Studio Specializations (and Areas of Study)



Overview


The Department of Art & Design offers concentrations and specializations in 11 studio areas, most of which are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Enrolled undergraduates are encouraged to choose an area of focus which they may do upon entering the Art & Design program or in their sophomore year after experiencing the foundation curriculum. In most cases students pursuing the BA degree will select a minimum of three sequential courses, whereas those in the BFA will choose six. A separate curriculum applies to graduate students in the MA and MFA programs and requirements for all programs vary according to major, concentration or specialization.

Studio Areas -

Non-Studio Areas -

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Ceramics



Ceramics Program Coordinator:
Prof. William McCreath
973.655.7540


Ceramics at MSU provides a rigorous curriculum of study that encourages students to explore the medium of clay as a means of developing personal sensibilities and giving expression to a wide range of experiences. Experimental in nature, the program allows students to work with clay in its pure form, or to combine it with mixed media to develop unusual and unique pieces. Students may elect to explore vessel or sculptural forms during their course of study and often choose to do both. Advanced students experiment with porcelain, stoneware, terracotta, earthenware, paper clay, raku, and adobe, and also learn to fire their own kilns. Strong technical development and understanding of the science of ceramics is emphasized alongside expressive growth.

 

Alumni of the Ceramics program are accepted by the most prestigious graduate programs in the country. Most continue their involvement in the arts long after graduation ; many are recognized through grants and awards for their work. ( One of our alumni received the gold medal for her ceramics from an international exhibition at Faenza, Italy , while another has held serveral offices in the National Council for Education through Ceramic Arts. ) In addition to working as fine artists and crafts people, ceramicists also find work in the ceramics industry as technicians and ceramics engineers, working for companies that produce tableware, artifacts and other commercial products.

Ceramics is available for all BA, BFA, MA and MFA students.

Ceramics Faculty

Faculty in the ceramics area are all professional exhibiting artists with outstanding reputations. All have been recognized with prestigious awards and are included in private and public collections.

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility


Curriculum and Courses

Graduate Curriculum (Select "Art & Design Dept.")

Undergraduate Curriculum (Select "Art & Design Dept.")

  • BA Studio Sequence of Study
  • BFA Studio Sequence of Study

 

Ceramics Course Descriptions (Select "Art & Design/Ceramics")


Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Drawing

Drawing Program Coordinator:
Prof. Nancy Goldring
973.655.7285


Drawing , which encompasses many aspects of works on paper, is one of the core areas of study for all art majors, and particularly essential for students in the BFA and MFA studio programs. Courses are designed to acquaint students with historical uses of drawing in the West as well as its applications within other cultures and historical periods.  Students are instructed in basic techniques such as line,  tone,  composition and linear  perspective,  as well as  traditional themes including portraiture,  landscape, still life, narrative, figuration and abstraction. Through sequential course work, students acquire the graphic skills necessary to produce studies for other works of art as well as drawings as finished pieces.

The program is further designed to help students develop ways of documenting the world, of describing their perceptions, and of formulating ideas.  As other areas in the department incorporate cutting-edge approaches and technologies, drawing also recognizes recent developments in the field.  The curriculum encourages experimentation with new materials as well as subject matter that reflects our changing world.  Drawing today is affected by virtual modes of representation and may be used to explore concepts related to areas such as animation and photography.   Because drawing is a universal language with many applications, the process of learning to draw and think in graphic terms is integrated into all art and design classes, which enriches the potential for artistic production overall.


Drawing courses are offered at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Upper level courses foster experimentation and invention.   Throughout the program students are exposed to classical and contemporary examples at on- and off-campus art exhibitions.

Drawing is available for all BA, BFA, MA and MFA students.

Drawing Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility


Curriculum and Courses


Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Filmmaking

Filmmaking Area Coordinator:
Prof. Anthony Pemberton
973.655.7200


The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking is a pre-professional program through which undergraduate students create their own films and actively participate in all aspects of the filmmaking medium. Students are encouraged to develop their own creative voices by producing works in the various genres of narrative, documentary and experimental films, culminating in a thesis project in one of these categories. Students also develop fluency in filmmaking crafts such as editing, cinematography, sound recording, screenwriting and producing. Our goal is to continually intertwine the program with the filmmaking industry by hiring working professionals and through special seminars, visiting lecturers and internships. The program is supported by a strong foundation in the liberal arts and humanities.

Filmmaking is available as a BFA concentration and as a minor.

Filmmaking Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

Film Forum

Top 10 Reasons to enroll in MSU's Filmmaking Program:

  1. Located 14 miles west of New York City. (The train and bus stops directly on campus.)
  2. Small classes.
  3. A faculty of professional filmmakers and artists.
  4. Up-to-date practices; industry and alternative forms.
  5. Tuition is less than 1/3 of that of many schools. (You will save money to spend on your films.)
  6. Excellent internship possibilities.
  7. More credits within your concentration than at many schools.
  8. Courses in the humanities to inform your art.
  9. Current film industry standard equipment and software, including Arriflex Cameras, Panasonic 24P Cameras, 16mm & DVCAM, AVID, FINAL CUT HD.
  10. And there is no waiting list for a camera.


Curriculum and Courses

The BFA Filmmaking curriculum consists of 128 total credits , which include courses in general studies, art and design, and a mandatory 64 credits in filmmaking and film studies.

Undergraduate Curriculum

In addition to the BFA major in Filmmaking, MSU offers a minor in film/video and also a major in Broadcasting.


Admission Requirements

See Filmmaking requirements on Department Admission page.

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Graphic Design

Graphic Design Program Director:
Prof. John Luttropp
973.655.4163


Graphic Design at MSU focuses on the development of verbal, mechanical and technical skills as they relate to the creative process of this far-reaching profession. Within a broad foundation in design, composition and color use, students are taught the principles of graphic design through type and image selection and use; making professional visual presentations; color selection and application; along with the computer skills necessary for proper design execution and production. Elective courses in multimedia and Web design round out the student's understanding of the field. Concept development and design skills are emphasized throughout the program, along with the visual communication skills needed to prepare content and imagery for print, multimedia, or the Web. Graphic Design is the largest area of specialization within the Department of Art & Design, with an enrollment of approximately 150 students. Class size varies between 20 students for introductory courses down to an average of 12 students for advanced level study.

Graphic Design is available for BA and BFA students as a specialization within the Studio concentration. It is also offered as a more intensified BFA major. Download our pdf to learn more about the major as a supplement to the information below.

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

What Makes a Good Graphic Design Student?

Students who succeed in graphic design are interested in the visual world around them. They enjoy looking at billboards, magazines, books, posters, advertisements and other forms of graphic communication. The look, feel and choice of message in each design captures their attention as much as the product being marketed. Graphic design involves research, development and refinement of ideas; clear communication with clients and manufacturers; as well as a keen business sense. Successful graphic design students are good at managing their time and making sure all the details of a project come together. Since graphic design is both a business and an art form, good graphic designers are able to balance the two worlds by creating work that satisfies their own aesthetics and their client's needs.


Careers

Some areas in which graphic designers work include

  • Advertising
  • Book Cover Design
  • Corporate Communications
  • Digital Design
  • Educational and Non-profit Design
  • Environmental Design
  • Exhibition Design
  • Film and Video Game Title Design
  • Interactive Design for Web Sites, Video Games and Computer Displays
  • Logo, Identity and Brand Design
  • Magazine and Book Design
  • Map, Chart and Graph Design
  • Package Design
  • Product Graphics
  • Retail Design
  • Television Graphics
  • Type Design


Graphic Design Faculty

In addition to full- and part-time professional graphic design faculty, students are exposed to a wide range of internationally recognized graphic designers through class visits to graphic design studios and through MSU's Art Forum Lecture Series. Speakers have included Jan Wilker, Stefan Sagmeister, Robert Valentine, Alexander Isley, Emily Oberman, Andrew Byrom and Paula Scher.


Curriculum and Courses

Students can specialize in Graphic Design as part of the BA or BFA concentration curriculums. In the BA program, students are provided with an overview of the graphic design process as part of their liberal arts program. In the BFA, students develop a more comprehensive understanding of the discipline and a portfolio of work to begin a career in the graphic design industry. It is recommended that all students wishing to pursue a career in graphic design apply to the BFA program, while those less sure of their career plans after graduation or planning on pursuing a graduate degree in a field other than the arts complete the requirements for the BA degree.

Admission Requirements

See Undergraduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Illustration

Illustration/Animation Area Coordinator:
Prof. Scott Gordley
973.655.4140


The Illustration specialization at MSU is an innovative, interdisciplinary program balancing traditional forms of creative storytelling with state-of-the-art technology.  This approach prepares students for intellectually and aesthetically challenging careers in areas such as advertising, book and editorial illustration, comic and children's book art, as well as studies in 2-D and 3-D animation*. The goal of the program is for students to create work with a personal voice that resonates with and comments upon contemporary culture.  Successful illustrators are visually and intellectually literate and have highly developed observation, communication, drawing and painting skills. Combining those skills often with digital image-making, they create visual narratives which may translate additionally for use in magazines, graphic novels, corporate publications, websites, and gaming.  The range of possibilities and opportunities are extensive.

 

Illustration students at MSU develop many techniques essential to the discipline as well as a facility in using brush and pen, color and line. In addition they learn the principles of visual computing and incorporate materials including gouache, pastel, ink, oils, watercolor and collage. Upon graduation, you will produce a portfolio of work that includes several techniques and expressive mediums and tells a story of your work at Montclair.

   "It's not just about taking a few figure drawing classes or being a whiz-bang comic book illustrator, or being computer savvy-although those are really wonderful skills to have. As an illustrator, concept artist, or animator you need to have breadth and depth, which is something that I find many of the school programs lacking." 

Prof. Scott Gordley, Coordinator

 

Illustration is available as a specialization for BA and BFA students.
*note: MSU also offers a more intensive major in  Animation/Illustration, apart from the Illustration specialization.


Illustration Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

Curriculum and Courses

Admission Requirements

See undergraduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Industrial Design

Industrial Design Program Coordinator:
Prof. Denis Feigler Ph.D.
973.655.2091


The BFA in the Industrial Design porgram focuses on the design and development of consumer products in virtually all areas of human activity, determining the look, shape, material and color of just about every manufactured object with which we work, play, and interact in our daily lives. Aesthetic appearance and functional efficiency are key in this discipline. Beyond their visual appearance, professionally designed products also have to be functional and satisfying to use, so industrial designers must be able to work in teams with other professionals to achieve their goals. Industrial design is an interdisciplinary profession that requires both a knowledge of not only art and design but an expertise in areas such as ergonomics, mechanics, psychology, sociology and business. It is the art and science involved in the creation of machine-made products.

Industrial Design Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

Careers

Some areas where industrial designers may work include

  • automotive design
  • home appliances
  • office equipment
  • furniture
  • medical equipment
  • communication
  • tools
  • machinery
  • packaging
  • toy and gaming industry

After graduation some students also proceed with professional careers in display and exhibit design.


Curriculum and Courses

Industrial Design at MSU is an intensive 128-credit undergraduate BFA program designed to develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills in relation to optimizing the aesthetic, technological and human aspects of industrial design. The progressive NASAD-certified curriculum supports design education through solid grounding of all aspects of the design process.

Housed in newly renovated studios, the program is a constantly developing entity within the university's trendsetting framework, focusing on research and concept development, with interdisciplinary courses using experiment and intuition in regard to general social conditions. The I.D. curriculum and courses reflect the highest standards of the profession and most up-to-date teaching methodologies.

Admission Requirements

See undergraduate Industrial Design requirements on Department Admission page.

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Metalwork & Jewelry

Metalwork & Jewelry Program Coordinator:
Dr. Robert Browning
973.655.4167

Metalwork and Jewelry focuses on metal process proficiency development and expansion of the student's skill palette to positively affect their work. Students learn traditional processes such as fabrication, forging, fastening, stone setting, chasing, repousse and lost-wax casting. Whether the art is functional or non-functional, concept development and design skills are necessary to the creation of a wearable or decorative work of art.

The program allows students great freedom in producing works ranging in size from jewelry and functional objects to small-scale sculptures. Students choose a direction that best complements their professional goals. Through the development of self-expression, students develop work reflective of unique tastes, interests and sensibilities.

MA students with a Jewelry background work in the media of their choice and have separate work spaces available for their use. They may take regular Metalwork and Jewelry classes if they wish or work on a closely supervised independent study basis.

MFA students are further encouraged to explore metalwork in conjunction with their mixed media and interdisciplinary work. Students should review the MFA program information for a fuller explanation of general requirements for that degree.

The Metalwork & Jewelry program is ideal for students who are intensely curious, highly motivated and who enjoy stretching the boundaries of the medium. While jewelry-making and metalsmithing are starting points in the program, additional options are possible for students with expanded interests. Students are supported by an internationally recognized faculty committed to the development of individuality and excellence in design.

Metalwork & Jewelry is available for BA, BFA, MA and MFA students.

Metalwork and Jewelry Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

Curriculum and Courses

Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Painting

Painting Area Coordinator:
Prof. Peter Barnet
973.655.7281

The Painting program at Montclair State University fosters individual development and expression.  In Painting Beg I students are introduced to the fundamentals of painting including a familiarity with materials and media.  After an initial immersion into the basics of paint application, compositional spatial organization, modeling of form, and expressive paint handling, students are encouraged to use these skills to explore ideas and freely experiment with a range of techniques and processes.  The use of materials, media, concepts, ideas, and approaches are presented and explored through slide lectures, discussions, demonstrations, readings, and class trips to many Metropolitan area galleries and museums. 

As students move through the Painting program, they are introduced to and encouraged to explore in greater depth a wide variety of media, including oil, acrylic, tempera, and watercolor, as well as techniques that link painting to printmaking, papermaking, photography, sculpture and multi-media.  Ideas about painting are analyzed within the context of artists' works from diverse genres, historical periods and cultures, with a particular emphasis on the contemporary art scene.  Through an energetic atmosphere and individualized attention, students are encouraged to find their own personal voices as expressive artists.

Painting is available for BA, BFA, MA and MFA students.

Painting Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility


Curriculum and Courses

Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.


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Photography



Photography Area Coordinator:
Prof. Klaus Schnitzer
973.655.4320


Photography (digital and analog)is a distinct specialization within the BA, BFA, MA and MFA programs in the Department of Art & Design. An internationally recognized faculty, guest speakers and workshop presenters (Mac Adams, Zeke Berpman, Peter Bunnel, A.D. Coleman, Gregory Crewdson, Larry Fink, Emmet Gowin, Ralph Gibson, Ed Kashi, Duane Michals, Andrea Modica, Laurie Novak, Sylvia Plachy, Susan Sontag, Jan Staller, Jerry Uelsman, William Wegman, etc.) have been and continue to be committed to the development of individual creative potential. Our program's focus is on the development of a solid foundation in photography, both technical and aesthetic. The goal is to graduate critical thinkers, equally at home in the arts as well as in the world of professional photography.

Students are exposed to the full range of traditional photography, from 35 mm to 8 x 10 imaging, and the digital field, including software, color management and output, with an emphasis on visual literacy and personal vision. Our program offers an introduction to Commercial Photography with many studio visits, encompassing various areas of specialization. Non-traditional photography (platinum/palladium printing, cyanotype, Woodburytype, etc.), using computer-generated or wet negatives, is also available.

The wide range of courses in photography gives students great freedom in exploring and developing individual interests. Expert guidance helps them realize their professional goals.

Photography Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

Curriculum and Courses

Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Printmaking


Printmaking Area Coordinator:
Prof. Catherine Bebout
973.655.7286


Students in the Printmaking program at MSU engage in a rigorous exploration into the means, methods and practices of image making, and develop a solid foundation in technical, conceptual and critical approaches. Students experiment as well as challenge the limitations of both conventional and digital printmaking practices to express their ideas and realize their visions. Instruction through introductory and upper-level courses emphasizes non-toxic methods and emerging technologies. Courses include Intaglio, Lithography, Monotype/Monoprint, Serigraphy, and Relief Printmaking, along with Photo-polymer, Photo Silkscreen, Photo Lithography, Digital Media, and Book Arts.

Printmaking is available for BA, BFA, MA and MFA students.

Printmaking Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility


Curriculum and Courses

Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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Sculpture

Sculpture Area Coordinator:
Prof. Walter Swales
973.655.7265

 
The activities of the Sculpture specialization at MSU are dedicated to facilitating the making of sculpture in concert with an understanding of the intellectual, cultural, historical and technological environments that comprise the ground for artmaking. Introductory courses explore fundamental issues in sculpture, criticism, art history, and safe studio practices. Upper level courses enhance aspects of the foundation experience and focus on the student's developing viewpoint about art and its relationship to one's personal, cultural and historical reality. Upper level students and sculpture majors are encouraged to explore issues seminal to their individual interests on an independent study basis. Sculpture students on all levels are expected to think and work diligently and commit themselves fully to the notion that art has import in their lives. Sculpture is a provocative and rewarding profession/ adventure, however demanding.

The sculpture studio is open for individual use when classes are not in session. Technical assistants are available to help during open studio hours.

Sculpture is available for BA, BFA, MA and MFA students.

Sculpture Faculty

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility


Curriculum and Courses


Admission Requirements

See undergraduate or graduate Studio requirements on Department Admission page.

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ADDITIONAL STUDIO COURSES

Apart from the specializations, the Department of Art & Design offers courses in additional studio and non-studio subjects, including Art Therapy, Papermaking

 

Papermaking

Papermaking Contact:
Prof. Eileen Foti
973.655.4449

Papermaking courses explore innovative creations and uses of paper as a singular medium and in combination with others.  In addition, emphasis is placed on studying contemporary artists and issues pertaining to hand papermaking today, as well as on historical information and examples.  A wide variety of 2D, 3D, and artist's book techniques are covered, including the harvesting of plant fibers indigenous to New Jersey.  Both western and eastern styles of papermaking are introduced.  International visiting artists present their work to classes each semester, and students are introduced to papermills and exhibitions in NYC.  Printmaking, sculpture, and fibers students are especially encouraged to enroll in papermaking courses.

Papermaking classes are open to BFA, BA, MFA, and MA students , as well as to students in non-arts majors who want to fulfill an arts or humanities requirement.

Gallery of Student Work

Studio Facility

Papermaking Course Descriptions (Select "Art & Design/Papermaking")

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