Art and Design

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

The B.A. in Art and Design is a liberal arts degree suitable for those students who wish to pursue art as a professional practice or continue their work in graduate school.

The program aims to provide the student with a well-rounded grasp of the field, the processes and skills it entails and a broad education throughout the university to promote the standards of liberal arts.

For more information, please contact the Office of Admissions at 785-833-4305.

This program is offered:

On Campus

Why Major in Art and Design?

An Art and Design major empowers students to combine creativity, technical skills, and visual communication to bring ideas to life. Through hands-on experiences in design, photography, and studio art, students develop artistic abilities while building a professional portfolio.

Graduates pursue careers in graphic design, photography, digital media, marketing, fine arts, and creative industries. The program also develops valuable skills in problem-solving, innovation, and communication that are applicable in many professional settings.

Program Information

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate technical proficiency and creative problem-solving in their chosen art and design discipline through the production of original works that reflect mastery of tools, media, and techniques.
Students will effectively apply the elements and principles of design to create visually compelling and conceptually sound compositions, showing an understanding across various media and applications.
Students will demonstrate an awareness and articulate the historical, cultural, and societal significance of art and design, demonstrating an understanding of how visual expression reflects and influences diverse human experiences across time and geography.

Concentrations

The photography concentration encompasses coursework to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for the student to pursue photography as a career, or to pursue work as a visual artist through the medium of photography. This concentration covers commercial photography, fine art photography, studio lighting and editorial techniques.

The studio art concentration presents concepts and guides the development of skills necessary for a student of the visual arts to create original pieces of art. Flexibility within the concentration allows the student to pursue a particular medium through their chosen area of study and available departmental electives.

The graphic design concentration is suitable for those students who wish to pursue the art form as a professional practice or continue their work in graduate school.

Course Requirements and Descriptions

All course requirements and descriptions for KWU’s Art and Design program can be found in the most recent version of the course catalog.

View Course Catalog

Meet the Faculty

The Art and Design program is part of the Department of Creative Arts and Media Studies. A full listing of departmental faculty can be found here.