A Message From the Chair

For over thirty thousand years human beings have been recording, remarking upon and reimagining their existences through visual images and objects. From the cave paintings at Lascaux and Altamira to the monumental steel sculptures of Richard Serra we have striven to make, understand and admire art. The history of this endeavor is both profound and exhilarating; a rich inheritance for both the artist and the scholar alike.

It is therefore no surprise to discover that the study of art, both its history and its production, has been at the heart of American higher education for well over a century. Through an active engagement with the art of the past, the mastery of craft and the development of critical looking and thinking skills we learn to give form to our dreams and visions.

The Department of Art and Art History at Wright State University isn’t the only place where this kind of preparation can occur – but it is one of the best! Coursework in Studio Art involves, first and foremost, an active, rigorous and hands-on engagement with the materials and processes of the contemporary artist. In Art History that same intensity is applied to both a broad and deep understanding of not only the past and present, but the methodologies that make such study meaningful.

The Department of Art and Art History features:

A BFA program in Studio art and BA programs in Art History and Studio Art.
A BFA/Art Education component as well as certificate programs in Graphic and Interior Design.
Small, highly interactive classes which combine traditional approaches with the most up-to-date technologies and practices.
Designated facilities for Printmaking, Photography, Painting, Sculpture and Drawing
A full time faculty consisting of eleven Artists and Scholars actively engaged in art-making and research.
A world class gallery that hosts four rotating exhibits a year and houses the largest collection of contemporary art in the Miami Valley.
Talent and need-based scholarships for incoming and continuing students.
Internships that challenge students to apply and refine the skills they’ve acquired through coursework in real-world situations; expanding their sense of how and where an art education can be applied.
A proven record of student acceptance at some of the nation’s most prestigious graduate schools.

I encourage you to visit our department, meet with me personally and, if you’d like, sit in on a class. I think you’ll find the Department of Art and Art History offers a world of opportunities in a highly competitive and affordable program.

Glen Cebulash, Chair

Department of Art and Art History

About the Art Department

The Department of Art and Art History offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees with areas of concentration in art history and/or studio art. The B.A. degree is designed for those students who wish to combine a liberal arts education with their studies in art. The department also offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree with concentrations in painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. There are B.F.A. degrees offered with an art education component and a B.F.A. degree which allows students to receive a certificate in graphic design after completing courses at nearby Sinclair Community College. These degrees are designed for students who have decided to pursue a more intense professional program in studio art. Many graduates of these programs are successful applicants to graduate schools. Because self-expression and self-learning are the ultimate goals of the program, students are largely responsible for determining the options that best meet their individual needs and interests.

In the studio area, studies begin with introductory courses in drawing, sculpture, and photography. These courses are designed for the beginning artist and guide the student's development in the visual arts. The program helps students expand and express their knowledge and grow in self-expression by exploring the processes and language that are basic to all visual arts. Rather than follow a system of independent courses in a given medium or discipline, students investigate issues and ideas in a variety of visual modes.