May 21, 2026

2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog

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2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog

Art, BFA

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Overview

The Art Department offers students many dynamic paths, from honing their craft in a specific medium to crossing boundaries through an exploration of varied media and messages. It’s all about developing artistic voice, vision, and skill. Specializations include - but are not limited to - painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and new media art (art made with video & and other technologies). Underpinning this flexible curriculum are core courses that expand possibilities, spark critical thinking, and create community within year groups and between students and faculty.

Program Learning Outcomes

At the completion of their program of study, graduates of the Art Department at Cornish College of the Arts are able to:

Synthesize relationships between form and content in a work of art/body of work.
Demonstrate strong technical and research skills in one or more disciplines.
Communicate complex ideas verbally, visually, and in writing.
Collaborate effectively, negotiating multiple perspectives.
Contextualize art practices within diverse cultural, historical, and socio-political frameworks.

General Education Coursework

Complete ALL of the following Requirement Sets:

First-Year Writing

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

HS 111 - Writing and Analysis I 3 credit hours
HS 112 - Writing and Analysis II 3 credit hours

Writing Intensive

Complete at least 1 courses in the following Course Sets:

AR 433 - Critical + Contextual: Thesis 3 credit hours
DA 335 - Writing About Dance 3 credit hours
DA 440 - Special Topics in Dance History 3 credit hours
FM 335 - Film Forms 3 credit hours
FM 361 - Complex Narrative 3 credit hours
FM 435 - Major Directors 3 credit hours
HS 203 - Intro Creative Writing 3 credit hours
HS 204 - Creative Writing Short Fiction 3 credit hours
HS 205 - Creative Non-Fiction 3 credit hours
HS 206 - Writing Poetry 3 credit hours
HS 238 - Contemporary American Literature 3 credit hours
HS 239 - Intro to Poetry 3 credit hours
HS 240 - Critical Arts Writing 3 credit hours
HS 241 - Introduction to Short Fiction 3 credit hours
HS 244 - Introduction to the Novel 3 credit hours
HS 246 - Contemporary Global Literature 3 credit hours
HS 381 - Research Writing 3 credit hours
MU 354 - Topics in Music History 3 credit hours
TH 274 - Playwriting Fundamentals 3 credit hours
TH 361 - Modern Theater History & Theory 3 credit hours
TH 367 - Musical Theater History & Analysis 3 credit hours
TH 386 - Playwriting Practicum 3 credit hours
TH 483 - Playwriting Laboratory 3 credit hours

Humanities

Earn at least 6 credits from the following:

AN 333 - Special Topics in Animation History 3 credit hours
AN 233 - Animation in Context 3 credit hours
AR 233 - Global Modern Art History 3 credit hours
AR 234 - Contemporary Art History 3 credit hours
AR 362 - Special Topics in Art History 3 credit hours
DA 142 - Dance & Performance History 3 credit hours
DA 205 - Dance in the Theater: 1890-2010 3 credit hours
DA 440 - Special Topics in Dance History 3 credit hours
DE 140 - Color: Theory + Practice 3 credit hours
DE 333 - Parallel Views:Narratives of Design 3 credit hours
FM 233 - Film Language 3 credit hours
FM 234 - World Cinema Since 1960 3 credit hours
FM 335 - Film Forms 3 credit hours
FN 140 - Intro to Visual Arts Histories 3 credit hours
HS 201 - The Power of Peer Consulting 3 credit hours
HS 203 - Intro Creative Writing 3 credit hours
HS 204 - Creative Writing Short Fiction 3 credit hours
HS 205 - Creative Non-Fiction 3 credit hours
HS 206 - Writing Poetry 3 credit hours
HS 211 - Illustrating Science 3 credit hours
HS 217 - Curating Nature: Wildlife in Film 3 credit hours
HS 221 - Curating Nature: Taxidermy 3 credit hours
HS 222 - Natural Law and Human Nature 3 credit hours
HS 223 - Ancient Landscapes 3 credit hours
HS 224 - Morals and Manners 3 credit hours
HS 226 - Certainty and Belief 3 credit hours
HS 227 - Stoicism 3 credit hours
HS 228 - Origins of Modern Thought 3 credit hours
HS 229 - Passion and Reason 3 credit hours
HS 232 - Hist of Western Pol Thought 3 credit hours
HS 238 - Contemporary American Literature 3 credit hours
HS 239 - Intro to Poetry 3 credit hours
HS 240 - Critical Arts Writing 3 credit hours
HS 241 - Introduction to Short Fiction 3 credit hours
HS 244 - Introduction to the Novel 3 credit hours
HS 246 - Contemporary Global Literature 3 credit hours
HS 247 - Introduction to World Literature 3 credit hours
HS 248 - Literature: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 250 - Performance Art: History & Theory 3 credit hours
HS 260 - Humanities: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 261 - Art of Living 3 credit hours
HS 282 - Existentialism 3 credit hours
HS 286 - Ethics and Values 3 credit hours
HS 287 - Philosophy in Myth & Story 3 credit hours
HS 288 - Modern Loss of Self 3 credit hours
HS 360 - Humanities: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 361 - Text + Context in the Ancient World 3 credit hours
HS 381 - Research Writing 3 credit hours
IN 233 - Critical & Contextual Studies I 3 credit hours
IN 333 - History of Interior Architecture 3 credit hours
MU 354 - Topics in Music History 3 credit hours
TH 261 - Theater History 3 credit hours
TH 361 - Modern Theater History & Theory 3 credit hours
TH 367 - Musical Theater History & Analysis 3 credit hours

Sciences

Earn at least 6 credits from the following:

HS 211 - Illustrating Science 3 credit hours
HS 212 - Evolution by Nature 3 credit hours
HS 217 - Curating Nature: Wildlife in Film 3 credit hours
HS 221 - Curating Nature: Taxidermy 3 credit hours
HS 234 - Anatomy and Physiology 3 credit hours
HS 270 - Sciences: Special Topics 3 credit hours

Social Sciences

Earn at least 6 credits from the following:

DA 142 - Dance & Performance History 3 credit hours
HS 219 - Env. Science: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 220 - Environmental Sci. & Sustainability 3 credit hours
HS 223 - Ancient Landscapes 3 credit hours
HS 225 - Archaeological Science 3 credit hours
HS 230 - Cultural History of the PNW 3 credit hours
HS 231 - Cultural Anthropology 3 credit hours
HS 232 - Hist of Western Pol Thought 3 credit hours
HS 233 - Biological Anthropology 3 credit hours
HS 235 - Anthropology: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 236 - Survey of Anthropology 3 credit hours
HS 237 - Anthropology of Death 3 credit hours
HS 271 - Introduction to Psychology 3 credit hours
HS 272 - Psychology of the Artistic Self 3 credit hours
HS 273 - Cartography 3 credit hours
HS 276 - Psychology: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 280 - Social Science: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 283 - Geopolitics 3 credit hours
HS 284 - Intro to Sociology 3 credit hours
HS 285 - Political Science: Special Topics 3 credit hours
HS 286 - Ethics and Values 3 credit hours
HS 287 - Philosophy in Myth & Story 3 credit hours
HS 288 - Modern Loss of Self 3 credit hours
HS 384 - Islam in the US 3 credit hours

Floating General Education

Earn at least 6 credits from the following Sections:

Humanities Courses
Sciences Courses
Social Sciences Courses

In-Major Coursework

Completion requirement

Core Classes

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

AR 113 - Drawing I: Form + Figure 3 credit hours
AR 123 - Paint I: Color + Composition 3 credit hours
AR 133 - Sculpture I: Form/Space/Material 3 credit hours
AR 143 - New Media Art I: Video/Digital 3 credit hours
AR 173 - Photo I: Digital 3 credit hours
AR 223 - Studio: The Meaning of Making 3 credit hours
AR 224 - Studio: Form/Content/Context 3 credit hours
AR 233 - Global Modern Art History 3 credit hours
AR 234 - Contemporary Art History 3 credit hours
AR 323 - Studio: Communities of Practice 3 credit hours
AR 324 - Studio: Platforms of Exchange 3 credit hours
AR 423 - Studio: Works in Progress 3 credit hours
AR 424 - Studio: Thesis Exhibition 3 credit hours
AR 433 - Critical + Contextual: Thesis 3 credit hours
AR 436 - Arts Ecosystems 3 credit hours

Art History/Theory Elective

Complete at least 2 of the following Courses:

AR 362 - Special Topics in Art History 3 credit hours
AR 364 - Propaganda & Protest in Art History 3 credit hours
AR 365 - Gender & Sexuality in Art History 3 credit hours
AR 366 - Identity & Representation in Art H 3 credit hours
AR 367 - Humor and Satire in Art History 3 credit hours

Studio Electives

Earn at least 18 credits from the following:

AR 213 - Drawing II: Expanded Media 3 credit hours
AR 221 - Paint II: Form + Content 3 credit hours
AR 231 - Sculpture II: Wood, Metal, Casting 3 credit hours
AR 241 - New Media Art II: Experimentation 3 credit hours
AR 251 - Print: Explore Process 3 credit hours
AR 271 - Photo II: Intermediate Digital 3 credit hours
AR 272 - Photo II: Intro Analog Photography 3 credit hours
AR 301 - Photo: RE: RE: RE: RE: 3 credit hours
AR 308 - Intermediate Painting: Systems 3 credit hours
AR 311 - SE: Drawing 3 credit hours
AR 312 - Drawing: Bare Bones + Beyond 3 credit hours
AR 313 - Interm. Painting: Making Murals 3 credit hours
AR 315 - Paint: Intuition + Abstraction 3 credit hours
AR 321 - Interm. Painting: Uncanny Valley 3 credit hours
AR 327 - Interm. Painting: Alt. Processes 3 credit hours
AR 331 - Sculpture: Digi vs. Trad 3 credit hours
AR 335 - Sculpture: Rampant Making 3 credit hours
AR 336 - Sculpture: Modular/Flatpack 3 credit hours
AR 337 - Textile Process for Visual Artists 3 credit hours
AR 341 - New Media: After Effects 3 credit hours
AR 345 - New Media: Digi Drawing + Collage 3 credit hours
AR 351 - Print: The Multiple 3 credit hours
AR 357 - Below the Surface: Intaglio Print 3 credit hours
AR 358 - Print: Color in Relief & Monotypes 3 credit hours
AR 359 - Print: Marble Madness 3 credit hours
AR 363 - Art in the Age of Climate Change 3 credit hours
AR 371 - Intermediate Digital Photography 3 credit hours
AR 373 - Performance Art: Camera, Action 3 credit hours
AR 374 - Intermediate Darkroom Photography 3 credit hours
AR 376 - Large Format Photography 3 credit hours
AR 418 - Internship 1 - 6 credit hours
AR 421 - Advanced Painting: Studio Practice 3 credit hours
AR 422 - Advanced Painting: Studio Project 3 credit hours
AR 431 - Advanced Sculpture Practice 3 credit hours
AR 432 - Advanced Sculpture: Studio Projects 3 credit hours
AR 443 - Advanced New Media I 3 credit hours
AR 444 - Advanced New Media II 3 credit hours
AR 451 - Advanced Print: Studio Practice 3 credit hours
AR 452 - Advanced Print Studio: Projects 3 credit hours
AR 471 - Advanced Photo: Studio Practice 3 credit hours
AR 472 - Advanced Photo Projects 3 credit hours

Electives

College Electives

Earn at least 6 credits

These are courses from outside of your major

Open Electives

Earn at least 6 credits

These can be any courses at the college.