Art

Special Entry Requirements

First-year Students
Studio: Students interested in Studio must submit:
1. a one-two page, typewritten narrative describing present and past involvements in the arts, purpose and goals for pursuing art as a career.
2. at least five slides or photographs of recent works.

All Studio/Art majors (minors optional) must register for Studio Review during the sophomore and junior years, and Portfolio Criticism I and II in the senior year.

Art History: Students interested in Art History must submit a one- to two-page typewritten narrative describing
1. past and present involvement in the arts.
2. current area of interest/research.
3. goals and objectives for pursuing a career in the arts.

All Art History majors (minors optional) must register for Art History Review during the sophomore and junior years and Art History Seminar in the senior year.

Transfer or Change of Major Students
Studio: A transfer student or student changing her concentration to Studio must
1. interview with the Department Chair.
2. complete the special entry requirements for Studio Art majors (minors optional).
3. submit at least five slides or photographs or examples of recent works.
4. in lieu of slides, students may take one of the foundation courses (Drawing or Basic Design) and must receive a grade of “B” or higher.

Art History: A transfer student or student changing her major to Art History must
1. interview with the Department Chair.
2. complete the special entry requirements for Art History majors (minors optional).
3. complete an art history course at Spelman College earning a grade of “B” or higher.

Placement Examinations
None

Teacher Certification
See Education Department

Major Requirements
The Department of Art functions as an integral unit of the coordinated programs of the Atlanta University Center, which includes Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta University. The Department of Art also has coordinated activities/programs with the Atlanta College of Art, Georgia State, Agnes Scott College, Emory University, University of Georgia, and various other schools throughout the state university system. Spelman offers a majority of the required core courses for concentrations in Studio Art and Art History. Spelman’s faculty specializes in painting, drawing, sculpture, design, computer graphics, and art history.

B.A. Degree with a Concentration in Studio Art: The concentration in Studio Art is designed to prepare students for professional career opportunities in the visual arts. The degree requires a total of 47–48 credits (14 core) to be selected from the list of art courses offered at Spelman or Clark Atlanta University.

Fourteen Core Courses
• ART 111 Basic Drawing
• ART 113 Basic Design
• ART 121 Painting I
• ART 131 Sculpture I
• ART 141 History of Art I
• ART 142 History of Art II
• ART 211 Life Drawing I
• ART 213 History of Modern Art
• ART 217 Printmaking I (Clark Atlanta University)
• ART 250 Studio Review I
• ART 316 Intermediate Drawing
• ART 350 Studio Review II
• ART 492 Portfolio Criticism – Part I
• ART 492A Portfolio Criticism – Part II
• One Elective Course

B.A. Degree with a Concentration in Art History: The Art History concentration leading to advanced study in Art History requires a total of 39–41 credits (10 core courses) to be selected from the list of courses offered at Spelman or Clark Atlanta University.

Ten Core Courses
• ART 146 A/B
• ART 110 Survey of Visual Arts
• ART 140 Introduction to African American Art
• ART 141 History of Art I
• ART 142 History of Art II
• ART 213 History of Modern Art
• ART 312 African Art
• ART 315 Contemporary Art
• ART 444 Art History Seminar

Choose one two-dimensional course:

• ART 111 Basic Drawing, or
• ART 113 Basic Design, or
• ART 121 Painting I, or
• ART 217 Printmaking I (Clark Atlanta University), or
• ART 257 Photography (Clark Atlanta University)

Choose one three-dimensional core course:

• ART 131 Sculpture I, or
• ART 300 Three-Dimensional Methods and Materials
• Plus one art history or studio art elective
Focus in Comparative Women’s Studies: Any of the above described minor and major programs can be enhanced with an area disciplinary or a thematic focus or self-designed program in Comparative Women’s Studies.

Art Minor (Studio)
The Studio Minor is designed to provide non art majors the opportunity to pursue their personal interest in art courses. This option would give students limited practical experiences and, at the same time reinforce a possible continuing involvement in the visual arts. The Studio Minor requires 26–28 credits (five required courses, plus two elective courses) to be selected from the list of art courses offered at Spelman and Clark Atlanta University.

Five required courses
• ART 110 Survey of Visual Arts
• ART 111 Basic Drawing
• ART 113 Basic Design
• ART 121 Painting I
• ART 131 Sculpture I
• Plus two elective art courses

Art Minor (Art History)
The Art History Minor is designed for students seeking to expand their knowledge of art history to complement their major interests in other disciplines. This minor will also provide students with options to continue their education in a variety of graduate art programs. The Art History Minor requires 19–23 credits (three required courses).

Three required courses (choose one from each option)

Option I
• ART 140A/B African American Art I or II, or
• ART 312 African Art

Option II
• ART 141 History of Art I, or
• ART 142 History of Art II

Option III
• ART 213 History of Modern Art, or
• ART 315 Contemporary Art
• Plus two elective courses in Art History and/or studio courses and one cognate course with the approval of the student’s advisor

Optional Experiences
Students interested in hands-on experiences with a museum, gallery, design firm, or arts council will be encouraged to complete an internship at an approved site. This internship may be substituted for one of the designated elective courses, if approved by the student’s advisor and the chair of the Department of Art. Students will also be encouraged to take more courses in art history, aesthetics and/or to pursue study abroad opportunities in art.

Orientation and Sophomore/Junior Evaluation
All Spelman and Morehouse first-year students majoring or minoring in art are required to participate in a scheduled group orientation session, which outlines the annual evaluations. Art majors are required to enroll in the annual spring semester evaluation courses, Studio Review I and II, during their sophomore and junior years, respectively. Studio concentration requires portfolio reviews from selected works produced. The evaluations are a prerequisite for ART 492 Part 1—Portfolio Criticism or ART 444—Art History Seminar. (The review courses are optional for other AUC art majors.) Students who declare an art major or minor after their first year will be required to participate in an orientation and the appropriate annual review.

Studio make-up review will be scheduled for the first week in October for students who were studying abroad or participating in the Domestic Exchange Program (special permission).

Students not officially enrolled in Studio Review I and II will not receive credit. Class attendance and the final review are required in order to pass the course.

Department Graduation Requirement
Successful completion of all art courses with no grade less than “C” is required for graduation. The studio concentration requires a comprehensive senior exhibition. The art history concentration requires a senior thesis/research paper or project.

Additionally, students must successfully complete Studio Review I and II; however, students who are accepted into the Art program in their junior years are only required to complete Studio II.

Art majors and minors are required to attend all departmental events and activities. A valid written excuse must be presented to the advisor prior to the events or activities if an absence is unavoidable.

General Education Core Requirement
The general education core requirement may be satisfied with any one of the following courses selected from these Spelman College courses: Survey of Visual Arts, Basic Drawing, Basic Design, Painting I, Sculpture I, Introduction to African American Art, History of Art I or II, History of Modern Art, African Art, or Contemporary Art.

Advisors
All Studio and Art History majors are required to meet with an assigned faculty advisor each semester and for approval of course changes. Please see the Department’s chairperson for a current list of advisors.

International/Women’s Studies Requirement
Courses that satisfy the International/Women’s Studies requirement are listed in the Course Sequence Booklet or on the Spelman Web page.

Honors
The following courses will satisfy Honors requirements:
• ART 214 Issues in Latin-American Art
• ART 315 Contemporary Art
• ART 322 Issues in Women’s Art

Center-Wide Art Electives
Each student will be advised properly on her area of concentration and course selections. Some of the following courses may be used as electives, depending on the student’s area of concentration.

Elective Courses

Spelman College
• ART 160 Special Problems—Art Colony
• ART 161 The Art and Culture of the African Diaspora
• ART 212 Life Drawing II
• ART 221 Painting II
• ART 231 Sculpture II
• ART 232 Sculpture III
• ART 240 The Computer as a Creative Tool
• ART 260 Special Problems—Art Colony
• ART 270 Intro to New Genre Art Forms
• ART 300 Three-Dimensional Methods and Materials
• ART 312 African Art
• ART 315 Contemporary Art
• ART 321 Painting III
• ART 322 Issues in Women’s Art
• ART 360 Special Problems – Art Colony
• ART 381 Aesthetics
• ART 392 Origins of Postmodernism
• ART 442 Internship
• ART 460 Special Problems – Art Colony
• ART 493 Directed Studies (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Design, Art History

Clark Atlanta University
• ART 115 Two-Dimensional Design
• ART 257 Photography
• ART 315 Illustration I
• ART 320 Typography and Layout II
• ART 321 Graphic Design I

University Center of Georgia Schools
Students are permitted to take art courses approved by their advisors, if space is available.

Special Summer Program
Spelman College Summer Art Colony is a three-week intensive painting course at Taller Portobello located in a 17th century Spanish colonial village on the Caribbean coast of the Republic of Panama. Students should consult with the director for registration information and details of the course. There are no language requirements; all classes are taught in English by a Spelman art professor.