Programs | Mission

The art department seeks to prepare broadly capable graduates who are motivated, creative, and prepared for the personal and professional demands of fine art production, graduate school, and professional design careers. Its mission encompasses two primary goals:

1. To provide fine art and graphic design students with an understanding of, and ability to use creative process, media, and technology for personal expression and professional accomplishment based on a foundation in the rich history of world visual arts, and the unique perspectives of Seventh-day Adventist/ Christian beliefs.

2. To provide an environment in which students of other disciplines may become acquainted with the artistic legacy of human kind. To encourage interest in the visual arts through formal lecture courses, exhibitions, and studio experiences which, long after the academic experience has ended, will continue to enrich the individual, family and society. The non-art major may elect to take art courses for personal enrichment and to fulfill general education requirements. These include courses in art appreciation, art history and a variety of studio courses offering experiences in the creative process and art making.

Preparation for teaching
Students preparing to teach at the secondary level should plan to qualify for state of California teaching credentials by completing the bachelor’s degree and passing the PRAXIS (or SSAT) subject area assessment. During the freshman year prospective teachers of both secondary and elementary levels should see the School of Education section of this Bulletin and consult the credential analyst and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education for detailed information concerning requirements. A further program leading to the Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction designed for prospective elementary/secondary teachers is described in the Graduate Bulletin. Degrees offered The Department of Art offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art, with two optional areas of emphasis: fine art and graphic design.