MU Catalog » Academic Programs »

ART

Art (B.A.)
Art Education (B.A. in Art)
Minor in Art History
Minor in Studio Art

Art (B.A.)

Fine Arts courses are offered as electives for all students and as requirements for students majoring in Art, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Interior Design. The formal elements of observation and communication skills are introduced in basic courses of design and drawing. Painting, printmaking, and book arts classes advance unification skills through form, color, and composition problems. The curriculum goals are strengthened by additional courses in drawing and art history.

The Art program teaches students to study, interpret, and evaluate art and provides education in a diversity of media, capitalizing on Marymount faculty's expertise in design studies and fine arts.

Coursework begins with foundations in design and drawing. Students choose from painting; printmaking; drawing; three-dimensional studies, such as jewelry, furniture, and book art; textile design; photography; video; and multimedia. Bolstered by rigor drawn from art history, the student creates a body of work at the senior level, which is evaluated by artists from the chosen field, and completes an internship in art agencies, galleries, or museums or in apprenticeships under professional artists.

A concentration in Book Arts is newly developed with a possibility for exhibition and future postgraduate work.

Although the School does not offer a major in art history, students may earn a minor from a selection of survey and period courses. Students interested in expanding their study of art history should consult with a School of Arts and Sciences advisor about the interdisciplinary plan for Liberal Studies majors. Art history and studio arts courses are useful for students pursuing careers in graphic design, teaching, or museum and gallery work.

The study of art is enhanced at Marymount by easy access to Washington's many art galleries and museums. The broad general collection of the National Gallery of Art is supplemented by the more specialized collections at the Corcoran and Freer Art galleries, the Hirshhorn Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the Renwick Gallery, Dumbarton Oaks, the National Museum of African Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and a host of smaller private galleries throughout the city and its suburbs.

Suggested Degree Plan

Year One

Fall

  • FA 103 Design I §
  • FA 105 Drawing I §
  • EN 101 Composition I*
  • Health elective*
  • Humanities elective*
  • SEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Spring

  • FA 104 Design II §
  • 2-D elective §**
  • EN 102 Composition II*
  • ECO/POL/PSY/SOC 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences*
  • Mathematics elective*

Year Two

Fall

  • FA 201 History of Art I §
  • 2-D elective §**
  • Humanities elective*
  • Social Sciences elective*
  • Science elective*

Spring

  • FA 202 History of Art II §
  • 2-D elective §**
  • 3-D elective §***
  • Humanities elective*
  • Social Sciences elective*

Year Three

Fall

  • Art History elective §*
  • 3-D elective §***
  • 1 from the following: AA 272/372 Textile Design I or II, COM 303 Video Production, GD 202/302 Illustration I or II, GD 203 Photography: Digital Imaging, GD 309 Web Multimedia Design § Humanities 300/400-level elective*
  • Social Sciences 300/400-level elective*

Spring

  • Art History elective §*
  • 3-D elective §***
  • 1 from the following: AA 272/372 Textile Design I or II, COM 303 Video Production, GD 202/302 Illustration I or II, GD 203 Photography: Digital Imaging, GD 309 Web Multimedia Design § EN 301 The Writing Process*
  • Elective

Year Four

Fall

  • Art History elective §
  • FA 400 Internship §
  • 2 electives*

Spring

  • AA 421 Project §
  • 4 electives

§ Requirement for the major
*See Liberal Arts Core requirements for details.
**2-D electives: FA 106 Drawing II, FA 110 Cross-cultural Visual Thinking, FA 209 Figure Drawing, FA 211/307 Printmaking I & II, FA 213-214 Painting I & II, FA 313-314 Painting III & IV
***3-D electives: FA 350 A-C: 3-D Design, Jewelry Design, The Art of the Book; ID 412 Furniture and Display Design

Art Education (B.A. in Art)

This program of studies allows students to complete a baccalaureate degree in Art and also be licensed to teach art, levels K-12, at the end of four years. Students pursuing licensure in this manner complete all requirements necessary for Virginia licensure, including field experience and student teaching.

Admission Requirements: Students in this program must seek admission to the teacher licensure program and apply for student teaching. See Education section for admission requirements and procedures.

Degree Planning: Students in this program must take courses specified in the degree plan to ensure fulfillment of state licensure requirements. See an Education advisor in the School of Education and Human Services for further information.

Suggested Degree Plan

Year One

Fall

  • FA 103 Design I §
  • FA 105 Drawing I §
  • EN 101 Composition I*
  • ECO/SOC/POL/PSY 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences*
  • Health elective*
  • SEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Spring

  • FA 104 Design II §
  • 2-D elective §**
  • EN 102 Composition II*
  • Mathematics elective*
  • Humanities elective*

Year Two

Fall

  • FA 201 History of Art I §
  • 2-D elective §**
  • Humanities elective*
  • Science elective*
  • Social Sciences elective*

Spring

  • FA 202 History of Art II §
  • 2-D elective §**
  • Humanities elective*
  • ED 245E Exploring Teaching or ED 245S Educational Foundations for Secondary Teachers
  • PSY 312 Adolescent Behavior or PSY 210 Human Growth and Development*

Year Three

Fall

  • Art History elective §*
  • 3-D elective §***
  • 1 from the following: AA 272/372 Textile Design I or II, COM 303 Video Production, GD 202/302 Illustration I or II, GD 203 Photography: Digital Imaging, GD 309 Web Multimedia Design §
  • PSY 341 Psychology of Individuals with Exceptionalities*
  • ED 327S Curriculum Design: Secondary Education

Spring

  • Art History elective §*
  • 3-D elective §***
  • 1 from the following: AA 272/372 Textile Design I or II, COM 303 Video Production, GD 202/302 Illustration I or II, GD 203 Photography: Digital Imaging, GD 309 Web Multimedia Design §
  • ED 337 Reading in the Content Areas
  • Writing elective*

Year Four

Fall

  • FA 385 Approaches to Teaching Art
  • Humanities 300/400-level elective*
  • Art History elective §
  • 2 electives*

Spring

  • AA 421 Project §
  • ED 360 Student Teaching §
  • 3-D elective §***

§ Requirement for the major
*See Liberal Arts Core requirements for details.
**2-D electives: FA 106 Drawing II, FA 110 Cross-cultural Visual Thinking, FA 209 Figure Drawing, FA 211/FA 307 Printmaking I/II, FA 213-214 Painting I & II, FA 313 Painting III, or FA 314 Painting IV
***3-D electives: FA 350A-C: Design, Jewelry Design, The Art of the Book; ID 412 Furniture and Display Design

Minor in Art History

Minor Requirements

FA 201-202 History of Art I & II

15 additional credits in Art History courses

Students planning a minor in Art History or students required by their major to study period courses should complete FA 201-202 History of Art I & II before other Art History courses.

Minor in Studio Art

Minor Requirements

FA 103-104 Design I & II

15 additional credits from FA 105-106 Drawing I & II; FA 110 Cross-cultural Visual Thinking; FA 209 Figure Drawing; FA 221/FA 307 Printmaking I/II; FA 213, FA 214, FA 313, FA 314 Painting I-IV; FA 350 A-F 3-Dimensional Topics; FA 360 Narrative Image in Mixed Media; FA 421 Project