Department of Art
| Professors Emeriti |
Thomas Nakashima, John R. Winslow |
| Associate Professors |
Dr. Nora M. Heimann; Jonathan Monaghan (Chair); Dr. Delane Ingalls Vanada |
| Lecturers |
Matthew Barrick; Adam Bradley; Dr. Tiffany Hunt; Dr. Stephanie Layton Kim; Dr. Katherine Markoski; Kevin Mitchell; Manuel Navarrete; Jenna North; Patricia Ortega-Miranda; Kathryn Pasternak; Andrew Shim; Dr. Heather Turnbow |
“Artists…are custodians of beauty, heralds and witnesses of hope for humanity.”
-His Holiness, Pope Francis
"Between the world of men and transcendent divinity there exists art. Art is the will to truth made physically manifest."
-André Malraux
The Department of Art is devoted to nurturing the production and understanding of artistic expression, one of the oldest and most vitally human endeavors. The department offers programs in art history and studio art leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Together, these programs are dedicated to the proposition that art and culture are one, and that exposure to the visual arts is an essential component of every liberal education. Our goal of fostering a greater appreciation of the arts is especially fitting at The Catholic University of America, given both the historic tradition of brilliant art patronage by the Catholic Church, and the outstanding resources of Washington, D.C. Among the many nearby institutions that offer world-class art collections are the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Phillips Collection, the Kreeger Museum, the Hillwood Museum, the Glenwood Museum, Dumbarton Oaks, the Folger Shakespeare Library, and the Library of Congress. Students in the department are encouraged to utilize these resources through study, institutional internships, and sponsored research, whenever possible.
Through courses both within and outside the department, art majors are provided with a broad introduction to the humanities, as well as a sophisticated initiation into the practice, theory, and appreciation of the arts. The major in art & design takes two courses each in the fundamentals of design, drawing and composition, and art history, followed by a three-course sequence in painting, sculpture or digital arts, plus one additional studio art elective. Art & design majors are also required to take contemporary art history. The major in art history takes two survey courses in the history of art and architecture, one studio course, and a selection of specialized courses from each of the following three periods: Ancient and Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque, Modern and Contemporary. Majors in both programs take Junior and Senior Seminar. Art history majors complete a Junior and Senior Art History Thesis, and take comprehensive examinations in their senior year. Art & design majors produce a creative project under the direction of two art faculty advisors to fulfill the senior assessment requirement.
Please Note: Due to space restrictions, certain courses have limited enrollments. Students who wish to enroll in these courses (labeled "departmental approval required" [DA]) should contact the department office at the time of registration to receive permission to enroll.
Degree Programs
To be accepted as a major, an applicant for the program in Art & Design must have at least a C average in ART 101, ART 102 or ART 231, ART 207, ART 208, ART 211, and ART 212. (PLEASE NOTE: Taking ART 201 and ART 202 Drawing and Composition I & II will not automatically replace the requirements for ART 207 and ART 208.) An applicant for the program in Art History must have a minimum of a C average in ART 211, ART 212, ART 332, and one other art history course. Students who have not completed these courses with the requisite grade by the end of their sophomore year will only be accepted conditionally until these requirements are completed.
Students with a GPA greater than 3.2 are eligible to pursue double majors (the B.A. in Art plus another disciplinary area). Double majors may be arranged through the Department of Art, the other department, and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies in The School of Music, Drama, and Art. Minors in studio art and art history are also available.
Art History - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Art & Design - Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Certificate Program
Digital Art and Design - Certificate
Minor Programs
Art History - Minor
Studio Art - Minor