Why study at USI?
- Small class sizes 10-20
- Fully engaged faculty – Teaching university vs. Research university
- Faculty that are current in their profession/artist practice
- State-of-the-art facilities with flexible access
- Smaller price tag
- Space to work in early in art/design studies
- Many scholarship and internship opportunities across the degree
Why study Art & Design?
- Fulfill your creative potential
- Work alongside and get to know other creative individuals
- Learn cutting edge and innovative technical and conceptual skills
- Study with active professional designers and artists
- Define and solve problems critically and holistically
- Create in first-rate labs and studios
- Explore art history and contemporary art
- Prepare for a satisfying and fulfilling (awesome!) career
- Love what you do for the rest of your life!
How can a degree in Art & Design lead to career success?
- A 2013 survey of CEOs by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that 74 percent said they would recommend a 21st-century liberal education. They are specifically interested in hiring creative thinkers.
- Businesses are in need of creative people. The MFA is being called the new MBA.
- Numerous studies have shown that studying art makes you smarter
- Art students develop cognitive abilities and forms of intelligence that complement training in other disciplines
- In 2013, Inside Higher Education found that businesses prefer to hire applicants with liberal arts degrees
- Entrepreneur magazine recently reported that companies are looking to hire artists to make sense of the "increasing complexity" in business environments
- Art helps the economy. Community arts organizations help create local jobs and lead to economic prosperity
Specific program requirements can be found in the Academic Bulletin or via the tiles on the Art & Design main page.
Art history is a multidisciplinary field that immerses students in the study of diverse works of art and architecture and the cultures—past, present, geographically close and distant—that produced these works. Students will learn to use models of problem-solving from the past to find solutions for today’s challenges—aesthetic, social, and environmental.
Two years of a world language (or equivalent placement test) are strongly recommended for any student planning on attending graduate school for art history.
The graphic design emphasis and graphic design minor develop creative individuals who think conceptually and critically. It provides students with the technical skills to produce effective visual communication. Students learn to use industry-standard software and technologies to design logos, visual identity systems, promotional materials (such as posters, flyers, and brochures), multi-page publications (such as books, newsletters, and magazines), and more for print or digital media.
Illustration emphasis students develop both the technical and creative skills needed to be visual storytellers. Coursework in drawing, digital illustration techniques, and visual narrative enable students to explore and develop individual artistic styles and vision for sequential illustrations, 3D graphics, technical illustrations, and concept illustrations.
The interactive media design emphasis focuses on designing technology based on the needs of end users for mobile devices and web applications. Students build skills in design system, media products, and web design to integrate into the expanding areas of animation, immersive artworks, web-based and platform-specific apps, game design, motion design, user interface (UI) design and user experience (UX) design. Students will learn design processes and the methods involved in aesthetics, motion, sound, space, and technology-mediated experiences. These skills allow students to design and create participatory user experiences through a range of digital and computer-based interfaces.
The photography emphasis and photography minor provide students with a thorough photographic education that encompasses both technical and conceptual pictorial concerns. Students establish a comprehensive understanding of the photographic medium through the study of analog and digital processes, while bolstering critical thinking and communication skills in a series of studio electives and required coursework.
The studio emphasis and minor immerse students in the creation and understanding of artworks. Students can choose to concentrate in ceramics, drawing, jewelry, painting, printmaking, sculpture, or woodworking. Each area focuses on teaching critical thinking skills, crafting tangible objects (both functional and non-functional), and offers concrete skills in professional practice. The curriculum also allows for cross-disciplinary exploration and collaborative work, which ultimately make students better artists and visual communicators.
The art education program (Visual Arts Teaching major) prepares students to teach in elementary and secondary schools. In coordination with licensure programs in the Teacher Education Department, coursework addresses pedagogical issues in teaching art, as well as provides a strong background in areas such as 2D and 3D art fundamentals, drawing, studio art, and art history.
- Students wishing to be certified to teach art at all grade levels should complete the visual art P-12 teaching major with the P-12 education licensure minor. Additional admission requirements through the Teacher Education Department may apply.
- Students planning to teach art in elementary schools (pre-kindergarten through grade six) should complete the art teaching minor. Teacher licensure should be completed through a major in early childhood education, elementary education or special education, offered through the Teacher Education Department.
This is only a short list of skills you can gain as you study Art & Design:
- Analyzing artworks through direct observation
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Conceptual and critical thinking skills
- Conducting research
- Creating professional presentations
- Creative solutions to complex problems, and understanding the importance of the user and user experience for service design
- Design and prototyping for a range of platforms including mobile, web, and tangible systems such as wearables and connected products
- Developing organizational and writing skills
- Development of individual artistic styles and vision for media
- Digital portfolio preparation
- Gallery installation and realization of artworks
- Handling and working with historical artifacts
- Knowledge of how to submit artworks for juried exhibitions/grants/residencies
- Knowledge of UX history/Interaction Design, practices, methodologies, and project-based applications
- Organizational and writing skills
- Preparing visual data creation and searches
- Proficiency with industry-standard software and technology
- Skills in the use of contemporary tools and equipment.
- Synthesizing information into written and oral formats
- Technical and conceptual skills in your chosen media
- The ability to critically observe/evaluate your own work and the work of others
- Verbal presentation skills including timed presentations with the use of appropriate images
- Visual storytelling
- Gain exhibition experience in the Student Gallery, the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, Senior Seminar Exhibitions, and the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art BG Projects
- Gain real-world experience in curation, collections management, and gallery operations through the James A. Sanders Fellowship
- Gain real-world experience through internships with companies and organizations such as Berry Plastics, Tucker Publishing, and local media groups
- Interact with visiting artists and designers
- National and international art related travel opportunities
- Network through Evansville Design Group (founded by USI design professors)
- Network with alumni in charge of local design businesses and organizations
3D Animator, 3D Modeler, Advertising Artist, Animator, App Designer or Developer, Art Acquisition Specialist, Art Agent, Art Director, Art Instructor, Art Specialist, Audiovisual Specialist, Billboard Artist, Book Designer, Book Jacket Designer, CAD Designer, Cartoonist, CD/Record Cover Designer, Children's Book Illustrator, Collection Manager, Comic Strip Artist, Corporate Designer, Creative Director, Custom Decorator, Digital Artist, Editorial Designer, Event Manager, Exhibit Designer, Fashion Designer, Flatware Designer, Floral Designer, Freelance Artist, Front-End Web Developer, Furniture Designer, Gallery Director, Gallery Manager, Game Designer, Graphic Designer, Graphic Novelist, Greeting Card Artist, Illustrator, Information Architect, Instructional Systems Designer, Interaction Designer, Interactive Art Director, Interior Designer, Jewelry Designer, Letterer, Medical Illustrator, Mobile/Responsive Designer, Motion Designer, Multimedia Designer, Museum Designer, Museum Manager, Package Designer, Photographer, Picture Framer, Portrait Artist, Potter, Production Artist, Production Coordinator, Production Potter, Professor of Art/Art History, Publisher, Set Designer, Special Effects Artist or Designer, Stylist, Tattoo Artist, Technical Illustrator, Textile Designer, TV Graphic Designer, User Experience (UX) Designer, User Interface (UI) Designer, Video Producer, Visual Designer, Web Designer
- Andrea Adams (’12), Communications and Gallery Coordinator, Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, Evansville
- Lauren Braun (’09), Coordinator, Discovery Place KIDS, Huntersville, North Carolina
- Allison Brown-Dillingham (’10), Guest Services Manager, Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville
- Roxanne Burton (’12), Graduate student for Curatorial Practice, California College of the Arts; Gallery guide, Oakland Museum of California
- Guisela Latorre (’93), Associate Professor, Women’s, Gender, Sexuality Studies, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- Ethan O’Nan (’12), Graduate student for Master of Liberal Studies, University of Southern Indiana; Administrative Associate, Publishing Services (USI)
- Matt Rowe (’05), Executive Director, Reitz Home Museum, Evansville
- Ashten Stenftenagel (’10), Deputy Clerk, City of Evansville
- Shawn Collins, Founder and CEO at the EXTEND GROUP
- DeWayne Esson, Brand Innovation Lead, DHG Healthcare, Dixon Hughes Goodman
- Bryan Horstman, Art Director at Gray Loon Marketing Group, Inc.
- Hannah Jay, Art Director at Tucker Publishing Group
- Kyle Kress, Software Engineer at Entangled Media
- Zachary Moore, Senior Graphic Designer at Berry Plastics
- Daniel Osborne, Art Director and Graphic Designer, Oswald Communications
- Brad Reinhart, Founder 67 Studios
- Amanda Schmitt, Associate Director of Design and Marketing at CP Handheld
- Kristina Arwood, Marketing Coordinator for the USI College of Liberal Arts
- Brian Scroggins, Creative Director, Kitch and Schrieber
- Leyna Seaton, Graphic Designer at Berry Plastics
- Jennifer Stilwell, Associate Product Manager, Foodservice at Berry Plastics
- Melissa Sybert, Production Artist at Berry Plastics
- Heather Vaught, Owner at Steadfast Media
- Paul Van Hoy, Owner Fotoimpressions, Author at Amerst Media
- Jessica Simpson, Graphic Designer, Owensboro Messenger Inquirer
- Hannah Jay, Digital Media Sales, Evansville Courier & Press
- Matt Koewler, Visualization Specialist & Graphic Designer, Hafer & Associates
- Carey L. Blackmore, Graphic Designer at Indiana University
- Jonathan Patterson, Freelance graphic designer & illustrator
- Matthew Gehring ‘98 is an Associate Professor of Art, Sculpture and Three-Dimensional Design at SUNY Suffolk.
- Shannon Corrigan ‘91 directed the Emmanuel Gallery, a tri-institutional campus exhibition space in Denver, CO from 2005-2014.
- Brock Flamion ‘08 & Lisa Booe ’08 run a successful pottery studio in Asheville, NC.
- Ben T. Clarkson ‘09 is a wwoodworker / designer at Three Tree Studio in Indianapolis, IN.
- Donald Stahlke ‘92 received a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) award. He has been a resident at the Kohler Arts Program for Ceramics and at Long Island University’s summer Program for Painting and Printmaking. He exhibits nationally, and is an Exceptional Needs Instructor.
- Nick Jay ‘13 is a designer/fabricator at 1220 Exhibits in Nashville, TN.
- Heather DeLonga ‘09 is a sculptor represented by the Bronx Zoo Gallery, NY and by Revolver SF in San Francisco, CA.
- Ben Sutter ‘09, is a successful independent artist who has several large-scale public commissions in Indiana and Florida.
- Jonathon Goebel ’00 is a printmaker and Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI.
- Hyeryun Park ‘11 is an Office Operations manager at the Guna Foundation, a non-profit documentary film studio in Berkeley, CA.
- Laura Walker ‘05 is the Federal Programs Project Coordinator for the city of Salem, Oregon.
- Melanie Scott Dockery ‘97 is an exhibiting painter and Adjunct Art Faculty member at Heartland Community College in Normal, IL.
- Sara Rapee ’06 owns and manages her own jewelry business, Sara Rapee Designs.
- Hannah Bailey ‘11 is the Gallery Curator at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY.
- Liz Furhman-Bragg ’01 is Registrar of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science.
- Kyle Fitzgerald ‘10 owns Fitzgerald Lunch House in Indianapolis and a practicing artist.
- Nick Mason ’08 owns and operates his own pottery business, selling his work regionally, nationally, and through the American Craft Council Wholesale Show.