Visual Arts Major

The Visual Arts major is designed for students of high motivation, independence, and promise. Students work with their advisors and discipline faculty to create a personalized program to meet their professional, personal, and artistic goals. Theoretical and studio courses prepare students for their Senior Thesis show, which provides the experience of a professional art exhibition.

Career Opportunities

Although new opportunities are always opening up, we cannot foresee a time when initiative, motivation, talent, and hard work are not essential for a successful career in the visual arts. Most art professions require further education – apprenticeships or specialized training beyond the undergraduate curriculum. The Visual Arts program at Eckerd College is recognized as excellent preparation for graduate school as well as arts-related careers.

Among the visual arts-related careers and professions are: advertising design and production, art administration, art therapy, architecture, commercial art/illustration, computer graphics and animation, independent art work, interior design, medical illustration, museum and gallery work, photography, publishing (art editing, design, illustration, etc.), and web design.

Required Courses

A major in Visual Arts consists of a minimum of 13 courses and a Senior Thesis Show.

• AR 101A Visual Problem Solving
• AR 102A Drawing Fundamentals
• 6 studio courses*
• AR 410 Senior Seminar
• AR 420 Studio Critique
• 3 courses in art history (at least one should be at the 300 level)
• AR 499 Senior Thesis Show

* Many studio courses are offered off-site at The Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, the Dunedin Fine Arts Center, and the St. Petersburg Clay Company.

At least 7 courses in the major must be taken at Eckerd College (AR 101A, AR 410, AR 420, AR 499 and three studio courses).

Program Design

The Visual Arts Coordinator will help you create a program based on your experience and your personal and career goals. The Visual Arts major is process and project oriented. Students develop their own area of emphasis, focusing on imagery and content through their chosen media. The major should be seen as the central part of the student's education, with other college requirements and electives serving to shape the artist as a whole person.

Every program must consist of a minimum of ten studio courses, including AR 101A, 102A, and AR 420, plus three approved courses in art history at least one of which should be at the 300 level. Every student must pass the required sophomore review in the categories of drawing and design before undertaking the Senior Thesis show. The Senior Thesis show is required of all Visual Arts majors for graduation and must demonstrate technical competence and a developed artistic vision, the ability to work in a sustained way with a visual problem or problems, and to organize gallery space coherently. A required senior seminar in the final semester concludes the Visual Arts major.

Requirement for Junior Transfer Students

A student transferring from another college at the junior level and electing to major in art must submit a portfolio of work demonstrating competency in drawing and design as the required sophomore review. Students unprepared to submit a portfolio or who do not demonstrate competency in both areas may not expect to graduate in two years with a major in Visual Arts. The normal four year program moves from structured courses, to greater freedom, to the independently executed Senior Thesis show.

Program Sequence

Within the major, you focus on the media of your choice. The major should be viewed as the mainstream through which your education flows, with all college requirements and electives feeding into this stream and providing an integral element of your whole education as a person and as an artist. The major should be seen as the central part of the student's education, with other college requirements and electives serving to shape the artist as a whole person. Students can also have faculty evaluate their art experience for possible studio course credit.

Phase I – Orientation
Develops a self-conscious awareness of art as a mode of learning in these two required courses:
AR 101A Visual Problem Solving
AR 102A Drawing Fundamentals

Phase II – Media Explorations
Allows you to search for the medium or media which you find most challenging and rewarding, and then develop skills within those areas. To facilitate this search, we offer a regular sequence of courses in Drawing, Ceramics, Painting, Printmaking, and Computer Art/Digital Design.

Courses are also occasionally offered in other media. Independent Study in any medium is an option during any phase of the program

Phase III – Development of Imagery, Style and Concept
Moves you beyond technical skill to deeper personal integration with your work by requiring Art History courses and intermediate and advanced studio courses. Optional international education opportunities are available for students who wish to study art and art history overseas.

Phase IV – Closure and Graduation
Rounds out your development and prepares you for postgraduate plans that might include graduate school or an art-related career, through the Studio Critique, Senior Seminar, thesis show preparation and thesis exhibition

Visual Arts Minor

The Visual Arts minor consists of the following six courses:

• AR 101A Visual Problem Solving
• AR 102A Drawing Fundamentals
• 1 course in Art History
• 3 studio courses (must be approved by the Visual Arts faculty)