Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts

The Visual Arts major provides students with an opportunity to develop their independent vision and creative practice as artists in an educational environment emphasizing conceptual research and expression across media. The curriculum balances studio-based coursework with historical and theoretical. Students intending to major in Visual Arts begin with foundations classes in visual research and analysis and then progress to intermediate studio courses in specific media and techniques (drawing, painting, sculpture and installation, photography, time-based media, alternative and new media practices, experimental animation, and others). All majors also complete a four-semester sequence of studio courses (Art Studio I, II, III, and IV) designed to foster independent work at an advanced level, followed by a year-long Senior project in the final year, which culminates in a public exhibition at the annual degree show in the Sharjah Art Gallery.

Declaration of the Visual Arts Major

To be eligible to declare a Visual Arts major, students must have completed four courses in the program: ARTV 2200 (Analogue and Digital Practices), ARTV 2113 (Introduction to Visual Cultures), and two more Visual Arts studio courses. Final recommendation is made by the Visual Arts faculty after an interview and portfolio review.

The Visual Cultures Program

The Visual Arts major provides students with an opportunity to develop their independent vision and creative practice as artists in an educational environment emphasizing conceptual research and expression across media. The curriculum balances studio-based coursework with historical and theoretical. Students intending to major in Visual Arts begin with foundations classes in visual research and analysis and then progress to intermediate studio courses in specific media and techniques (drawing, painting, sculpture and installation, photography, time-based media, alternative and new media practices, experimental animation, and others). All majors also complete a four-semester sequence of studio courses (Art Studio I, II, III, and IV) designed to foster independent work at an advanced level, followed by a year-long Senior project in the final year, which culminates in a public exhibition.

Major Requirements

A total of 120 credits are required for the bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts: