An Introduction to Studio Art
Do you have an artistic side? Do you enjoy expressing yourself through drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, or other mediums of art? No matter what your major, pairing it with an Art minor taps into the creative juices that enhance the study of virtually any academic discipline. You’ll find that having an artistic outlet helps you better focus on your major and, in many cases, contributes to making your skill set more marketable. From sports illustrator to wildlife photographer, many professions benefit from both a background in art as well as in-depth knowledge of another field, making an Art minor an ideal addition to your resume.
Tour UNE's Creative and Fine Arts Facility
Why UNE
The Art minor at UNE is a flexible program that can serve multiple roles in your education. It can take you in a completely different direction from your major, expanding your horizons and providing a creative outlet entirely separate from your area of focus. Or, it can complement your primary academic field, providing a skill set that pairs perfectly with your major and opens doors to your dream profession.
During my time at UNE, I had several opportunities to combine science and art: illustrating the internal anatomy of Mustelus canis as an independent study and interning as a scientific illustrator for the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The art program at UNE helped me develop a unique skill set, which made me a competitive applicant for research opportunities, especially for those looking to communicate science in nontraditional ways.” — Crista Kieley, B.S., Class of ’20, Marine Science (Oceanography track) major, Art and Chemistry double minor (Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University, Galveston)
Academics
Experiential Learning
Hands-on learning is at the heart of a UNE education, and it doesn’t get more hands on than art. As part of the process of learning the fundamentals of art, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to create an array of artistic projects — from sculpture and ceramics to sketches and paintings. You’ll spend class time being actively engaged, and you’ll leave with the dirty hands to prove it!
You can even expand the real-world experiences provided by the Art minor by working with a faculty mentor in any medium on an artistic project or by signing up for an arts internship. Possible internship opportunities include:
- Positions with UNE’s Office of Communications
- Working with Engine — Biddeford, Maine’s local arts center
- Serving as a teaching assistant to a faculty member to earn course credit
Examples of Available Courses
UNE’s Art minor provides an in-depth introduction to studio art in both traditional and contemporary practice. The following are just some of the exciting courses you can take:
- Art in the Modern World
- Painting I
- Ceramics
- The Painted Book
Curriculum
A student with a major in another program may minor in Art with the permission of the Academic Director. This minor provides an in-depth introduction to studio art in both traditional and contemporary practice. Eighteen (18) credit hours as listed are required.
| Program Required Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ART 101 – Watercolor or ART 104 – Painting I | 3 |
| ART 118 – Drawing & Design Fundamentals | 3 |
| Two (2) Elective Courses from List A (at most one (1) WRT course allowed) | 6 |
| One (1) Elective Course from list B | 3 |
| One (1) Elective with the Prefix ARH | 3 |
| Minimum Total Required Credits | 18 |
|---|
| List A Elective Course Options | Credits |
|---|---|
| ART 101 – Watercolor | 3 |
| ART 102 – Photography | 3 |
| ART 104 – Painting I | 3 |
| ART 105 – Elements of Acting | 3 |
| ART 106 – Two-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| ART 108 – Boatbuilding | 3 |
| ART 109 – T-Shirt Design | 3 |
| ART 110 – Ceramics I | 3 |
| ART 111 – Scientific Illustration | 3 |
| ART 113 – Three Dimensional Fundamentals | 3 |
| ART 114 – Printmaking | 3 |
| ART 124 – The Painted Book | 3 |
| ART 130 – Art of the Letter | 3 |
| ART 199 – Topics in Art | 3 |
| LIL 120 – Intro to Arts & Humanities Seminar | 3 |
| WRT 211 – Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
| WRT 212 – Creative Writing: Short Fiction | 3 |
| List B Elective Course Options | Credits |
|---|---|
| ART 200 – Advanced Drawing | 3 |
| ART 206 – Expressions in Clay | 3 |
| ART 207 – Landscape Painting | 3 |
| ART 214 – Color Digital Photography | 3 |
| ART 230 – Graphic Design | 3 |
| ART 234 – Digital Animation | 3 |
| ART 299 – Advanced Topics in Arts | 3 |
| ART 324 – The Painted Book 3D | 3 |
| ART 395 – Studio Concentration Seminar | 3 |
| CMM 225 – Topics in Digital Storytelling | 3 |
| CMM 300 – Documentary Video | 3 |
| CMM 311 – Digital Video Production | 3 |
For more information see the Academic Catalog.
Find Your Career
Whether you’re a Business or Communications major with aspirations to enter the field of marketing, a History major interested in museum exhibition design, a science major with a dream of creating scientific illustrations or environmental photographs, an English major who hopes to someday write and illustrate children’s books, or one of many other kinds of major that pairs well with art, you’ll be sure to find UNE’s Art minor to be a worthy addition in your educational experience and career preparation.
An Art Minor Pairs Well With
- Business
- Communications
- Computer Science
- Education
- English
- Environmental Studies
- Environmental Science
- Marine Sciences
- Medical Biology
- Neuroscience
- Special Education
- Sport Leadership and Management
- Sustainability and Business
Potential Careers
- Art Curator
- Art Handler
- Environmental Photographer
- Graphic Designer
- Interior Designer
- Marketing Specialist
- Merchandising Specialist/ Window Trimmer
- Scientific Illustrator
- Web Designer
Art Careers By The Numbers
new jobs in art and design occupations projected within the next decade
average yearly salary of visual artists
Contact
Undergraduate Admissions
Contact Undergraduate Admissions at (800) 477-4863 or email admissions@jmswierski.com. You can also stop by our office on the Biddeford Campus Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.