The Ceramic program at Salisbury University will prepare students for a career in ceramics, enter MFA graduate program, or launch a career as a production potter/designer/clay artist. It is the study of all clay, glazes, materials, kiln firings and ceramic world history. At Salisbury University, Ceramics is made up of five, four credit, core classes, one of which is an option required in the Art Core.

Ceramic I introduce students to the basic methods in hand building and throwing on the potter’s wheel using varied clay bodies. Loading kilns, glazing techniques, and the impact ceramics has on the world as we study its history; Ceramics as a utilitarian craft to ceramics as a Fine Art Sculpture media.

Advanced Ceramics courses, Ceramics II, III, and advanced study in ceramics further emphasizes the technical aspect of throwing on the potter’s wheel and varied advanced kiln firing techniques. Independent study in ceramics develops expertise in the advanced science of ceramics art.

The Drawing Program consists of classes in the Art Core and the Drawing Track. The two classes in the Art Core are Drawing I and II. In Drawing I and II students learn the fundamentals of drawing and broader conceptual skills that will help students to be able to both draw from observation and to visualize things they wish to create in an artistic manner. Besides fundamental drawing skills in the core drawing classes students also learn composition and design. After having taken the drawing classes in the Art Core students in the Drawing Track must take four upper level drawing classes. In the upper level drawing classes student learn advanced monochromatic and polychromatic drawing techniques. Students develop their portfolios with thematic thesis projects. Students also develop conceptual skills by writing papers based on selected readings. The emphasis in the upper level drawing classes is on exploration, experimentation and personal expression in relation to contemporary art issues.

Students who successfully complete the Drawing Track will be prepared to begin a career as a fine artist exhibiting in galleries and museums, an illustrator for print and other media, or to pursue further studies on the graduate level.

The Graphic Design's Program at Salisbury University is made up of six, four credit, core classes. These core courses are sequentially organized so that each subsequent class in the Graphic Design Program continues to deepen in both software usage and project depth.

At the beginning of the Program, for example, the curriculum centers on design and type history. At the next level, students explore typography on a more personal level. They complete projects that involve the actual design of a customized alphabet. By the time students reach the 400 level, they've been encouraged to take upper level electives that typically include: Illustration, New Media, Photography and/or Drawing & Painting.

Included in the Graphic Design Program is an Internship requirement along with a Graphic Design "Agency" class. All graduating BFA Graphic Design students will have some client-based projects presented in their portfolios. Salisbury University students participate in AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) events in the Baltimore, Washington & Blue Ridge Chapters. For more information about careers in applied art disciplines, please visit any AIGA Chapter websites and visit the student hyperlinks.

New Media majors learn to work creatively with up-to-date technology. Video, Audio, Animation, Web Design, and Screen Graphics are all components of the New Media Track. An emphasis is placed on understanding contemporary approaches to New Media production and exhibition for the Gallery, Screen, Web, and Cellular platforms. New Media is a rapidly growing area of developing creative career opportunities.

• View New Media Student Work Rell Fall 2007 through Fall 2009

Our painting program starts by solidifying a strong foundation through conventional learning techniques consisting of various visual data and vocabulary. After students finish Art 246 Painting I (the Art Core), students are gradually moving into a deeper survey with a specific emphasis on the uniqueness of each individual. By then, the goal is aimed towards having students be involved in discovering themselves through developing their own vision and identity. Thus, the sequential advanced painting classes are focused on individual style, with a majority of the content based on personal needs.  This concentration on individuality along with the completion of a professional portfolio and gallery research become of the utmost importance in the upper level.

Students are encouraged to take some practical actions such as participating in juried shows, group shows, and curated exhibitions during their junior and senior years in order to prepare them for gallery representation and MFA applications. Advanced classes are extremely intensive in terms of producing a body of work with an articulated thematic issue. Examining contemporary artists video, group discussions, informal writings and weekly group and individual critiques will be required in this high level. 

The photography program has a curricular emphasis on the visual arts, integrating areas that are valuable to those considering a professional photographic career or continuing in a graduate program. The tract is structured to provide students with the skills and understanding to enable them to create images that will stand out among the profusion of photographs in the commercial, editorial or fine art arenas.

The program is designed primarily for fine art black and white film, digital photography and digital imaging, however non-silver and alternative processes are strongly encouraged. Students are encouraged to develop an understanding of both analog and digital processes.

The photography program track consists of 5 four-credit classes one of which is in the art major core curriculum. The track aim is to develop a strong compositional sense and technical capability in various photographic based disciplines. The ultimate goal is to establish a mastery of the media and establish a personal esthetic.

Students in the Sculpture program will be prepared to begin a career as a sculptor, enter MFA graduate programs, or design and make objects for industries such as toy makers, automobile companies, and manufacturers that need prototypes in product development.

The Sculpture Program at Salisbury University is made up of 5, four credit, classes. These track courses aim to deepen visual composition in the third dimension, develop a mastery of media, and enhance individual content meaning.

Students are required to take Art 261, Beginning Sculpture, in the Art Core. Those who enter the sculpture track will take four more sculpture courses. This track develops expertise in 3-D modeling, mold making, and casting into various materials including bronze. Welding and constructive methods are also part of the program.