With the rise of digital and social media, there is a growing need for communication professionals that can create messages that will resonate with multiple audiences. This major will provide a comprehensive study in digital media design, lens and light arts, and media marketing. Students will learn how to think clearly, critically, and creatively in response to communication challenges through the use of digital media design.

Through the combined experience of professional practice, internships, and a capstone experience, students will be positioned to create compelling content, with an understanding of how this media can impact all facets of the marketing mix, including website traffic, customer relationships, and brand messaging.

A bachelor’s degree from the Department of Art and Design prepares students for a wide range of graduate study and career options in art therapy, marketing / advertising / social media, creative industries, graphic design, media production, studio artist, or museum / gallery study.

CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS

Course of Study

Art/Design Competition

Art Center Gallery

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About the Department

The Department of Art and Design provides students with a broad-based liberal arts education infused with the principles of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Inclusive within the vibrant liberal arts education the department offers modern programs focused on specific professional skills in graphic design, media arts, photography, videography studio arts, self-designed program in the arts, and the therapeutic dimensions of art therapy.

There is an emphasis upon an interdisciplinary approach toward the visual arts and design, psychology and the creative arts therapies. In the classroom professors emphasize a broad understanding of the dignity of humankind, the importance of developing compassion, and the need to cultivate the awareness of just and ethical practice.

Essential fot all programs is The Studio Model. In a studio course, students work in a specifically designed space which creates an open collaborative environment. This Studio Model provides an expansive and expressive atmosphere for learning. The studio environment allows open communication and constructive criticism to enrich and forward art practice. Imperative to the model is the required work outside of designated meeting times. The studio demands the constant process of production-critique-production, seeking feedback from all participants. The faculty teaches, guides, and nurtures the group or cohort.

In the junior and senior years, advanced course work is designed to run concurrently with community field placements to afford students the opportunity to observe and work alongside professionals. Each student’s placement in the community is chosen to directly reflect her/his interest and to provide a comprehensive and hands-on, team approach to learning. Students are placed by the College in appropriate settings and supervised by College personnel. The internships/practica are credit-bearing and are available to students in all of the above disciplines. Art Therapy placements range from public and private hospitals, community treatment centers providing therapeutic services to a wide range of clientele. Graphic Design Media Art, and Art internships provide students with real world experiences.

Additionally, students are encouraged to experience study abroad through programs ranging from summer study in the creative arts, to a spring break in Berlin, Paris or Vienna with our Urban Seminar program. It is important to note that Anna Maria College is a member of The American Art Therapy Association.

A bachelor’s degree from the Department of Art and Design prepares students for a wide range of graduate study and career options in art therapy, marketing/advertising/social media, creative industries, graphic design, media production, studio artist, or museum/gallery study.

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Curriculum Highlights

DES 110 – Typography I

Required

This course introduces students to the history, techniques, processes, terminology, and basic conceptual skills required when working with letter forms and typography. Students will learn skills necessary to create and use type effectively for communication as well as creatively as an Art form. Studio fee.

3 credits

DES 140 – Graphic Design I

Required

This course introduces students to the techniques, processes, terminology, and basic compositional and conceptual skills required in the discipline. Emphasis is placed on composition and conceptual development, leading to applications of principles of effective communication. Prerequisite: DES 103. Studio fee.

3 credits

MCO 209 – Introduction to Digital Media

Required

After a brief discussion of past forms of media, this course will focus on the development of the Internet and its impact on American society as well as the world. Electronic mail, social media, the spread of false news, viral videos, streaming services, and the Internet’s impact on print media and television are just some of the topics that will be covered.

3 credits

DES 210 – Typography II

Required

This course further builds on the theory, history and practice of typography. The students will work with various contrasts, structural and proportional systems in relation to typography in modern and contemporary design. Students will design, develop and digitize a typeface. Prerequisite: DES 103, DES 110. Studio fee.

3 credits

DES 220 – Interactive Design

Required

This course explores the world of interactivity both inside and outside the realm of the web. Emphasis is placed on user experience, information hierarchy, communication, and interactivity as an art form. Students will be introduced to current technology used in creating interactive media and expected to apply principles learned in foundation graphic design classes.

3 credits

DES 240 – Graphic Design II

Required

This course is a continuation of DES 140 and requires students to apply knowledge gained in prerequisite and related courses. Emphasis is placed on conceptual problem solving through conventional and experimental methods. Design is addressed as a process, a sequence of steps taken toward the final production of a design, requiring creative problem solving and methods.

3 credits

ART 249 or ART 240 – Digital Photography II, Videography II

Required

Digital Photography II continues to explore digital photography and technology in the application of creating a unique photographic vision.

Videography II continues to examine both the art and process of video making through hands-on exercises, assignments and readings.

3 credits

DES 251 – History of Graphic Design

Required

Surveying the history of graphic design through lectures. The course will study how graphic design responded to (and affected) international, social, political, and technological developments. Emphasis will be on the influence of design and illustration from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present.

3 credits

ENG 312 – Professional Communications

Required

How is professional use of social media different from personal use of social media? This course explores what it means to use social media as a professional in support of the goals of a business or organization for which you work.

3 credits

BUS 314 – Social Media Marketing

Required

A study of the four zone of social media and how marketers can obtain their objectives through each social media zone. Prerequisite: BUS 270 or permission of instructor.

3 credits

DES 300 – Motion Graphics

Required

This course focuses on the creation of animation for distribution across the Web and other interactive venues. Students will produce animation in response to visual problems that are navigational, instructional, spatial, and user dependent.

3 credits

DES 405 – Identity Design

Required

This course will explore the role of identity and branding in business communication. The course combines both a seminar and studio component. The seminar component of the course will examine the history, psychology, theory, and current practice of identity design through lecture, reading, and research. I

3 credits

DES 499 – Design Internship

Required

Supervised work experience under qualified discipline appropriate professional and art faculty in a business setting such as a graphic design studio, advertising firm and printing house. The practicum provides students with practical experience in the field of graphic design or graphic communications. Permission of art faculty supervisor required.

3 credits

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Course Of Study

Career Opportunities

Digital Marketing Analyst
Social Media Analyst
User Experience (UX) Analyst
Content Strategy Analyst
E-commerce Analyst

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of a BA in Digital and Social Media Design, students will:

Demonstrate proficiency with the principles of visual organization, including the ability to work with visual elements in two and three dimensions; color theory and its applications; and digital arts
Exhibit working knowledge of technologies and equipment applicable to their area(s) of specialization
Solve communication problems, including the skills of problem identification, research and information gathering, analysis, generation of alternative solutions, prototyping and user testing, and evaluation of outcomes
Examine design history, theory, and criticism from a variety of perspectives, including those of art history, linguistics, communication and information theory, technology, and the social and cultural use of design objects
Collaborate with others, both as a leader and participant, to produce high-quality work

New England Secondary School Art/Design Competition

Call for Entries: November 1, 2023 – December 15, 2023
Virtual Exhibition Dates: December 21, 2023 – March 6, 2024
ZOOM Awards Presentation: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

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Art Center Gallery

Director: Darrell Matsumoto, MFA

Art Center Gallery in Miriam Hall at Anna Maria College serves as the venue for numerous art and design exhibitions throughout the year, to support the intellectual and cultural life of the College and surrounding community. Of special note, the gallery presents special exhibitions, which showcase the contemporary work of practicing artists and designers, which also includes a published catalogue.

View our exhibitions below.

2023 Fall - 2024 Spring

2023 Fall – 2024 Spring

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2022 Fall - 2023 Spring

2022 Fall – 2023 Spring

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2021 Fall - 2022 Spring

2021 Fall – 2022 Spring

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2020 Fall - 2021 Spring

2020 Fall – 2021 Spring

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2019 Fall - 2020 Spring

2019 Fall – 2020 Spring

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2018 Fall - 2019 Spring

2018 Fall – 2019 Spring

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2017 Fall - 2018 Spring

2017 Fall – 2018 Spring

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2016 Fall - 2017 Spring

2016 Fall – 2017 Spring

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2016 Spring

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Self-Designed Major

Suggestions for Self-Design Majors

Photography/Video
Painting/Mixed Media
Sculpture/Installation Art
Digital Arts
Performance Art
Art and Business

Self-Design Program Outcomes

Identify and describe the historical and cultural context of art and design
Demonstrate working knowledge of technologies and equipment applicable to their area(s) of specialization
Demonstrate perceptual acuity, conceptual understanding, and the technical facility at a professional entry level in their chosen field(s). The ability to perceptively analyze works of art and design and to critically evaluate its quality
Demonstrate functional competence with principles of visual organization, including the ability to work with visual elements and its application in drawing, two-dimensions and three-dimensions, color theory, and digital arts
Work independently on a variety of art and design projects. The ability to conceptualize, research, and produce an independent project. Produce a capstone exhibition and portfolio

Art and Design Minors

Students interested in art who major in another field may minor in art. An art minor may be of particular interest to the Liberal Studies major who wishes to engage in a creative endeavor, or the business major who may find art and design skills an asset for a career in marketing, advertising, or public relations. A portfolio presentation of basic artistic skills is required to declare a minor in art.

Students interested in art who major in another field may minor in art. An art minor may be of particular interest to all majors who wishes to engage in a creative endeavor. The Art Minor is perfect complement to any major.

ART 101 Drawing I
ART 103 Fundamentals of Design and Color
DES 103 Introduction to Digital Design
ART 204 Introduction to Sculpture and Clay
ART Elective
Art History Elective

This minor and the course selection is designed to provide the Visual Art major with the necessary foundation in psychology, forming an excellent introduction to the field of Art Therapy. Note: Students must have completed PSY101, PSY207 or PSY215 prior to ATH courses.

ATH 150 Methods, Material, and Techniques for Art Therapists
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
PSY 207 Child Development or PSY215 Psychology of Adolescence
PSY 306 Abnormal Psychology
ATH 201 Art Therapy I
ATH 202 Art Therapy II

A minor in Graphic Design may be of particular interest to students in the art or business programs, providing them with knowledge of technology coupled with design relevant to both the creative and professional worlds.

Requirements for Art majors:

DES 140 Introduction to Graphic Design
DES 251 History of Graphic Design
DES 210 Typography II
ART 248 Introduction to Digital Photography
DES ___ Upper-level Graphic Design course
Business or Marketing elective

Requirements for non-Art majors:

ART 101 Fundamentals of Design and Color
DES 103 Introduction to Digital Design
ART 248 Introduction to Digital Photography
DES 140 Introduction to Graphic Design
DES ___ Upper-level Graphic Design course
Business or Marketing elective

This minor is designed for any student interested in the study of Photography and Videography. The minor will provide a solid foundation in the lens and light arts, which has a myriad of applications in our media driven society.