Program Codes:
BAGD
Bachelor of Arts
Introduction
The University offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Art Education, Art Therapy, Graphic Design, and Studio Art.
Mission Statement
Art and Design is the universal language of expression delivered through visual communication. The mission of the Art, Media, and Design Department at Mercyhurst University challenges our students in their pursuit of proficient visual literacy, and fluency. We believe that learning is a change in behavior brought about through experiences. To achieve this goal, we begin by setting a sound, comprehensive foundation with thorough exploration of the elements and principles of art and design.
Our hands-on studio courses exercise the rigor, resilience, grit, and professionalism required for success in all visual fields. Learning in the professional environment, where students interact with clients and professionals and can apply theoretical principles, is very effective in developing professional proficiency along with the classroom/studio-oriented education. We impress upon students the value of the Human Centered Design plus the Design Thinking process and stress its part in producing successful technique, refined craftsmanship, and socially responsible solutions with exceptional results. This foundation provides students the stability and vocabulary to present and critique their work within a professional arena.
With these technical and traditional roots set in place, students gain the confidence, terminology, empathy, and compassion to speak and write about their art in a critical and academic manner within multiple, diverse contexts. By melding art-making with coursework steeped in historical, cultural, and contemporary research, students will evolve into empathetic learners capable of multidimensional views. Faculty and students are further challenged to integrate social responsibility with career competence and a commitment to human centric values. Broadening student perspectives is key to creating ethical, versatile professionals that embrace an equitable, inclusive, and diverse workforce in their field.
By their senior year, students will have discovered their personal creative voice and its value to the universal conversation of art and design. We facilitate this discovery into action through one-on-one mentoring, independent studio, internship, senior thesis exhibition, student teaching, portfolio review, study abroad, and beyond. Upon graduation, students will be well-equipped for the professional challenges or post-graduate studies necessary to serve, exceed, thrive, and contribute with sensitivity, self-reliance, social concern and genuine compassion for others to the vocation of their choosing within the visual and applied arts.
Artful Discipline
Students of Art will realize true progress in their artistic lives when their art becomes part of their daily lives. Students are encouraged to use journals and/or sketchbooks to document their work. We have found that through this activity concepts will arise for exploration; progress will be documented; research stored; and media and designs can be explored, tested, nurtured and developed.
Creativity
Students within the Art Department are concept, process, and product oriented. They learn about creativity and develop ways to investigate challenging problems or areas of interest through the use and practice of a variety of approaches including mind-mapping, CPS (creative problem-solving method), brainstorming, matrix systems, analogy, listing methods, free-expression, etc.
Design
Using the full spectrum of study from “nature as builder” through Math as system, art students learn to organize, form, plan and create art through the use of the elements, processes, and principles of design.
History of Art
Understanding the past is necessary to future success. Art students study, apply, and explore social, cultural, aesthetic, and historical perspectives of Western and Non-western Art including artists, movements, artifacts, and styles.
Social Responsibility
Art students are trained in the powerful tools of visual communication and service. With training in design, communication theory, and media selection, students are challenged to create responsible Art, reflect on its impact, and to make ethically sound decisions that benefit local and global communities. Students participate in numerous art exhibitions, voluntary art projects, and political and social action efforts.
Professional Practice
Integral to the discipline of Art, students are trained in the standards and practices of their chosen field. They are called upon to uphold the integrity of the profession.
Art Department Student Learning Outcomes
The Art curriculum is designed to develop the whole artist. Students within the Department are concept, content, process, and product oriented. They study, apply, and explore social, cultural, aesthetic, and historical perspectives of art.
Students in the Department will:
Describe the historical, geographic, cultural and contemporary contexts of works of art and design.
Present, critique, and write about works of art and design using appropriate terminology.
Generate works that demonstrate a productive creative process, and exhibit a high level of craftsmanship and technical facility.
Develop artworks that use elements and principles of art and design.
Create works of design that solve the visual problem as presented.
Effective communication and presentation of self and work to clients both internal and external to the University.
Departmental Requirements
A student who wishes to graduate with this major must complete the following requirements:
Sophomore Review
Students are reviewed by an evaluation committee in the spring semester of the sophomore year.
Students must:
After departmental review and under special circumstances, if a student has not made the 2.5 grade requirement, a full-time art faculty member’s recommendation may be used in lieu of grades.
Art Minor
ART 100 Drawing I 3 credits
ART 122 Ancient to Medieval Art History 3 credits
OR ART 123 Renaissance to 20th Century Art History 3 credits
ART 125 2-Dimensional Design 3 credits
ART 126 3-Dimensional Design 3 credits
ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits
Two (2) Approved Art Electives 6 credits
Art History Minor
ART 122 Ancient to Medieval Art History 3 credits
ART 123 Renaissance to 20th Century Art History 3 credits
ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits
ART 223 History of Modern Art 3 credits
ART 224 History of Photography 3 credits
ART 230 Graphic Design History 3 credits
IA 220 History of Interior Design 3 credits OR IA 221 History of Architecture 3 credits
Art Therapy Minor
ART 100 Drawing I 3 credits
ART 102 Ceramics I 3 credits
ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits OR ART 101/105 Painting 1: Watercolor or Acrylic 3 credits
ARTH 125 Art Therapy: Introduction I 3 credits
ARTH 225 Art Therapy II: Materials and Methods 3 credits
ARTH 325 Art Therapy III: Practices 3 credits
PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology 3 credits
Graphic Design Minor
ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits
ART 220 Typographic Foundations 3 credits
ART 221 Digital Imagery 3 credits
Four (4) Electives from the Graphic Design Major 12 credits
Photography Minor
ART 106 Photography I 3 credits
ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits
ART 206 Intermediate Photography 3 credits
ART 306 Color Photography 3 credits
ART 223 History of Modern Art 3 credits
ART 224 History of Photography 3 credits
ART 305 Digital Photography 3 credits
The Graphic Design program trains students to utilize their creative, cognitive, and psychomotor skills toward the resolution of visual problems. The program focuses on publishing—whether it is traditional print design or interactive media. The successful Graphic Design student will achieve facility in multiple Adobe Creative Suite applications, design and communication theory, artful discipline, creative problem solving, social responsibility, global awareness, and professional practices.
Studio experience in digital photography including camera operation, lighting, design, Photoshop and Idea generation. Students must have a DSLR digital camera approved by the instructor.
This course provides a survey of art and architecture from Prehistoric times to the Medieval Ages. Recommended for Juniors and Seniors.
Introductory art foundations course focused on the exposure and study of elements and principles of design, creative processes, synthesis and the technical aspects of art production including
media, tools and methods.
ART-100
An introductory 3-dimensional design course. Emphasis is on elements and principles of design. The components of production, art history, aesthetics, and criticism will be introduced relevant to 3-dimensional art. Taken in freshman year.
ART-100
This foundational course introduces students to basic design concepts, computer literacy and software competency. Through various design exercises, students will experience three of the basic types of publishing tools used by designers -- Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
This entry-level course introduces students to basic design theories and skills. Students create a variety of exercises and a portfolio of professional works to better understand design. Theoretical exercises, typography projects, readings, and client projects introduce students to lifelong design issues and tasks. Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, and Dimension are utilized in this course.
ART-128
ART 128
This class expands the student's command of Adobe Illustrator by exploring a combination of vector skills, traditional media, and 3-D techniques used to create spot and editorial illustration. Students will develop a character in both illustrator and CAD format. Successfully rendered characters will be output on a 3-D printer. Assignments may include: Infographics, card and gift design, label reconstruction, and playing card development. .
ART-128
Beginning with the Industrial Revolution, this course will chart the development of what we contemporarily refer to as Graphic Design and Advertising. Students will survey the designers, works, technologies, and philosophies of the major design movements and create work exploring these areas. Emphasis will be placed on the connection of design to art and popular culture, as well as the cyclical nature of design. Students create various pieces reflecting the work of the movements being studied.
ART-128
Multi-page layout is the emphasis in this class. Students learn how to handle text, integrate images into layout, and develop an upper level sense of typography. Representative projects include: poster design, cook book layout, newsletter design, interactive design, website design, and book jacket design. Students learn how to use Adobe InDesign in concert with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat.
ART-220
The most intensive of all the design courses, students in this course create and design for two companies - an imaginary company of their own choosing and a local business. Representative businesses have included the Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC), Community Resources for Independence (CRI), and various small businesses throughout the Erie Region. Logotypes are designed. Brand sensing and archetyping are applied. Business systems, advertisments, packaging, websites, and Graphic Design Standards Manuals are some of the projects that may be developed.
ART 320
The culmination of a student's graphic design efforts, this course seeks to refine a student's style and to display it in the most advantageous form. Students create a professional resume, traditional and an online portfolio website, and a Linkedin profile. Students commit to a discipline focus. With this decision made, research is performed, leads are developed, cover letters generated, resumes refined, and the job hunt begins.
This course builds upon the HTML5 / CSS3 skills from previous courses. Students add to their base of skills to take the presentation of the web page to the world of responsive frameworks. Using industry accepted responsive frameworks web pages will properly display on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. CSS skills are also honed to give better color, type, layout and interactivity to the produced websites.
ART-321
Introduction to the biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including the structure and function of membranes and organelles, especially mitochondria and chloroplasts. Also included are studies of the molecular structure and function of DNA, with emphasis on the organization of the eukaryotic genome, transcription and translation.
BIO 143
Introduction to the biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including the structure and function of membranes and organelles, especially mitochondria and chloroplasts. Also included are studies of the molecular structure and function of DNA, with emphasis on the organization of the eukaryotic genome, transcription and translation.
BIO 143