Department of Art and Design

118 College Drive, Box 5033
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
601.266.4972
FAX 601.266.6379
Visual.arts@usm.edu
http://www.arts.usm.edu

Courts, Douglas, Gorzegno, Griffin, Lawler, Meade, Michels, Paine, Rigsby, Torres

The University of Southern Mississippi’s Department of Art and Design is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Requirements are in accordance with the published regulations of NASAD.

Curricula leading to the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts are offered in drawing and painting, graphic design and sculpture. A Bachelor of Arts degree in art is also available. Minor programs are available in art and art history.

Professional and student art exhibitions are continually on view.

Degree Plans

Two distinctly different degree plans are offered within the Department of Art and Design:

Bachelor of Arts in Art
The student seeking general study in the field of art should choose the broadly oriented BA degree.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art
The student seeking to pursue a career as a practicing artist/designer should choose a plan of study in one of the following three professionally oriented emphasis areas of the visual arts, which lead to the professionally oriented BFA degree in art:
Drawing and Painting
Graphic Design
Sculpture

Art and Design Admissions Policy Program

Foundations Program (Art)

High school graduates and transfer students who have been admitted into the university and who wish to major in an area within the Department of Art and Design must first successfully complete the foundations program. The requirements for the foundations program are:

the completion of 15 hours of general education requirements, including three hours in English, three hours in history and three hours in mathematics;
the completion of ART 101 , ART 102 , ART 111 , ART 112 and ART 113 , for a total of 15 credit hours; and
a 2.5 overall grade point average on the required 15 hours of general education courses and the above-specified ART courses or permission of the department chair.

The Foundations Review Process is determined by the area of study faculty.

Graphic Design
Students in the graphic design emphasis are allowed provisional entrance into the graphic design emphais area at the beginning of their second year after successfully completing the foundation course sequence. The graphic design area coordinator, along with the area faculty Review Committee, will review each student’s course performance at the conclusion of the provisional year, or after completing ART 341 , ART 342 and ART 343 . Additional requirements include a 2.5 GPA in the emphasis area. A grade of D will not be acceptable. Those students not meeting the above course requirements will not be allowed to continue in the graphic design empahsis area.

Drawing and Painting
In addition to successfully completing the foundation program, ART 202 and ART 323 , students must present a portfolio to a faculty committee in the drawing and painting area. Additional requirements include a 2.5 GPA in the drawing and painting emphasis area.

With the successful completion of all required foundation courses, drawing and painting students, all students should possess a portfolio consisting of examples and performance in ART 101 , ART 102 , ART 111 , ART 112 and ART 113 . This portfolio should be available for review during the first week of the semester of entry into the drawing and painting program. For transfer students, this portfolio should include samples of the student’s strongest work produced in the course equivalents of ART 101 , ART 102 , ART 111 , ART 112 and ART 113 . The purpose of this porfolio is to assist faculty in the drawing and painting area in advising students into a course appropriate to their level of performance. Students without a portfolio will be provided materials during a scheduled time in order to demonstrate, and/or produce evidence of visual skills and understanding from ART 101 , ART 102 , ART 111 , ART 112 and ART 113 . Based on this demonstration, a student will be advised into the course level commensurate with his/her level of skill and preparation.

Programs

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Fine Art

Non-degree