The programs of the School of Art and Design provide students with the aesthetic and critical perspectives vital for professional careers in art and design. Central to the UIC approach are studio courses which engage students in the development of significant creative works as well as independent research utilizing the interdisciplinary resources of one of the world's great cities and a major research university as a base for learning.
The first year program introduces students to a wide range of possibilities for creative expression and problem-solving. After completion of the first year program, students will participate in an all-School portfolio review to gain acceptance into one of seven areas of concentration. The majors in the School of Art and Design are: Electronic Visualization, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Moving Image, Photography, Studio Arts, and Art Education. By the senior year, students in the programs based in Art and Design Hall: Moving Image, Photography and Studio Arts are working together in an advanced interdisciplinary program. Likewise, students in the programs based in the Art and Architecture building: Electronic Visualization, Graphic Design, and Industrial Design are encouraged to collaborate in interdisciplinary projects and to share an advanced Design Colloquium. Areas of collaborative study include the UIC Interdisciplinary Product Development program, which teams design students with students in the College of Business and the College of Engineering. Senior level professional practice courses offer additional opportunities to engage in projects with industry and government.Studio Arts is a unique program, set in a research institution within a vital urban environment, which prepares students for a career in contemporary art practice or for advanced graduate study. Students may concentrate in painting or sculpture within the context of current art disciplines. In addition to studio courses, students participate in seminars on the practice and theory of contemporary art. Seminars and advanced studio classes are interdisciplinary in nature and include students from Photography and Moving Image. Before graduating, each student is required to produce and document a final BFA thesis exhibition held in the galleries of Art and Design Hall.
| Studio Arts: 4-Year Plan |
| (Fish, Tasset, Peterman, Fraser, Frid) |
| Year 1 | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| 4 | AD 102 Drawing I (F/S) | 4 | AD 110 Graphic Design I (F/S) |
| 4 | AD 120 Industrial Design I (F/S) | 4 | AD 140 Sculpture I (F/S) |
| 4 | AD 160 Photo I (F/S) | 4 | AD 170 Time-based (F/S) |
| 3 | ENG 160 | 3 | ENG 161 |
| 3 | General Elective | ||
| 15 | 18 | ||
| All majors to pass April portfolio review | |||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| 4 | AH 110 Art History I (F/Sum) | 4 | AH 111 Art History II S/Sum |
| 3 | Exploring World Cultures | 3 | Understanding the Past |
| 3 | Understanding the Individual + Society | 3 | Understanding US Society |
| 4 | AD 290 Interdisciplinary Seminar I (F/S) | 4 | AD 209 Color Theory |
| 4 | AD 203 Topics in Drawing Studio I (F/S)or AD 230 Painting I (F/S) or AD 251 Topics in Seriality & Replication (F/S) |
4 | AD 203 Topics in Drawing Studio I (F/S) or AD 230 Painting I (F/S) or AD 251 Topics in Seriality & Replication (F/S) |
| 18 | 18 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| 5 | Analyzing the Natureal World | 3 | General Elective |
| 4 | AD 391 Interdisciplinary Seminar II (F/S) | 3 | AH 160 Contemporary Art |
| 4 | AD 332 Topics in Painting Studio (F/S) or AD 342 Topics in Sculpture Studio (F/S) or AD elective | 4 | AD 332 Topics in Painting Studio (F/S) or AD 342 Topics in Sculpture Studio (F/S) or AD elective |
| 4 | AD elective or AD 304 Topics in Drawing Studio II (F/S) | 4 | AD elective or AD 304 Topics in Drawing Studio II (F/S) |
| 17 | 14 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| 3 | General Elective | 3 | General Elective |
| 3 | AH Elective | 3 | AH Elective |
| 6 | AD 462 Advanced Art/Studio Critique (F)** | 6 | AD 463 Art/Studio Thesis (S) |
| 4 | AD elective | 4 | AD elective |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| 24 | First Year Hours | ||
| 44 | General Education Hours | ||
| 62 | Major Concentration Hours | ||
| 130 | Total | ||