Many prominent Northwest artists, designers, and art historians began their professional careers by studying art at Portland State University. An even greater number of successful and productive people have used their training in the School of Art+Design as the basis for careers in commerce, industry, education, and a variety of creative fields. Offering undergraduate degrees in Art History, Art Practices, and Graphic Design, MFA and BFA degrees in Art Practices, the school serves a diverse student population and takes advantage of its geographical location in the heart of Portland, extending classroom activities into the city’s vibrant cultural community.
Working with a dedicated faculty actively engaged in creative and scholarly research, our students explore new avenues of expression, prepare for professional and academic careers, and build theoretical and practical foundations for future artistic and intellectual discovery. As a general rule, the major in art requires a minimum of 88 credits in art courses. Included are extensive experiences in studio work and a comprehensive study of the history of art. Majors in art history require a minimum of 68 credits.
Art Major and Minor Degree Requirements
In addition to general university requirements for a degree, majors and minors in art must meet departmental requirements. Please visit the the school web site, http://www.pdx.edu/art-design/ or office to obtain a “Program Major Course Distribution Sheet” that describes the program in detail. All students must obtain an adviser for academic planning of their program by the second year.
All art and art history courses used to satisfy departmental major or minor requirements, whether taken in the School or elsewhere, must be assigned a grade of C- or better.
For students transferring from other colleges and universities, a maximum of 12 credits may be graded P (pass) and may be accepted to fulfill school requirements with approval from an art adviser. In addition, any upper-division transfer credits applied to major requirements must meet school standards. In these cases, a portfolio of work may be required for approval by the concentration’s coordinator.
To satisfy the school major requirements students must complete at least 24 credits of their upper-division (300/400) art/art history courses in residency at PSU. These 24 credits must be primarily within the student’s focus of study in art.
To satisfy school minor requirements students must complete at least 24 credits of their work within the subject area in residency at PSU. These 24 credits must primarily be in 200/300 level courses within the student’s focus area.
The School of Art+Design reserves the right to cancel any course that does not have sufficient enrollments, in accordance with university policy.