Oakland University (The Department of Art and Art History )

About The Department

Art is a significant avenue through which human beings experience the world. Art is a measure of its times, a mirror, providing reflections of civilization that can be enlightening and insightful; disturbing and ironic; provocative and critical. Art of the past embodies a vital, visual connection with social, political, and cultural history, while contemporary art is a visceral testament to our moment in time. As aesthetic and intellectual disciplines, the studies of art history and studio art have the power to change our perception of the world.

The study of art history, by its nature, is an interdisciplinary endeavor, encompassing diverse areas of the humanities. It draws upon political, economic, social, religious, and intellectual history as well as aspects of the natural sciences. Through emphasis on analysis and scholarly criticism, the art history curriculum provides an excellent foundation in the visual arts of both western and non-western cultures. Critical thinking and writing is a cornerstone of the art history program, with the aim that students acquire a sense of the various methodologies and theoretical issues that characterize the discipline itself.

Studies in art and art history require a high level of critical thinking and intellectual inquiry, as well as social, cultural, aesthetic and ideological exploration. Our goal as a department is to produce articulate, knowledgeable graduates in studio art and art history, whose highly developed communication skills and creative problem solving abilities give them confidence, insight and skills to further their careers. Our majors go on in the field both through further study in graduate school, and in such careers as artists, arts administration in museums and the public sector, art conservation, and in the wide range of careers which value the creative problem solving abilities gained in the study and practice of art.

The Department also includes the Oakland University Art Gallery, an important center for visual arts in the Detroit metropolitan area. OUAG emphasizes both contemporary art and art historical exhibitions, which offer direct engagement with coursework in both studio art and art history. In addition, the close association with the gallery provides students hands-on experience in aspects of gallery and museum work, and allows for interaction with artists themselves. The gallery also offers graduating art students the opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional environment, through the thesis exhibition that is the culmination of studio art degree studies. OUAG is also a crucial educational element in the life of the department, the university and the community, through publication of extensive catalogs which offer both a visual record and a critical study of the exhibitions, and through a diverse schedule of artists' lectures, gallery talks and symposia. Departmental programs also include group visits to the Detroit Institute of Arts and to other public and private art collections in metropolitan Detroit, and study of the paintings and decorative art objects at Meadow Brook Hall.



The Department of Art and Art History at Oakland University offers B.A. degrees in Art History and Studio Art, as well as minors in both fields. Concentrations within Studio Art include drawing, painting and photography, and new media. Students can also earn a B.A. in Studio Art with a certification in K-12 Art Education.

The department's curriculum encompasses both artmaking as an aesthetic expression of intellectual vision, and contextual study and research into the exceptional range of aesthetic expression throughout history. Majors and non-majors can develop their knowledge and understanding of the history of the visual arts, gain a solid grounding in aesthetic and critical theory, develop technical skills in a variety of artistic media, and expand their abilities to conceptualize and communicate their own vision through aesthetic means.



Studio Art
Studio Art is an academic discipline that embraces both visual communication and the aesthetic expression of an intellectual vision. Studio Art majors and non-majors receive thorough technical and aesthetic training in drawing, painting, photography, video and digital media. Majors in studio art or K-12 art education may specialize in drawing, painting, photography or new media.

---

The Department of Art and Art History Art School Location

Other art schools in Minnesota

Carleton College Department Art & Art History About the Department Carleton combines in a single department the creative aspects of art making and the study of a... Address: One North College Street

Macalester College Mission Macalester is committed to being a preeminent liberal arts college with an educational program known for its high standards for scholarship... Address: 1600 Grand Avenue

Minnesota State University - Moorhead (Department of Arts and Design) Departmental Philosophy & Goals Mot human perception is based on stereotyped conceptions of the world around us. The Study of visual art breaks down ... Address: 1104 7th Ave South

Back to: » Art schools in Minnesota » Art schools in Rochester

More information: » Marinas » Boats for sale