University of North Texas

College of Visual Arts and Design

CVAD Alum Carl Finch heads the two-time Grammy winning band, Brave Combo.
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The CVAD Art Education Doctoral Program is a nationally ranked program, #13 in North America
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One of every fifteen students at the University of North Texas is a CVAD major!
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UNT is an institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design
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Art Education faculty members Chris Bain and Nadine Kalin served on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Art Education, one of the most prestigious journals in the field.
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UNT‘s MFA program ranks in the upper 25% nationally according to US News and World Report
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CVAD‘s Communication Design students won nine of fifteen Best of Show prizes in this year‘s Dallas Society of Visual Communication 4th Annual National Student Show.
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As of Fall 2008, all new CVAD MFA students will receive $1000 scholarships.
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In Spring 2008, CVAD donors sponsored over $50,000 in scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students!
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The CVAD NAEA student chapter won the 2008 Student Organization Distinguished Service award from the University
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The Department of Art Education and Art History prepares more art teachers each year than any other university in Texas.
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CVAD‘s Ph.D. program in Art Education is among the top-rated programs in the U.S.
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Recent graduates of the art history program have pursued advanced degrees at University of Texas, Tufts University, University of Rochester, City College of New York, University of Arizona, Southern Methodist University, and Texas Christian University.
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CVAD art historians were the first UNT faculty chosen to participate in UNT‘s Next Generation course redesign. This program is considered to be a national model.
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The Department of Art Education and Art History faculty includes presidents of three national and international professional societies and the 2006 Art Educator of the Year.
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CVAD offers regular opportunities to study and travel in countries such as China, England, Ireland, Russia, and Scotland.
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CVAD‘s Texas Fashion Collection includes over 15,000 fabulous dresses by designers such as Balenciaga, Dior, de la Renta, and many others.
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CVAD Art Education alum Susan Gabbard is the former president of the National Art Education Association.
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CVAD alum, sculptor, Jesús Moroles, is on the Board of the Smithsonian Institute
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“I learned a lot about the creative process for producing a complete original work.”
- Jezzalie Gill (Drawing 1)
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CVAD‘s Texas Fashion Collection includes over 15,000 fabulous dresses by designers such as Balenciaga, Dior, de la Renta, and many others.
Did you know?
CVAD Art Education alum Susan Gabbard is the former president of the National Art Education Association.
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CVAD alum, sculptor, Jesús Moroles, is on the Board of the Smithsonian Institute
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Interior Design MFA student Greta Buehrle was named one of two IDEC Foundation Graduate Scholars for 2009.
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Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies

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Overview

We live in a world of images. Websites, magazines, films, television and public art surround us. What impulses drive us to make and desire these images? How do we understand them? What do they do? How do they make meaning in a diverse world?

The BA in Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies is a genuinely interdisciplinary study of art and design with coursework in such diverse fields as Anthropology, Film, Communications, Art History, and Sociology. The program introduces students to the breadth of artistic and design media and the interpretive strategies employed to decipher them. The degree teaches students to understand images as objects to be read for their visual, physical, technical, social, and historical properties. It explores the social, philosophical, and psychological reasons why humans make and need images as well as how humans have used images to communicate throughout history and around the globe. The degree prepares students to understand the power and significance of images in the world around them.

What can I do with the degree?

The B.A. in Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies, like all liberal arts degrees, is not a professional preparation program. It prepares you for advanced study in a more specialized field, like art history, anthropology, marketing, etc.

Our alumni have found exciting ways to put their IADS degrees to work. Several work in galleries; many have gone on to graduate school. One IADS alumna designs t-shirts worn by rock stars!

The beauty of the IADS degree is its flexibility. You chart your course within the degree to explore aspects of art and design that interest you. It is a good idea to complete at least one internship during your time in the degree. Recent interns have worked in theater stage-set production, museums, galleries, and even a flower shop making painting-inspired arrangements.

Undergraduate Program

Pre-Major

Beginning Fall semester 2010, a student who intends to pursue a degree in Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies will be classified as an Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies Pre-Major when admitted to the University. In order to achieve major status the student must complete at least 30 hours of college courses and:

* complete ART 1200, 1440, 1450, 1500, and 1510; ART 2350 and 2360;
* have at least a 2.5 GPA on the required Art courses;
* have a minimum 2.0 UNT grade point average.

After successfully meeting these requirements a degree plan will be processed converting the student to Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies major status.

The Major

The program consists of 120 semester credit hours. All students complete the College of Visual Arts and Design Core program, acquiring general skills in art, design, and art history. Students then select from a menu of introductory courses in specific studio art and design disciplines to gain more specific knowledge of two of these fields. During the next stage of the degree, students take courses outside the College of Visual Arts and Design, selecting from an array of classes that address images and visual communication from different perspectives. They also complete a broad selection of advanced art history courses to gain a deeper understanding of the history of images from around the globe, and the analytical tools used to study them.

As part of the 120-hour program, students complete a Minor outside of the College of Visual Arts and Design. The minor is intended to complement the major degree program and offer a different perspective on the use of art and design. Students are strongly advised to consider a minor in Anthropology, Journalism, Foreign Language, History (including area and gender/sexuality studies), or Sociology.

The Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies Manual answers many questions associated with the degree. It also provides information on how to declare the IADS major (PDF opens in a new window).
Suggested Undergraduate Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Art and Design Studies 2011-2012 (PDF opens in a new window).