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Minor
MinorOverview
The undergraduate minor in Art Practice is designed to help students think critically about the visual arts and visual culture. Courses focus on the meaning of images and media and their historical development, societal roles, and relationships to disciplines such as literature, music, and philosophy. Work performed in the classroom, studio, and screening room is designed to develop a student’s powers of perception, capacity for visual analysis, and knowledge of technical processes.
Suggested Preparation for the Minor
Any student considering an Art Practice minor is strongly encouraged to take the following three introductory courses, which also fulfill minor degree requirements, during their frosh or sophomore years. The core studio series ARTSTUDI 101 Foundations 2D and ARTSTUDI 102 Foundations 3D/4D expose students to a broad range of contemporary artists and hands-on art-making techniques, familiarize students with the various studio facilities in the Department of Art & Art History, introduce key theoretical concepts in contemporary practice, and provide experience with group critiques and exhibition practices which are critical components of the art practice field and major. The core ARTHIST 5 Art & Power course familiarizes students with contemporary thinking regarding the power dynamics in the production and circulation of art, along with its cultural and historical uses and impacts. By taking these three core courses early on, students will gain a broad overview of the field and its essential components and better situate and contextualize their elective coursework for the minor upon declaring.
Declaring the Minor
To declare the minor, students must meet with the Student Services Specialist. During this meeting, students will select a faculty advisor with guidance from the Student Services Specialist.
Minors must attend an orientation session presented by the professional staff of the Art and Architecture Library, which introduces the tools of research and reference available on campus or through the Internet. This requirement should be completed no later than the quarter following the minor declaration.
Requirements
Curricular Flow
Students are strongly encouraged to take the required core program courses ARTSTUDI 101 ‘Foundations ‘I and ARTSTUDI 102 ‘Foundations II’ studio series, and ARTHIST 5 ‘Art and Power’ before declaring, or at least early in their minor course flow, as these provide broad understanding and context for the field.
Early in the minor, along with the core courses, students should take two introductory (100-level) elective studio courses to fulfill their four lower-level studio electives. In these lower-level courses, students explore different media and build an understanding of the scope of contemporary art practice. After completing 100-level courses, students can focus their practice via upper (200-level) elective courses in specific areas of interest. The advanced 200-level courses are designed to deepen the student’s knowledge of particular materials and techniques and stretch their understanding of conceptual issues. Experimental and challenging, these courses typically cross area boundaries. Independent study, which a permanent faculty member supervises, is also available on a case-by-case basis as a component of a student’s 200-level coursework for the degree.
Declared minors interested in taking the Art Practice Major Seminar ARTSTUDI 201 may apply for acceptance to this course, which can count as one 200-level elective if the student is accepted. Students must have completed all the ARTSTUDI 201 prerequisites (ARTSTUDI 101, ARTSTUDI 102, ARTHIST 5, and two additional 100-level studio electives) by the time the course runs to apply. The Art Practice Major Seminar is typically offered in winter quarter. Applications consist of a portfolio and statement of interest and are due to the student’s advisor by November 31. The AP faculty will review applications at the December faculty meeting and the student will be notified of acceptance by the end of autumn quarter.
Completing a full year of ITALIC can count as four credits towards either one Art History elective or one lower 100-level Art Practice elective.