Department of Art and Design

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Purpose

Campbellsville University’s Art and Design Department offers a comprehensive undergraduate program to visual learners in a Christian liberal arts environment. The program includes an Area of Art (48 hours), a Major in Art (36 - 42 hours), a Minor in Art (21 hours), and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (76 hours). The program prepares the student for careers in graphic design, animation, art production, art education, and graduate school for further studies such as studio art, art therapy, arts administration, art history, arts education, and museum studies. Additionally, the department aims to educate students through a visual art survey course, enabling them to understand different art periods, diverse cultures, and art languages. The department seeks to produce visually literate individuals who can confidently interact with the world.

All students who choose to minor, major, or study an area of art must present a portfolio of artwork from their studies in high school, from private instruction, or done on their own for digital documentation early in their first semester of study. After that, artwork from ART 101, ART 120, ART 202, and ART 221 will be digitally archived to document progress or lack thereof for accreditation, assessment, and evaluation purposes.

If a student at Campbellsville University has previously exhibited competence in a lower-division course that is listed in the Bulletin-Catalog, they are encouraged to make a request for full credit in writing. The student may then be called upon for tests, demonstrations, portfolio pieces, exhibits, and/or interviews to prove their proficiency and knowledge. A committee of the art faculty (including the instructor of the course considered) shall participate in all phases of the examination. The charge for the test is 20 percent of the cost of the course.

Sophomore Review

Art students pursuing an art major (36-42 hours), art area (48 hours), or a Bachelor of Fine Arts must meet the requirements in one of two ways. The first option is to successfully complete four foundation courses (ART 101, ART 120, ART 202, and ART 221) with a G.P.A. of 2.0 or higher. The second option is to complete 56 credit hours of study. The student must present a portfolio of work to the Art faculty within three weeks of the end of the semester, regardless of which option they choose. The portfolio must demonstrate the ambition of concept/ideas, growth of craftsmanship/techniques, competency of design, and personal motivation. It must include 12-15 pieces, either as actual work or images captured in an acceptable electronic format. The student must also provide a brief written statement about each work and be able to explain it to the Art faculty.

If a student’s work is not acceptable to pass the sophomore review, they may retake a class to produce stronger work for a subsequent review in the following semester. However, if students cannot pass two consecutive review sessions, they will be advised to pursue an art minor (21 hours) and switch to a different major. Students must not continue with an art major if they cannot meet the standards outlined in the review process. The implementation of this process is intended to ensure that students are fully committed to their craft and possess the necessary skills to excel in their art studies.

Special Requirements

Transfer students must submit to the art faculty samples and portfolios of artwork from previous coursework. It is important to note that if the submitted works do not meet the required standards, the student may be required to repeat specific courses. Students who can show proficiency in art to the Art faculty will be permitted to begin with more advanced courses.

All students who major or minor in art will leave a signed work of art at Campbellsville University during their last semester of attendance.

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree consists of courses in Art History and Aesthetics coursework, core studio requirements, and a choice of emphasis in one of the following: Animation, Graphic Design, Two Dimensional Studio, and Three Dimensional Studio. Students must complete a total of 76 hours to earn the B.F.A.

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