The Department of Art and Art History offers degrees in three programs: a B.A. in art history and a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) in studio art or visual communication design. The BFA is considered a professional degree and is encouraged for students desiring to enter graduate school or the design industry.

After the first year’s art core, studio majors are encouraged to concentrate in one of the studio areas such as painting, sculpture, ceramics or creative technologies. Both the studio and visual communication design curricula are restricted to students accepted through a portfolio in the spring. Visual communication design students are encouraged to prepare professional level portfolios before graduation as well as the completion of a 3-credit internship. The Visual Design Studio VDS4, an outreach arm of the university, provides opportunities for advanced students to work for outside clients. The art and art history program is now offering concentrations in 3D Animation and Modeling and Creative Technologies. Art history majors take courses spanning the history of western art, as well as topics in selected areas of non-western art.