Department of Art & Design Mission Statement 

The Department of Art & Design develops creative thinkers, art and design professionals, and cultural leaders through a cross-disciplinary curriculum that balances innovation and tradition and is supported by a vital program of creative research. Committed to Milwaukee’s diverse urban communities, our practicing artists and scholars foster visual literacy, critical inquiry, and civic engagement for lifelong creative work.

The Department of Art & Design advances its mission by:

  • Providing a curriculum that emphasizes civic engagement, advanced studio practice, and thinking through and with the arts. 
  • Producing active and ethical artists and scholars that use their work to educate and facilitate social and cultural awareness, both locally and globally. 
  • Actively contributing to research and philosophy regarding the relationships between tradition and new technologies. 
  • Providing an active environment that facilitates opportunities to work with materials, tools, and emerging technologies, to forge and reinvent the visual language of art and design. 
  • Expanding the role of the artist in society through emphasis on collaborative relationships, entrepreneurial spirit, and internationalization. 
  • Practicing flexibility in quickly changing/advancing professional fields, and encourage innovation, accountability and ethics.
  • Supporting, promoting and expanding inter-media and interdisciplinary practices and collaborative research across the university, community and beyond. 

The Departmental Mission is directly related to the missions of both the Peck School of the Arts and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  • The mission of the Peck School of the Arts is to provide the highest quality education and professional training in the arts at the baccalaureate and master's degree levels. The school is committed to recruiting faculty, staff, and students who reflect the richness and diversity of artmaking in a variety of cultures. As the only school of the arts in Wisconsin in a major urban environment, the Peck School of the Arts encourages collaboration with community arts organizations and artists to provide professional experiences for its students.  
  • To fulfill its mission as a major urban doctoral university and to meet the diverse needs of Wisconsin’s largest metropolitan area, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee must provide a wide array of degree programs, a balanced program of applied and basic research, and a faculty who are active in public service.  

Fulfilling this mission requires the pursuit of these mutually reinforcing academic goals

  • To develop and maintain high quality undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs appropriate to a major urban doctoral university. 
  •  To engage in a sustained research effort which will enhance and fulfill the University’s role as a doctoral institution of academic and professional excellence. 
  • To continue development of a balanced array of high-quality doctoral programs in basic disciplines and professional areas. 
  • To attract highly qualified students who demonstrate the potential for intellectual development, innovation, and leadership for their communities. 
  • To further academic and professional opportunities at all levels for women, minority, part-time, and financially or educationally disadvantaged students. 
  • To establish and maintain productive relationships with appropriate public and private organizations at the local, regional, state, national, and international levels. 
  • To promote public service and research efforts directed toward meeting the social, economic and cultural needs of the state of Wisconsin and its metropolitan areas. 
  • To encourage others from institutions in the University of Wisconsin System and from other educational institutions and agencies to seek benefit from the University’s research and educational resources such as libraries, special collections, archives, museums, research facilities, and academic programs. 
  • To provide educational leadership in meeting future social, cultural, and technological challenges. 

Programs

Undergraduate Degrees

Undergraduate Certificates

Minor 

Graduate Degrees

Graduate Requirements

Refer to the individual graduate program for specific requirements. For the Graduate School’s requirements, please refer to Graduate School Policies.

Undergraduate Requirements

Laptop Requirement

Preparing for a future defined by digital technology is an important step in developing artists. Our digitally integrated curriculum helps you achieve a professional level with leading art-related software and practices.

Laptop ownership is strongly recommended for all undergraduates. However, it’s required for the programs below. For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts admission page. 

  • Art & Design (BA and BFA Programs)
  • Dance (BA and BFA Programs) 
  • Film, Video, Animation & New Genres (BA and BFA Programs)
  • Music (Composition & Technology Program)
  • Theatre (BFA Production and BA Theatre Education Programs)

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio Art)

This undergraduate degree prepares students for entrance into professional art fields. Once students meet the 36-credit Art-Intended requirements, they are admitted to the Art & Design program. In addition to satisfying the core curriculum, art students select studio courses from both 2D and 3D disciplines, take required art history courses, choose studio electives, and begin satisfying the requirements of their declared art area concentration.

A choice of curricula is offered to permit students to concentrate in Ceramics, Digital studio practice, Fibers, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Painting and Drawing, Photography and Imaging, Print and Narrative Forms, or Sculpture. Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits in their area of concentration but may take more by choosing additional studio electives in their area.

In order to graduate, students must complete two 3-credit critical thinking courses and a 4-credit capstone: ART 604 and ART 605. Students must complete a total of 85 credits of art to graduate with a BFA (Studio Art).

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio Art) degree requires a total of 130 credits for graduation distributed as follows:

University Core Curriculum (includes 12 credits Art History and 9 credits PSOA Arts Distribution)45
First Year Program15
Art and Design Courses63
Critical Thinking6
BFA Exhibition1
Total Credits130

Note: PSOA Arts Distribution is 9 credits that the student must take within PSOA, outside of Art & Design, in 3 of the 4 other departments in PSOA: Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio Art) in Design and Visual Communication

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design and Visual Communication degree requires a total of 130 credits for graduation distributed as follows:

University Core Curriculum (includes 12 credits Art History and 9 credits PSOA Arts Distribution)45
First Year Program15
Art and Design Courses63
Critical Thinking6
BFA Exhibition1
Total Credits130

Note: PSOA Arts Distribution is 9 credits that the student must take within PSOA, outside of Art & Design, in 3 of the 4 other departments in PSOA: Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art Education)

The Art Education program requires a total of 130 credits for graduation distributed as follows:  

University Core Curriculum (includes 12 credits Art History, 9 credits Education, and 6 credits PSOA Arts Distribution) 145
First Year Program15
Required Studio Courses 239
Critical Thinking3
Art Education Courses28
Total Credits130
1

12 cr Art History are included in the Core Curriculum. Six credits (ARTHIST 101 and ARTHIST 102) count as Humanities GER. 9 cr School of Education courses are included in the Core Curriculum (See academic advisor). PSOA Arts Distribution for Art Education is 6 credits that the student must take within PSOA, outside of Art & Design, in two of the four other departments in PSOA:  Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres.

2

Art Education students are required to take the following Art Studio courses as part of these 39 credits: ART 201, ART 342, 18 cr of 200 level courses reflecting 2D, 3D studio and digital studio experiences, and 12 cr of upper-level studios to create further concentration in a studio area of choice. See academic advisor for 2D, 3D, and digital course designations at the 200 level, and for upper-level studios.

Bachelor of Arts (Art)

The Bachelor of Arts (Art) degree requires a total of 120 credits for graduation distributed as follows:

University Core Curriculum (includes 12 credits Art History and 9 credits PSOA Arts Distribution)45
First Year Program15
Art and Design Courses18
Directed Electives30
Critical Thinking6
Professional Practices3
BA Project3
Total Credits120

Note: PSOA Arts Distribution is 9 credits that the student must take within PSOA, outside of Art & Design, in 3 of the 4 other departments in PSOA: Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres.

Area of Concentration Requirements and Enrollment Management

In order to maintain the highest quality of service to our students, all areas (Ceramics, Digital Studio Practice, Fibers, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Painting and Drawing, Photography and Imaging, Print and Narrative Forms, Sculpture, Design and Visual Communication, and Art Education) may select their own enrollment management mechanisms. Options available to areas include portfolio review, gateway courses, registration prioritizing (ex: "seniors only" and/or "majors only" courses), higher GPA for the area of concentration, or other appropriate mechanisms. Students who successfully matriculate as BFA degree candidates should make themselves familiar with the requirements of their chosen area (as outlined in the undergraduate catalog). Students also should discuss area requirements with area faculty to ensure that they understand fully what will be required of them.

Art & Design Graduate Admission Requirements

Each graduate program has admission requirements in addition to the general Graduate School admission requirements. Refer to Graduate Admission and Cost for the graduate school’s admission requirements, and to the specific program for the program’s admission requirements.

Art & Design Undergraduate Admission Requirements

To be admitted in good standing, applicants (incoming freshmen and transfer students) must meet general University requirements. After being admitted to UWM and indicating Art as your chosen major, no further steps are required for acceptance into the Department of Art & Design.

Scholarships

Declared majors in Art & Design should fill out the general scholarship application and department application (if applicable) by logging in to the Panther Scholarship Portal. 

In addition, incoming undergraduate students should visit the Peck School of the Arts scholarship page for details on portfolio submissions.  

Advancement to Major

Students accepted into the Art & Design program receive priority registration over non-art majors. To advance to the Art & Design major, students must complete the requirements outlined below:

  1. Complete First Year Program courses (15 credits; see course list below).
  2. Oral and Written Communications Competency Part A (OWC-A).
  3. Quantitative Literacy Competency Part A (QL-A).
  4. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  5. Students pursuing the Design and Visual Communication BFA have additional requirements: complete ART 124, ART 221, and ART 223 with a B- or better; and pass the Design and Visual Communication Portfolio review.
  6. Students should complete the above to advance to major within the first 45 credits.
ART 101Drawing I3
ART 106Art Survey: Creative Practice, Culture and Context3
ART 1082D Studio: Concept, Color and Composition3
ART 1093D Studio: Form, Idea and Technique3
ART 118Digital Arts: Culture, Theory, Practice3
Total Credits15

Appeal Process

An appeal process is established for students who do not meet the department's criteria for classification, GPA, and area of concentration enrollment management requirements. The appeal process will provide an opportunity for individual students to request advancement to the art major or enrollment into courses as exceptions to the department's enrollment policies based on defined, pre-determined conditions. All appeals are to be directed to the Undergraduate Advisor or PSOA advisor, who will forward the appeals to the department chair or appropriate appeals committee. The department chair or appeals committee will consult with the First Year Program Director, area head, faculty, advisors, and student if necessary before making a decision.

Art Education Advancement to Major

See the Art Education, BFA page for the Art Education advancement to major requirements. 

Art Education Certification Requirements

Following admission to the Art Education Program, and successful completion of the specified Art Education course of studies, a student seeking recommendation for teacher certification must successfully fulfill the following requirements:

  1. fulfill all degree requirements;
  2. fulfill the field experience requirement;
  3. maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA or higher while being in the program;
  4. maintain a 3.0 or higher in content area courses (Art & Art History) or pass the Praxis II Art Content Exam;
  5. successfully complete student teaching; and
  6. demonstrate mastery of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for a career in the field of art education through the use of a Teaching Portfolio (see description below):
    The Art Education Area and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction require that students compile a teaching portfolio that demonstrates teaching proficiency. The required reflections, artifacts, statements, and assessment composing this portfolio will be compiled mostly as a part of their major two art education methods classes (ART ED 327 and ART ED 328). Fewer documents will be produced during their student teaching capstone classes (ART ED 425 and ART ED 426). Some of the documents that this portfolio includes are: copy of current resume, teaching philosophy, reflections on the Ten Wisconsin Teaching Standards, artifacts supporting the reflections showing your work as a teacher and your students’ work, lesson plans written and taught in field experiences, field experience assessments, and clinical assessments during student teaching.
  7. Teacher Performance Assessment, EdTPA (see explanation below):
    This is a performance-based test in which student teachers plan, instruct, and assess a visual arts lesson plan for K-12 following the requirements outlined in the EdTPA Handbook. Among these requirements student teachers must show strong curriculum based on four types of objectives, the use of academic language derived from the research of art content and contexts, and cohesive sequencing of art appreciation, artmaking, and art critique. Along with all this, students should demonstrate a theoretical use of visual art learning theory, elaborated skills in the documentation of in-progress and finalized student work, and an ability to reflect on their own teaching, as a way to inform the following steps in their instructional sequence.

Art Courses

Art Education Courses

NameRankDegreeSchoolGraduate FacultyEmeritus Faculty
Kyoung Ae Cho Professor MFA Cranbrook Academy of Art Yes No
Kimberly Cosier Professor Emeritus PhD Indiana University No Yes
Robert Grame Associate Professor MFA Kansas State University Yes No
Debra Hardy Assistant Professor PhD The Ohio State University No No
Adam Hawk Assistant Professor MFA Southern Illinois University Yes No
Cynthia Hayes Teaching Faculty III MFA Michigan State University No No
Yevgeniya Kaganovich Professor MFA State University of New York at New Paltz Yes No
Oksana Kryzhanivska Assistant Professor PhD University of Calgary Yes No
Nicolas Lampert Teaching Faculty II MFA California College of the Arts No No
Wesley Larsen Assistant Professor MFA Cranbrook Academy of Art Yes No
Katie Martin-Meurer Teaching Faculty III MFA University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee No No
Erica Meier Teaching Faculty II MFA University of Wisconsin-Madison No No
Jessica Meuninck-Ganger Associate Professor MFA Minneapolis College of Art and Design Yes No
Lisa Moline Professor MFA University of Wisconsin-Madison Yes No
Joseph Mougel Professor, Co-Chair MFA University of New Mexico Yes No
Josie Osborne Teaching Faculty IV MFA University of Wisconsin-Madison No No
Angela Piehl Associate Professor MFA University of Arizona Yes No
Elizabeth Rex Teaching Faculty III PhD Northern Illinois University Yes No
Nicole Ridgway Teaching Faculty III MA; MPhil New York University; Columbia University Yes No
Nathaniel Stern Professor PhD Trinity College Dublin Yes No
Leslie Vansen Professor Emeritus MFA University of Colorado No Yes
Melissa Wagner-Lawler Teaching Faculty II MFA Minneapolis College of Art & Design No No
Glenn Williams Associate Professor, Co-Chair MFA University of Northern Iowa Yes No