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About the Department
The Department of Art & Design at Montclair State University has been developing aspiring artists and designers for more than 40 years. Our graduates impact many areas of the arts, interpreting and giving shape to the visual world in which we live. The philosophy of our program hinges on the principle that students should be exposed to all facets of the visual arts, no matter what their concentration. To this end, students are encouraged to explore studies in many arts areas, building toward a portfolio of work that will assist them in establishing lives as artists/designers, historians, arts managers or educators.
Our undergraduate program begins with a comprehensive foundation of visual arts principles including color theory, drawing, and two- and three-dimensional design that which forms the basis of an education in the visual arts. We then build upon this foundation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts curriculum with a choice of majors, concentrations and specializations including studio (with 11 specializations), industrial design, fashion studies, filmmaking, art history, and art education.
Our graduate program offers comparable opportunities for focused and interdisciplinary study, including critical discourse with important artists of our time. Students have a choice of the intensive Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio or the Master of Arts which can be completed in less time. The MA degree is offered in Studio, Fine Arts Education, Art History and Museum Management.
The Department of Art & Design is housed in Calcia and Finley Halls, containing fully equipped studios for ceramics, drawing, film, graphic and industrial design, jewelry, painting, photography, printmaking, papermaking and sculpture, as well as a student-run gallery. The new MFA facility includes spacious private studios for students as well as common workspaces, seminar and resource rooms, and its own gallery for exhibiting student works.
The beautiful George Segal Gallery is a wonderful new addition to MSU's arts facilities and complements the Department's student galleries. Comprised of 3,130 square feet, the Segal Gallery exhibits works of regional and internationally acclaimed artists as well as our students.
Beyond the campus, students are encouraged to exhibit their work in professional galleries in New York and New Jersey. Critics and gallery dealers are invited each year to see the work of our MFA students in a gallery in Chelsea - New York's contemporary art center. Other opportunities to connect with arts professionals are realized through the Department's lecture series. Art Forum brings professional artists, historians, critics and curators to the campus each week to give presentations to our undergraduate students. Likewise through the MSU/MAM Series, our collaboration with the Montclair Art Museum, our graduate students dialogue with some of the most influential professionals in the field.
All programs in the Department of Art & Design meet rigorous national standards and are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. By combining career focused experiences and professional development practices with a sound liberal arts education - the Art and Design program at Montclair State University bridges the gap between entering students and their future goals in the arts.
Scott Gordley, Chair, Dept. of Art & Design
The Department of Art & Design at Montclair State University has a rich history of providing a strong, diverse liberal arts education to our students. We currently offer a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree with concentrations in Studio (with eleven studio specializations), Art Education and Art History, as well as a B.A. degree in Fashion Studies.
Additionally we offer a number of specialized, professional Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs. These programs are specifically tailored to students with the drive and commitment it takes to build successful careers as art and design professionals. Our BFA programs offer a more intensive focus in each specific discipline. At Montclair State University, BFA degrees may be earned in Fine Arts Studio, Animation & Illustration, Filmmaking, Graphic Design, and/or Industrial Design.
Our diverse, international faculty provides the inspiration, knowledge and insight MSU students will need to enter the fulfilling world of the visual arts. They are passionate about what they teach and are committed to developing articulate and uniquely creative graduates. Our mission in the Department of Art & Design is to promote a multi-culturalist approach. We want our students to expand their visions, to be multi-culturally aware, to be politically conscious of the world at large and to break through the barrier of provincialism that limits personal and artistic growth. At the core of our interdisciplinary educational process is individualized attention from our faculty, along with access to a full range of studio facilities, continually upgraded to remain current in meeting the needs of our students.
We invite you to discover the full range of opportunities offered in the Department of Art & Design as you explore our website. We hope you will then take the next step and visit us. Only by meeting our faculty and students, sitting in on a class, or viewing an exhibition in one of our professional or student-run galleries, can you appreciate all that the Department of Art & Design has to offer.
Scott Gordley,
Chair, Department of Art & Design