The Art & Design bachelor’s degree is a liberal arts program that includes courses from multiple disciplines. The degree provides a comprehensive overview of skills, applications, and theories of art and design practices.
Students begin with foundational courses in ideation, digital tools, and visual literacy while sampling a variety of studio courses. Elective offerings include coursework in printmaking, painting, drawing, sculpture, textiles, photography, video, graphic design, and social practice. Students in upper division coursework select a focus and further develop their knowledge of visual language, media skills, and the conceptual aspects of their work. Students leave with a critical understanding of their practice and the skills needed to pursue opportunities as creative professionals in a variety of contexts.
We also offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art Practice and Graphic Design. The BFA in Art Practice is an art-focused professional degree that generally takes four years to complete and is a good option for students who have the interest and capacity to devote a significant amount of time toward the development of their art practice. The BFA in Graphic Design is a dynamic program that prepares you to conquer design challenges with an array of technical and creative skills.
Our faculty, who are all active makers as well as educators, will mentor you along your path in small classes with frequent one-on-one instruction. We are leaders in the pioneering field of Art + Social Practice. Instead of making art as objects, this field focuses on collaborative experiences and interaction between the artist and cultural systems through activism and social engagement.
WE OFFER
- Access to specialized labs and studio facilities
- A regular program of visiting artist lectures
- Exposure to a variety of mediums and techniques
- Opportunities for summer study abroad
- Expert faculty who are active participants in the creative community
- Courses in a variety of areas including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, video, photography, social practice
As an art practice major at PSU, you will be challenged to explore your creative ideas and pursue your practice within a thriving arts community of makers, designers, and performers. Situated in downtown Portland, PSU places you at the heart of Portland’s vibrant creative scene, where innovation and imagination are the drivers. Our faculty, alumni, and students are the changemakers of the city, using their art to question the status quo.
Our beautifully renovated studios feature high ceilings and tall windows, welcoming an abundance of natural light. Most studios offer a stunning view of the tree-lined Park Blocks for an added dose of inspiration.
We offer a variety of specialized labs for art students, including a printmaking facility, a sewing and fabric construction studio, a weaving studio that includes digital looms as well as traditional floor looms, a photographic darkroom, and a well-stocked audio-visual equipment room.
Our Materials Lab is a multi-use facility that serves both art and architecture students. There you will find a woodshop, a metals shop with welding equipment and a foundry for bronze and aluminum casting, and a digital fabrication studio with 3D printers, laser cutters, and a CNC router.
Our Mac Lab is Mac computer-based classroom with the latest Adobe Creative Cloud tools and high-quality printers. Need a computer when class is in session? No worries. Nearby we have a 12-seat drop-in lab as well.
While some graduates of our program go on to pursue a master of fine art degree, many find work in a wider array of jobs. As more and more employers look for people who know how to think creatively, an arts training is a great asset.
- Fine artist
- Art Director
- Illustrator
- Filmmaker
- Photographer
- Designer
- Teacher or Arts Educator
- Art gallery manager
- Exhibition designer
- Arts administration
- Art therapy
- Museum technician