An art degree is a perfect fit for those wanting to hone their creative thinking skills, visual fluency, communication skills and cultural awareness. The undergraduate Art program at the University of West Florida prepares students for successful careers in the visual arts industry.
Why Study Art at UWF?
The Department of Art and Design is intimately scaled to offer a great deal of individualized attention. You will have many opportunities to participate in high-impact activities, from gallery exhibitions to public art projects.
The program faculty offer a unique perspective, as many of them are practicing artists and regularly show their work locally, regionally and nationally.
What You Will Learn
The art program at UWF is based upon both studio art and art history, offering a comprehensive curriculum informed by the cultural, political and sociological history of civilizations.
You will be encouraged to think creatively and critically about abstract subjects then translate your opinions into richly visual modes.
Our program offers you the opportunity to pursue a specialization in Art History, Art Teaching, Pre-Art Therapy, or Studio Art.
We offer two minors: a minor in Studio Art which will provide you with the skills to analyze and interpret visual data while learning to recognize historical styles and the cultural forces that shape them; and an online minor in Graphic Design, which will give you the skills to communicate in our increasingly digital and visual world.
UWF offers classes through various delivery methods, including face-to-face, hybrid, and online. Though UWF makes every effort to provide on-campus classes in face-to-face programs, there is a possibility that some classes will have limited availability and may be offered online only. For more information, review the modes of delivery and instructional methods.
Specializations
The art history specialization offers courses in a variety of subject areas such as Medieval, Renaissance, Modern European, Non-Western, American, and Contemporary. The program also offers special topics courses such as the History of Photography and Nineteenth Century Art and Science. Internships and coursework opportunities are available with The Art Gallery at UWF or at the Pensacola Museum of Art. You will be encouraged to study abroad. One of these study-abroad opportunities includes the Irish Experience, an ongoing summer program in Carlow, Ireland.
The Art Teaching Specialization is designed to provide Art Majors with the coursework that—in conjunction with successful completion of Florida Teacher Certification Examinations, one year of successful teaching experience, and successful completion of a district-approved competence demonstration program for first-year teachers—allows for converting a five-year non-renewable temporary certification to a five-year renewable professional certification for secondary teachers. Coursework offered by the UWF School of Education meets the requirements of the Professional Training Option in the UWF School of Education and is consistent with the program requirements of Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-5.066 (Approval of Educator Preparation Programs) for secondary teachers and includes the state-required Professional Preparation outlined in Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-4.006.
Students in Pre-Art Therapy should seek a more generalized and well-rounded experience of artistic media and processes with an emphasis on color, narrative art, figurative work, and ceramics. Pre-Art Therapy students will also need to complete a field experience.
The studio art specialization offers foundations in painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics and photography. Our studio curriculum addresses technical and material means of visual expression while allowing students to focus on issues inherent in one's work. You will move beyond proficiency to a greater degree of excellence as you develop a personal body of work.
