The Art Department offers an integrated program of study in theory and practice exploring the power of visual communication for personal expression and public interaction. The department provides students with the means to pursue this exploration through courses that provide the practical hands-on learning skills for art production in a variety of media within the contexts of critical thinking and broad-based social perspectives.

The art program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is composed of courses in drawing, animation, painting, photography, sculpture, print media, intermedia, critical theory, media art, public art, environmental art, and social practice art. The Baskin visual arts studios provide world-class facilities for art production in these areas. The Art Department is committed to pursuing a continuing dialogue about what constitutes basic preparation in the arts while offering students experience in established practices, new genres, and new technologies.

The Art Department teaches diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as essential to an art education through creativity, innovation, and problem-solving that is inclusive of a diversity of voices, perspectives and experiences. DEI is woven throughout our curriculum to deepen the educational experience and broaden the artistic environment preparing students for creative participation in a multicultural world. The Art Department fosters a community ethos and environment with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion among all faculty, staff and students. The department embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion and anti-racism as core values by actively opposing all forms of discrimination.

The bachelor of arts degree prepares students for dynamic careers within the visual arts. As a graduate from the program, students go on to pursue careers as professional practicing artists, as well as in arts education, arts management, art direction, social design, web design, photography, social practice and environmental art, curation and consulting, multimedia, illustration, animation, among other arts-related fields. Many of our students continue to study art and professional practices in graduate and post-graduate programs.

Mga Resulta ng Pagkatuto ng Programa

Students who earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art will gain the skills, knowledge, and understanding that will enable them to:

✔ Demonstrate proficiency in a range of techniques and media;

✔ Demonstrate the ability to imagine, create and resolve a work of art incorporating research with an awareness of contemporary and historical practices, approaches and cultural perspectives;

✔ Demonstrate the ability to discuss and revise their own and other students’ artistic process and production based on a foundation in forms and ideas with a knowledge of diversity through multiple historical and contemporary contexts, cultural perspectives and approaches;

✔ Demonstrate the ability to communicate in writing analysis of a work of art using vocabulary that reflects a foundational knowledge in the diversity of forms and ideas encompassing multiple historical and contemporary contexts, cultural perspectives and approaches.