Art Major
As an art major at Cedar Crest, you will select one of two “tracks.” The Studio Track allows you to focus on a specific art medium. The Integrated Art Track is a unique opportunity to work with faculty to self design your major and "integrate" with business, communication or even criminal justice.
Learn more about the art tracks »
As a student-artist at Cedar Crest College, you will find yourself surrounded by a vibrantly creative and supportive community…and inspirational customized studio spaces in which to cultivate your talents. Each semester, you will create your own works side-by-side with professional faculty-artists, visiting artists, and other student-artists.
During your first semesters here, you will be given the opportunity to explore a wide variety of 2D and 3D media. Later, you will select one or two media in which you will focus your final semesters of work. This will enable you to further develop your skills, your artistic voice, and your own unique style.
Artistic Media at Cedar Crest College
- Book arts
- Ceramics
- Illustration
- Jewelry and metalsmithing
- Painting
- Papermaking
- Printed image
- Sculpture
Focusing Your Studies
As an Art Major you are able to choose a focused track either in Studio or Integrated Art.
Studio Art Track
If you are interested in selecting a specific medium to develop and pursue at a higher level, the studio art major is for you. The studio art track at Cedar Crest offers a wide range of options for students who wish to pursue painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, papermaking, book arts, drawing, illustrations, metalsmithing, or work in a gallery or museum.
Integrated Art Track
With the integrated art track, you will have a unique opportunity to make connections between art and other disciplines in the College as a foundation for artmaking. The integrated art track is a major that you will self-design, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, by selecting an area of integration in a non-art-related discipline. You will take 9 credits in that discipline, in addition to your art courses and studios. Your adviser will work with you to select the integrated coursework that best suits your career goals. Some common integrations include:
- Art and business: This focus positions you to work in galleries and museums, work for a nonprofit organization, or to become an entrepreneur and market your own artwork.
- Art and communication: If you would like to pursue advertising, graphic design, and/or public relations work, this focus is for you.
- Art and English: Here you can combine the book arts courses with creative writing and/or poetry, enabling you to write and illustrate your own publications.
- Art and biology: Many organizations require high-quality medical and botanical illustrations, models and other artwork.
- Art and criminal justice or forensic science: The legal and justice systems both require talented artists to produce illustrations of crime scenes, composite sketches, and courtroom scenes.
- Art and psychology: As an alternative to the art therapy major, students interested in both mental health and art can integrate these two disciplines and take art therapy courses as electives. This integration program will also allow you to take more studio courses than the art therapy program requires.
Course Requirements
Click on the box below to learn about the course requirements related to the two tracks for this major.
Studio Art Track
Foundations
- ART 101: Beginning Drawing 3 credits
- ART 110: Principles of Visual Organization 3 credits
- ART 105: Art History I 3 credits
- ART 106: Art History II 3 credits
- ART 245: Anatomy for the Artist 3 credits
- ART 132/232/134 Computer Software Series 3 credits
- Choose 3: Art 132: InDesign I, ART 232 InDesign II, ART 134 Photoshop I
Art History
Choose two of the following:
- ART 200: Modern Art: 1800-1945 (Fall) 3 credits
- ART 210: Contemporary Art: 1945-present (Spring) 3 credits
- ART 215: Selected Movements in Art 3 credits
- ART 220: Women Artists (Spring) 3 credits
Seminar
- ART 470: Senior Studio Seminar (Fall only) 3 credits
- ART 472: Senior Art Exhibition (Spring only) 3 credits
Studio Electives
Select one 2D and one 3D:
- ART 111: Printed Image (2D) 3 credits
- ART 113: Illustration (2D) 3 credits
- ART 123: Painting (2D) 3 credits
- ART 124: Papermaking (2D) 3 credits
- ART 125: Jewelry & Metalsmithing (3D) 3 credits
- ART 127: Sculpture (3D) 3 credits
- ART 131: Ceramics (3D) 3 credits
- ART 139: Book Arts (2D) 3 credits
Second Level Courses
Choose one second-level course in a chosen studio area:
- ART 211: Printed Image (2D) 3 credits
- ART 213: Illustration (2D) 3 credits
- ART 223: Painting (2D) 3 credits
- ART 224: Papermaking (2D) 3 credits
- ART 225: Jewelry & Metalsmithing (3D) 3 credits
- ART 227: Sculpture (3D) 3 credits
- ART 231: Ceramics (3D) 3 credits
- ART 239: Book Arts (2D) 3 credits
Upper Level Studios
Select two upper-level studios in your chosen area.
- ART 335: Advanced Problems (3rd level) 3 credits
- ART 435: Advanced Problems (4th level) 3 credits
TOTAL CREDITS: 45
Portfolio Reviews: You will need three portfolio reviews to participate in the Senior Art Exhibition and complete the requirements for the major.
Integrated Art Track
Foundations
- ART 101: Beginning Drawing 3 credits
- ART 110: Principles of Visual Organization 3 credits
- ART 105: Art History I 3 credits
- ART 106: Art History II 3 credits
- ART 132/232/134 Computer Software Series 3 credits
- Choose 3: Art 132: InDesign I, ART 232 InDesign II, ART 134 Photoshop I
Art History
Choose one of the following:
- ART 200: Modern Art: 1800-1945 (Fall) 3 credits
- ART 210: Contemporary Art: 1945-present (Spring) 3 credits
- ART 215: Selected Movements in Art 3 credits
- ART 220: Women Artists (Spring) 3 credits
Seminar
- ART 470: Senior Studio Seminar (Fall only) 3 credits>
Studio Electives
Select one 2D and one 3D:
- ART 111: Printed Image (2D) 3 credits
- ART 113: Illustration (2D) 3 credits
- ART 123: Painting (2D) 3 credits
- ART 124: Papermaking (2D) 3 credits
- ART 125: Jewelry & Metalsmithing (3D) 3 credits
- ART 127: Sculpture (3D) 3 credits
- ART 131: Ceramics (3D) 3 credits
- ART 139: Book Arts (2D) 3 credits
Second Level Courses
Choose one second-level course in a chosen studio area:
- ART 211: Printed Image (2D) 3 credits
- ART 213: Illustration (2D) 3 credits
- ART 223: Painting (2D) 3 credits
- ART 224: Papermaking (2D) 3 credits
- ART 225: Jewelry & Metalsmithing (3D) 3 credits
- ART 227: Sculpture (3D) 3 credits
- ART 231: Ceramics (3D) 3 credits
- ART 239: Book Arts (2D) 3 credits
Upper Level Studios
Select two upper-level studios in your chosen area.
- ART 335: Advanced Problems (3rd level) 3 credits
- ART 435: Advanced Problems (4th level) 3 credits
AND 9 credits from another department:
Consult with your adviser to create a self-designed integration based on another discipline of study. (May not integrate with another art discipline.) Three courses are required.
TOTAL CREDITS: 45
Portfolio Reviews: You will need two portfolio reviews to complete requirements for the integrated art track. If you also wish to participate in the Senior Art Exhibition, you will need a third review.
Portfolio Reviews
Portfolio reviews are held once each semester, in the fall and spring, for students with an art therapy major. Art therapy majors will need two portfolio reviews to complete the requirements for the major.
Students present a portfolio of current work created in their studio courses. The purpose of the portfolio review:
- To provide the student with feedback on the progress of their work
- To suggest potential directions the work may take
- To serve as an assessment tool for the art department
- To assist students in the creation of a professional portfolio (Note: Students who are applying to graduate school will be required to submit a portfolio of their work.)
