Studio Art: Painting & Drawing

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Studio Art: Painting & Drawing Degree

If even your doodles blow your friends away, you may have a gift the world needs. Whether you’ve been dreaming of a career in illustration or the finest of fine arts, you can cultivate your talent at Susquehanna University.

Start right away developing your distinctive personal style. You will master a broad foundation of skills with a special focus on one technique or medium. By studying art history and contemporary art, you’ll come to understand where your vision fits in a broader context. You’ll see yourself in conversation with the past, present and future of visual arts. Make yourself at home and get inspired in our dedicated studio building for drawing, painting and printmaking. As you build your body of work, you’ll have plenty of chances to exhibit your paintings and drawings and receive feedback from faculty, peers and art world professionals.

Get paid for getting real-world experience by taking advantage of studio assistantships that build networks and give you experience managing a professional creative space. Your senior year you will mount a public exhibition of your work in the Lore Degenstein Gallery and you’ll experience what it’s like to showcase your work in a professional gallery with museum standards. With a degree in painting and drawing from Susquehanna, you’ll make a strong candidate for a Master of Fine Arts program or for a job opening as a gallery or museum employee, art buyer, corporate consultant or professional artist or illustrator. You’ll be on your way to helping the world see with fresh eyes.

department of art and design

AT SUSQUEHANNA, THE ARTISTIC POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS

Explore the vibrant community of artists who enjoy creating in our state-of-the-art facilities and mentorship from esteemed faculty members.

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A person with headphones sits at an easel, focused on sketching in a notebook with a pencil. There is another easel and artist in the background. The setting appears to be an art studio with large windows.

95%

of students study abroad

99%

of students receive financial aid through academic merit scholarships and need-based grants

24/7

Access to state-of-the-art design labs

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Program Resources

ARTS 111

Foundations of Art I

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of two-dimensional artwork. Emphasizes the exploration of a variety of artistic media, development of creative concepts, and understanding of form and composition. Required as a beginning course for all art and graphic design majors. 4 SH.

ARTS 112

Foundations of Art II

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of three-dimensional artwork. Emphasizes conceptual expression, as well as understanding of the physical world of form, space and texture as related to art objects. 4 SH.

ARTS 113

Drawing

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of drawing. Focuses on visual perception and delineation incorporating traditional and nontraditional drawing media. Also addresses life drawing and conceptual expression. 4 SH.

ARTS 221

Painting

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of painting. Focuses on understanding color, composition, light, illusion, abstraction and other visual expressions using oil and/or acrylic paint. Prerequisite: ARTS-111. 4 SH.

ARTS 231

Printmaking

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of printmaking. Focuses on aesthetic intentions and techniques of producing multiple prints through various processes such as woodcut, linocut, monotype, collagraph and etching. Prerequisite: ARTS-111. 4 SH.

ARTS 241

Black and White Photography

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of black and white photography. Focuses on the fundamentals of observation, composition, camera use and darkroom work, including film processing and printing. Requires a 35mm camera (SLR) with manual override. 4 SH.

ARTS 243

Digital Photography

Introduces the principles, theories and aesthetics of digital photography. Focuses on the fundamentals of observation, composition and camera use, as well as digital image manipulation and printing using computer software. Requires a minimum 5-megapixel digital camera. 4 SH.

ARTS 244

Advanced Photography

Advanced course that expands upon the principles, theories and aesthetics of photography and photographic processes introduced in ARTD-241 or ARTD-243. Requires a 35mm camera (SLR) with manual override or a 5-megapixel digital camera. Prerequisite: ARTS-243. 4 SH.

ARTS 314

Topics in Studio Arts

This course will vary in content with each offering as areas of particular relevance in studio art are explored. Each course title under this offering will bear a specific subtitle indicating the content to be presented. May be repeated with permission of the department head when course content changes. Prerequisite: ARTS-111. 4 SH.

ARTS 341

Topics in Photography

This course will vary in content with each offering as areas of particular relevance in photography are explored. The course will require either a 35mm SLR camera with manual override or a 5-megapixel minimum digital camera, depending on the nature of the course topic. Each course title under this offering will bear a specific subtitle indicating the content to be presented. May be repeated with permission of the department head when course content changes. Prerequisite: ARTS-243. 4 SH.

ARTS 400

Independent Study

1-4

Independent work in advanced studio art or graphic design projects with faculty supervision and guidance. (May be repeated.) Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and department head’s permission. 1-4 SH.

ARTS 402

Senior Portfolio and Exhibition

Required capstone course for studio art majors, to be taken during the senior year. Students will complete a cohesive body of artwork and exhibit to the public. Students will work with a faculty member to select and professionally present their art, write an artist statement and produce an exhibition catalog and announcement. Prerequisite: Senior standing. 4 SH. Capstone. CC: Team Intensive.

ARTS 404

Internship

1-4

Internships offer a valuable experience for all art department majors and are traditionally taken during the summer between the junior and senior years or during the academic year. Art history majors may work with a museum, gallery or other art institution; studio art majors may intern at professional studios, galleries or museums; and graphic design majors normally take internships with design firms or advertising agencies. Some interns work for the university’s Lore Degenstein Gallery. Prerequisite: Department head’s permission.

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s).

Learning Goals

Studio Art majors will prepare a cohesive body of work that demonstrates artistic proficiency and/or professional competency, in either painting and drawing, or photography.
Studio Art majors can clearly and critically articulate the formal and conceptual aspects of their work relative to their educational experience.
Studio Art majors will understand how to navigate professional activities in preparation for a career in the arts.

Double-counting rules within the department of Art & Design

Students may double count 16 SH BA to BA.
Students may double count 8 SH department minor to BA or BFA.
Students may double count 4 SH department minor to department minor.
Students may not have a photography minor and a studio art major.
Students may not have a BA and BFA within the department.

Double-counting restriction

Students in the Art and Design Department may, with department head approval, complete more than one major and/or minor in the department.

Departmental Honors

The department awards honors status for graduation for students receiving a 3.70 or higher GPA in the studio art, graphic design or art history major.

Off-Campus Study

Junior and senior studio art and art history majors are encouraged to spend a semester studying away from campus as part of the university’s GO program. Susquehanna studio art and art history majors have access to art centers all over Europe, particularly in London, Florence, the south of France and Paris. A liberal arts program at Regent’s College in London is one of the special programs available to art majors. Others may choose extended off-campus study in New York or Washington, D.C. This experience enriches the artistic spirit and opens up avenues for future careers. Students with modern language interests can combine language and art studies abroad.

Art History, Studio Art and Graphic Design Internships

The department encourages its majors to complete internships, which provide a valuable introduction to the professional art world. Studio art and art history majors typically complete internships at museums and galleries, while graphic design majors are expected to pursue internships at design firms, publishing houses and advertising agencies. All students may receive major credit for approved internships.

Major in Studio Art

The Bachelor of Arts in studio art requires 46 semester hours of art department courses with grades of C- or better.

20 General Requirements

4 ARTH-101 Introduction to World Art I: Prehistory to 1400
4 ARTH-102 Introduction to World Art II: 15th to 20th Century
4 ARTS-111 Foundations of Art I
4 ARTH-300 or higher Art History Elective
4 ARTS-402 Senior Portfolio

6 Art Electives:

Choose 6 semester hours from art department courses.
Additional independent study and internship credits are applicable.

Painting and Drawing Concentration: 20 hours

4 ARTS-112 Foundations of Art II
4 ARTS-113 Drawing
4 ARTS-221 Painting
4 ARTS-314 Topics in Studio Art
4 ARTS-400 Independent Study (combination of two- or four-semester-hour sections)

Minor in Studio Art

The studio art minor requires 20 semester hours in art department courses with grades of C- or above. Required courses are ARTH-1ARTH01 Introduction to World Art I or ARTH-102 Introduction to World Art II; ARTS-111 Foundations of Art I; ARTS-113 Drawing; and eight additional semester hours of art department electives.

“In each class, we create our own portfolio. All the work is compiled, and you can continue to add to your personal portfolio over time. My major provides valuable experiences, where I’m trying different mediums and learning styles through a variety of courses. This is very helpful for developing a portfolio.”

— Lance Latchford ’26

Studio Art: Painting & Drawing

from easel to exhibition

WORLD-CLASS ART EXHIBITS ON CAMPUS

From its annual Figurative Drawing and Painting Exhibition, to spectacular sculptures, to pop-culture posters, Lore Degenstein Gallery hosts four professional art shows each year. Additionally, students have the opportunity to display work in a solo show or to curate a traveling exhibit.

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