Department of Art and Design
Location: Building 45, Room 2022 in the Fine Arts Center
Phone: (904) 620-4037.
Web Address: http://www.unf.edu/coas/art-design
Chair: Debra Murphy, Ph.D.
Mission
The mission of the Department of Art and Design is to provide outstanding undergraduate teaching in the disciplines of studio arts (including painting, drawing & printmaking, ceramics and sculpture), photography, graphic design & digital media and art history, and to instill creative, analytical, applied and theoretical skills while providing opportunities for transformational experiences such as internships, directed research and study tours and programs abroad.
The Program
The Department of Art and Design offers courses of study leading to career preparation in fine arts, graphic design & digital media, and art history as practitioners, teachers, artists or consultants; provides service courses in art and art history to other disciplines in the University; and fosters individual professional growth and cultural enhancement by promoting artistic production and scholarly research on the part of the faculty and students. The department seeks to enrich the cultural atmosphere and intellectual awareness of the University and Northeast Florida through art exhibitions, lectures, seminars, workshops and study abroad opportunities.
The comprehensive, multifaceted art curriculum is designed to produce an artistically sophisticated graduate with realistic expectations to compete in the job market or pursue graduate study. Program concentrations are in, painting, drawing and printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and graphic design & digital media. All studio and design concentrations emphasize a hands-on approach and feature opportunities for exhibition and presentation. Access to the greater Jacksonville area lends additional professional appeal because of its vibrant arts community, numerous exhibition venues and art museums. The Department works closely with MOCA Jacksonville, a cultural resource of UNF, and the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. UNF faculty members are involved in curating exhibitions at the museums, presenting lectures and serving on museum committees.
Majors and Minors
The department offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts with concentrations in painting/drawing/printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, photography and graphic design and digital media. A Bachelor of Arts in Art History is also offered. Minors are offered in Fine Arts, photography and art history.
Study Abroad
The department sponsors an annual study abroad program in Italy where students can study and experience first hand some of the most important works from western civilization. Art History and studio courses are offered. Students visit both smaller towns and large urban centers such as Florence and Naples while the majority of the program is anchored in Rome. Other study abroad programs are offered on a rotating basis such as graphic design and digital media programs in Brazil and Ireland.
There are several competitive scholarships available for majors in the department to help support study abroad opportunities.
Opportunities for Student Exhibitions and Internships
There are two student exhibitions a year, the Juried Student show and the Senior Show, both are at the University Gallery in Building 2 on the UNF campus.
Students interested in Museum Studies and gallery work may be interested in internships at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens and MOCA Jacksonville. In addition, classes in the Gallery in Contemporary Society are offered.
Internships are also available in graphic design firms and corporations, photography studios, various galleries, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and area hospitals that coordinate art therapy programs.
Student Organizations
There are a number of student organizations in the department including the Sculptors’ Guild, the Pottery Guild, the Photo Club and The Osprey Design Club. The various clubs mount an annual Art Festival with music, door prizes and outstanding art for saleThe Faculty
The faculty of the Department of Art and Design is composed of award winning professors and artists who have established national and international reputations. The Faculty holds membership in a variety of professional organizations including the College Art Association, the Southeastern College Art Association, Southern Graphics International, AIGA, and the Society for Photographic Education, among others.
The Barbara Ritzman Devereux Artist Workshop
Through generous support from the family of the late Barbara Ritzman Devereux, an artist on national stature is invited to campus to work with students, exhibit and lecture.
