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Arts
- Art History and Museum Professions
- Art Therapy
- Game Design and Interactive Media
Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Art and Design
- Art Education
Bachelor of Science
- Design Studies
- Fashion Design & Merchandising
- Interior Architecture
Nature of Program
The curriculum of the School of Art & Design is designed to afford the student an opportunity to explore the visual art and design disciplines broadly. Undergraduate programs offer scholarly and studio experiences to potential artists, designers, educators, entrepreneurs, museum professionals, and researchers. In-depth instruction is enhanced by the close working relationship between students and faculty, allowing for shared insights and investigations into the creative processes.
Accreditation
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 ensure they are meeting these national standards. The Fashion Design & Merchandising program is also an affiliate member of the Textile and Apparel Programs Accreditation Commission (TAPAC).
Global Positioning Studies (GPS)
Global Positioning Studies (GPS) is an interdisciplinary initiative within the School of Art & 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 creative making and critical research. GPS courses are open to all majors and BFA Art and Design and BA Art History and Museum Professions majors are required to take at least one GPS-designated course to count toward degree requirements.
International Study Opportunities
Study abroad is strongly encouraged in all of our programs and is required for the BS Interior Architecture major. The School of Art & 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 mentor about taking language courses and other liberal studies courses that support international studies.
Scholarships
The College of Creative Arts and Media offers a limited number of special College-based scholarship awards for in-coming 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.
For more information about financial aid and other University-based scholarships, please visit the WVU Financial Aid website at http://financialaid.wvu.edu/.
For more information about studying at the College of Creative Arts and Media, please contact our Recruitment Office:
Dr. James Froemel, Recruitment Specialist
Phone: (304) 293-4339
Email: ccarecruitment@mail.wvu.edu.
Timmy Eads
Phone: (304) 964-7469
Email: timothy.eads@mail.wvu.edu
Faculty
Director
- Kristina Olson - M.A. (Stony Brook University)
Art History-Modern and Contemporary
Associate Director and Graduate Advisor
- Joseph Lupo - M.F.A. (University of Georgia)
Printmaking
Professors
- Joseph Lupo - M.F.A. (University of Georgia)
Printmaking - Kristina Olson - M.A. (Stony Brook University)
Art History-Modern and Contemporary - Shoji Satake - M.F.A. (University of Indiana-Bloomington)
Ceramics - Michael Sherwin - M.F.A. (University of Oregon)
Photography, Digital Imaging - Naijun Zhang - M.F.A. (West Virginia University)
Painting, Drawing
Associate Professors
- Dylan Collins - M.F.A. (Kent State University)
Sculpture, Drawing, Public Art - Ronald Dulaney Jr. - M.Arch. (Virginia Tech)
Interior Architecture - 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)
Digital Art and Animation - J. Chris Haddox - M.S. (West Virginia University)
Design Studies, Sustainable Design - Katie Baker Jones - Ph.D. (University of Missouri)
Fashion Design & Merchandising - Jason Lee - M.F.A. (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Sculpture, Foundations - Robert Moore - M.F.A. (Utah State University)
Ceramics - Colleen Moretz - M.F.A. (Marywood University)
Fashion Design & Merchandising - 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
Assistant Professors
- Debanjan Das - Ph.D. (University of Missouri)
Fashion Design & Merchandising - Kent Kerr - M.F.A. (Radford University)
Graphic Design - Nicole Kreidler - Ph.D. (Auburn University)
Interior Architecture - Anne McFarland - Ph.D. (Florida State University)
Art Therapy, Art Education - Jeffrey Moser - M.F.A. (University of Delaware)
Game Design, Interactive Media - Angela Uriyo - Ph.D. (University of Missouri)
Fashion Design & Merchandising
Teaching Associate Professor
- Lee Mullett - M.S. (West Virginia University)
Interior Architecture
Teaching Assistant Professor
- Heather Cole - M.F.A. (Goddard College)
Game Design - Megan Leight - Ph.D. candidate (City University of New York)
Art History-Ancient, Anthropology, Archaeology, Mesoamerican - Elizabeth Shorrock - M.S. (Rhode Island School of Design)
Fashion Design & Merchandising - Lianne (Lulu) Williamson - Ph.D. (University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
Design Studies, Design Thinking
Service Assistant Professor
- Heather Harris - Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Museum Studies
Visiting Assistant Professor
- Nichole van Beek - M.F.A. (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Painting, Foundations
Professors Emeriti
- Eve Faulkes
Graphic Design - William H. Hagerty
Interior Design - Alison Helm
Sculpture - Nora MacDonald
Fashion Design & Merchandising - J. Bernard Schultz
Art History - Janet Snyder
Art History
Associate Professors Emeriti
- Victoria Fergus
Art Education - Janice Yeager
Fashion Design & Merchandising
Admissions
BA and BS Degrees
There are no additional entrance requirements for applicants to the Bachelor of Arts programs in Art History and Museum Professions, Art Therapy, and Game Design and Interactive Media. There are no additional entrance requirements for applicants to the Bachelor of Science programs in Design Studies and Fashion Design & Merchandising.
- First-Time Freshmen are admitted directly into the major.
- Students transferring from another major within WVU or from another institution are directly admitted to the major if they are in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA) or with departmental approval.
BS Interior Architecture
- First-Time Freshmen are admitted directly into the major.
- Students transferring from another major within WVU or from another institution will be directly admitted as a first year student if they are in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA) or with departmental approval.
- Students who have design courses from other institutions and who wish to transfer directly into the second year must submit to the Interior Architecture program coordinator the following: complete transcript, syllabi of design courses, portfolio showing coursework from previous design courses, and completion of the Gateway Project. Admission to the second year is contingent upon available space and evaluation of the submitted materials.
BFA Entrance Portfolio
All students applying for admission into the BFA Art and Design and BFA Art Education majors must submit a portfolio of work for review in addition to meeting university admission standards. 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 contact the College of Creative Arts and Media Recruitment Specialist to receive detailed instructions and portfolio review application material: Dr. James Froemel, Recruitment Specialist, (304) 293-4339, ccarecruitment@mail.wvu.edu.
- BFA Art and Design students transferring from another major within WVU or from another institution must also be in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA) or with departmental approval.
- BFA Art Education students transferring from another major within WVU or from another institution must also be in good academic standing and have a 2.5 or higher GPA.
- BFA students who have art and design courses from other institutions must submit syllabi and a portfolio of coursework for review to be considered for major credit.
Policies
- Advising
- Audit, Credit by Examination, Pass/Fail, and Non-Major Courses
- Grade Point Average
- Student Work
- Materials and Supplies
- Additional Program Standards
Advising
The College of Creative Arts and Media requires all art and design majors to confer each semester with an academic mentor and staff advisor in order to maintain the correct distribution of coursework, to plan schedules for future semesters, and to prepare for graduation. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements for graduation are met.
Audit, Credit by Examination, Pass/Fail, and Non-Major Courses
No major courses are available on an audit or credit by examination basis for degree-seeking students. Students enrolled in the School of Art & Design may not take major classes on a pass/fail basis. Courses designated for non-majors may not be substituted for major credit without approval of the advisor, program coordinator, or director of the School of Art & Design.
Grade Point Average
Minimum GPA requirements vary based on major. Consult the major information for individual programs. 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 and design.
Student Work
Every effort is made to protect student work and property. The School of Art & Design and the College of Creative Arts and Media does not accept responsibility for damage or losses under any circumstances. The School of Art & Design reserves the right to retain examples of student work for reproduction and exhibition purposes and accreditation reviews.
The School of Art & Design provides some supplies for course projects. Students will also need to purchase materials for individual or specialized projects.
The Art Education major, Graphic Design area of emphasis, and Interior Architecture major have additional requirements for degree standing and progression. Consult the specific information for each major.