Department of Art

Administration
Steve Nyktas, MFA, Department Chair

Associate Professors
Steve Nyktas, MFA; Gautam Rao, MFA

Department Website
www.butler.edu/jordan-arts/undergraduate-programs/art/

Mission

The Art Department educates artist/designers from all backgrounds to develop creative, critical thinking, and communication skills that allow the pursuit of many diverse career paths.

Integration. Every course in the program integrates art and design, utilizing a hybrid approach that combines critical thinking with processes pertinent for both artists and designers as well as methods of creation that are both traditional and digital.
Creativity. Creativity is nurtured through emphasis in idea generation. Focused on responding to themes and processes rather than fulfilling assignments, students learn to trust their intuition and gain confidence as authors of their own work.
Flexibility. The program is designed to be flexible in response to rapidly expanding career opportunities. Innovative course work allows students to strategize with both traditional and nontraditional materials and customize projects to their specific interests.
Sustainability. The program promotes the ecological practice of reuse and repurposing of sustainable materials. Students are provided practical experiences and marketable skills to sustain a lifetime of creativity.
Collaboration. Collaboration is a critical skill for future artists and designers. Collaborative environments prepare students to work professionally as part of a team-sharing, exchanging, and accepting divergent viewpoints. Required internships with nonprofit and corporate organizations expand students’ range of collaborative abilities and provide career-building opportunities.
Leadership. The art program offers the professional dexterity to promote leadership by setting high standards of achievement in initiative, innovation, and communication. Students are expected to develop, articulate, and realize a personal vision. In the classroom and beyond, students strive for excellence in artistic creation and professional practice.

Art Student Learning Outcomes

Concept: Demonstrate innovative thinking and sophistication in terms of the social, visual, psychological, and/or aesthetic components in Art and Design
Technique: Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of Art and Design methods, materials, techniques, and technologies
Contextual Understanding: Demonstrate an understanding of the intellectual underpinning of Art and Design in terms of history, process, and theory
Portfolio Development: Demonstrate professional growth in review of portfolio, internships, and/or exhibition

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Art + Design (BA)
Bachelor of Arts in Art History (BA)
Bachelor of Science in Arts Administration–Art (BS)
Bachelor of Science in Arts Administration–Art History (BS)
Bachelor of Arts in Art + Design and Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Energy, Mechanical, Motorsports)
Minor in Art + Design
Minor in Art History
Minor in Graphic Design
Minor in Painting
Minor in Photography
Minor in Museum Studies

Areas of Emphasis

The following emphases may be added to any art degree. At least 50 percent of the credits in any emphasis must be unique to that program and may not overlap with another emphasis, major, or minor (except as free electives).

Art History
Graphic Design
Lens-Based Media
Painting and Drawing

Programs

Major

Minor

Courses

Art