The Visual Arts concentration is designed for students who wish to study fine arts, visual culture, and artistic practice through creative work in the studio and critical studies. Most courses in the Visual Arts curriculum are suitable for students at any level of artistic training and experience. For some courses, prerequisites (Drawing 1, Photography 1, or an introductory-level Art History course) are noted in the course descriptions.
Students may focus their Visual Arts studies according to their particular areas of interest, for example, drawing, art history, curatorial studies, or photography. Relevant cross-listed courses offered by Parsons The New School for Design or The New School for Public Engagement may be used to satisfy some requirements. Sample areas of interest and course titles include:
Drawing and Fine Art Practices
Drawing from Observation
Advanced Drawing
Elective Painting
Environmental and Public Engagement
Perspectives in World Art and Design
Art and Tourism
Globalization and Contemporary Art
Composite Visions
Curatorial Studies
Skybridge Curatorial Project
History and Theory of Exhibitions and Institutions
Lang at the Guggenheim
Art History and Theory
Themes in Contemporary Art
Methods of Art History
Nepal: Art, Culture, Politics
Photography
History of Photography
Photography as Activism
Photography 2: Photojournalism
Interdisciplinary Art
Ephemeral Art
Shock of the New
In all concentrations of the Arts major, students must receive grades of C or higher in all courses taken to meet the requirements for a major or minor in The Arts.
CONCENTRATING IN THE VISUAL ARTS
The Visual Arts concentration requires 12 courses plus a Senior Capstone, as follows:
- Two core courses: LARS 2208 Skybridge Curatorial Project and LARS 3155 Methods in Art History
- Two practice-based courses in a Visual Arts area, for example: Drawing from Observation; Personal Mapping in NYC
- Four theory or history courses in a Visual Arts area and/or general art history, for example: Image/Text; History and Theory of Exhibitions; Themes in Contemporary Art
- ULEC 2320 Aesthetics or another designated course in aesthetics
- Three Integrative Arts courses identified by the subject code LINA (code LAIC before Fall 2010)
- Senior Capstone project, either the Senior Seminar or an Individual or collaborative independent project
ARTS IN CONTEXT
Students interested in studying visual arts may also choose the Arts in Context concentration, where they can combine study of the visual arts with a liberal arts subject. For example, a student can fine art combined with arts criticism and journalism by taking courses in Literary Studies. Other majors and minors such as Psychology, Urban Studies, and Social Inquiry also can provide wider contexts for visual art studies.
MINOR IN VISUAL ARTS
Students majoring in a different program than The Arts may be able to elect an academic minor in Visual Arts. Students interested in completing the minor should review the minor curriculum below and speak with the program coordinator before declaring.
- Two Integrative courses identified by the subject code LINA (LAIC before Fall 2010). Note that ULEC 2320 Aesthetics may count as one of these courses.
- Four visual arts courses identified by the subject code LARS, or other approved courses cross-listed with other programs and divisions, including at least one practice-based course and three liberal arts courses
