Art & Design Programs in San Jose, CA

SJSU School of Art and Design, San Jose:
San Jose State University School of Art and Design, CA, offers some of the nation’s highest quality and yet most affordable and accessible programs in art and design fields. With over 1900 students and nearly one hundred faculty and staff members, the School of Art and Design offers programs at Bachelor & Masters degree levels in fields such as animation/illustration, digital media art, industrial, interior, and graphic design, photography, spatial and pictorial art, as well as art education and art history.

Bachelor & Masters Degree Art & Design Programs:
SJSU School of Art and Design offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Arts degree courses in the following disciplines.

Preparation for Teaching
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minor in Art Education

Art History and Visual Culture
- Master of Arts
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minor in Art History and Visual Culture

Digital Media Art
- Master of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Minor in Studio Art

Photography
- Master of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Arts
-Minor in Photography

Pictorial Art
- Master of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Minor in Studio Art

Spatial Art
- Master of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Minor in Studio

Art History BA Degree
The mission of the SJSU Art History area is to enrich the lives of its students by providing an in-depth knowledge of cultural traditions and the skills necessary for applying that knowledge in the service of our multicultural society. The program also provides students with the communication skills, research techniques, and methods of critical inquiry that have become a vital part of modern life. Course offerings include a wide range of themes and topics in Western, Chinese, Japanese, East Indian, Southeast Asian, Islamic, African, Latin American and Pre-Columbian art. Examination of the visual culture of these diverse areas encourages students to become responsible citizens through an understanding of the aesthetic, cultural and ethical choices inherent in human development.

Art Education / Teacher Preparation Programs
Our Art Teacher Preparation Program (ATPP) is vital to the future of Silicon Valley because it provides teachers who will teach aesthetics, problem solving and critical thinking skills to future citizens of the region and state.

Animation / Illustration BFA Degree
The award-winning Animation/Illustration program prepares students for challenging careers in print, feature film and television animation, and interactive entertainment by providing courses that encourage conceptual thinking and professional practice. The curriculum requires the development of exceptional proficiency in drawing, and students considering the major should love to draw and have significant aptitude in that area. Courses requiring the use of electronic media are offered to advanced students who, having mastered traditional animation and illustration techniques, are equipped to explore computer-generated imagery.

Digital Media Arts BFA Degree
The Digital Media Art program is dedicated to studies in art that explore the nature and implications of emerging information technology. Reflecting the Silicon Valley region, the Digital Media Art program area is research and experimentation oriented. Course work provides for introductory and advanced study of digital visualization, interactive multimedia, digital video, networking and virtual reality. Admission to the program is first screened by a portfolio review for enrollment in ART 101A, Introduction to Digital Media Art. Successful completion of the course with a grade of B or better and passage of a portfolio review admits the student to the concentration and allows them to enroll in advanced courses in the field.

Photography BA Degree
One of the Photography program's primary objectives is to increase students' ability to conceptualize an idea and gain the ability to visually articulate their concepts. We encourage students to produce thoughtful artwork that deals with important issues. Although all of our classes incorporate conceptual observations, Photography 128, Image and Idea specifically requires students to conceptualize a project of their choice and work on their ideas for this project for the entire semester. An exhibition at the end of the semester reflects the diversity of ideas that flourish in this class.

Photography BFA Degree
In the BFA program, photography students benefit from additional elective credits in Art and Design. Many BA Art - Photography students have minors in graphic design. This has been particularly beneficial for students following commercial or product photography interests.

Spatial/Pictorial Art BA Degree
In the contemporary art world, the traditional boundaries between disciplines are collapsing. A new breed of artist is emerging, one that moves easily among different artistic mediums and processes. Our program's name, Spatial Art, sets us apart from traditional "sculpture" programs; in a truly interdisciplinary atmosphere, we teach our students to communicate ideas through the creative manipulation of materials and space. We place equal emphasis on the development of technical skills and conceptual skills. We seek students with a keen sense of curiosity and a compulsion to challenge, educate and astound their audience.

Master of Arts Art History and Visual Culture
The Master of Arts in Art History offers a broad education in art history including preparation for a Ph.D. degree program. It also prepares students for a graduate library degree with specialization in art history, as well as a variety of positions including community college professor, researcher, museum curator, art administrator, conservator, and visual resource librarian.
Applicants are not required to hold a B.A. in Art History but they should have completed several art history or art theory courses and be able to submit papers to demonstrate their skills in analysis and research.

Master of Arts Animation/Illustration
The award-winning Animation/Illustration program at San José State University is committed to providing a world-class education for students pursuing disciplines related to the screen arts. The Animation/Illustration graduate curriculum combines both traditional and innovative educational strategies. The program offers rigorous drawing classes and intensive study of color theory, design, perspective, and conventional and digital painting, which are available to graduate students pursuing storyboarding, visual development, character design, modeling, and texturing. These classes also form the foundation on which students build their animation skills.