Art and Design

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OFFICE: ArtN 505
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6511 
E-MAIL: artinfo@sdsu.edu
WEBSITE: http://art.sdsu.edu

Undergraduate Information

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.

For purposes of exhibition and reference, the school reserves the right to retain for a limited period some of each student’s work produced in class.

The School of Art and Design is an impacted program. Therefore, students may enroll in art courses only to the maximum units allowed for credit towards graduation. Students enrolling in a course beyond the maximum allowable units will be disenrolled.

The Major

The School of Art and Design educates, inspires, and prepares a new generation of artists, craftspeople, designers, educators, and scholars to both thrive as individuals and transform our world collectively. Faculty members support students to become engaged global citizens and active participants in local communities and prepare students to seek, create, or attain meaningful work and professional opportunities in their field. The curriculum spans contemporary art and design practices through a wide variety of disciplines including drawing, painting, printmaking, book arts, sculpture, ceramics, furniture design, jewelry design, graphic design, interior architecture, multimedia, public art, social practice, and art history. Through both discipline-specific and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning, faculty support students to invent solutions, express ideas, imagine possibilities, and interpret the world through historical, cultural, and global contexts.

A major in art may be planned with an emphasis in applied design (with specialties in ceramics, furniture design and woodworking, and jewelry and metalwork), art history; graphic design, interior architecture, multimedia, painting and printmaking, sculpture, or studio arts. A broad spectrum of courses for both majors and nonmajors in art history and visual culture, art appreciation, and foundations of art and design also are available.

All emphases require foundational courses in drawing, 2D and 3D design, contemporary art and design practice, and art history of the Western world. It is strongly recommended that all students complete the core requirements during their freshman year, or at least prior to initiating coursework in a specific program emphasis. It is recommended that students complete courses from other emphases in order to enhance their overall art and design experience.

Graduates of the School of Art and Design are creative thinkers and problem solvers who are able to communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, and innovate imaginatively as working professionals in a variety of fields. The applied design program trains students in traditional craft techniques and contemporary digital fabrication processes in preparation for industry careers, including professional craft, artisanal, and industrial design and small-scale manufacturing for a variety of three-dimensional products. Graduates of the program also may choose to engage in independent entrepreneurial ventures such as custom-designed furniture fabrication, jewelry design and manufacturing, and fine art ceramics and pottery production. In addition, they may pursue positions in set building and prop handling for the theater, television, and film industries. The programs in graphic design, interior architecture, and multimedia, provide students with a pre-professional orientation supplemented by a strong liberal arts background. An emphasis in graphic design can lead to careers in magazine and book design; corporate design; branding; design for film, television, and the recording industry; information design; environmental graphic design; packaging; advertising; interface design for kiosks and the Internet; and type design. Interior architecture students may pursue positions in interior, architectural, or landscape design as well as city planning. Multimedia emphasis prepares students in the areas of interactive and time- based media, such as animation, book arts, gaming, instructional systems, motion graphics, net art, photography, publishing, video and film, and web design. The programs in art history, painting, printmaking, and sculpture ready students for careers in visual art, whether as artists or art professionals working in the gallery and museum field (including curation, exhibition design, and museum education), in writing and publishing, or in community-engaged art practice. Graduates of any of the School’s programs may seek to continue their educational experience in post-baccalaureate programs with the goal of teaching and conducting creative research at institutions of higher learning.

Impacted Programs

Emphases in the School of Art and Design are impacted. Students must enter the university under the designated major code for selected programs. To be admitted to the selected program, refer to the program description for specific impacted criteria.

Major Academic Plans (MAPs)

Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.

Graduate Information

Assistantships and Tuition Waivers

Graduate assistantship and teaching associate positions in art are available to a limited number of qualified students. Tuition waivers and scholarships for out-of-state and international students are also available on a limited basis. Applicants should contact the graduate adviser for additional information.

General Information

The School of Art and Design offers graduate study leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree in Art. The objective of this program is to provide the essential theoretical education, technical training, and creative experience necessary for professional activity and college-level teaching in the visual arts. Students in the MFA degree program are supported by dedicated and engaged faculty members with a broad range of research interests, explored through art history, ceramics, exhibition design and curatorial practice, furniture design and woodworking, graphic design, interactive design, interior architecture, jewelry and metalwork, multimedia, painting and printmaking, photography, sculpture, and socially-engaged practice.

The Master of Fine Arts degree is a 60-unit graduate program that can be completed in three years. The program which includes professional seminars and interdisciplinary critiques, provides an opportunity for in-depth study leading to an exhibition of an original body of creative work defended during an oral examination and accompanied by a written report. Candidates in the MFA program are expected to achieve a high level of excellence and distinction in their creative practice.

The School of Art and Design has expansive facilities including private or semi-private studio space and state-of-the-art equipment. In addition, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the San Diego Museum of Art, the Stuart Collection, the Mingei International Museum, and the Timken Museum of Art offer a range of contemporary and global historic art, as well as specialized libraries for research. All are convenient to public or personal transportation. There are also numerous community college galleries and commercial galleries with a wide variety of offerings.

Admission to Graduate Study

Applicants should submit the CalState Apply application (available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply) along with the nonrefundable application fee between October 1 and November 30 for admission the following fall.

Additionally, all applicants must submit admissions materials to SDSU Graduate Admissions by December 15 at the address below and to the School of Art and Design by January 12 via Interfolio.

Graduate Admissions

San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-7416

1. Transcripts: Send official transcripts (in sealed envelopes) issued within the last year from all U.S. postsecondary institutions attended;
   • Do not send transcripts before submitting the Cal State Apply application as this may result in processing delays.
   • If you previously attended SDSU, you need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance. If you are a current SDSU student, you are not required to submit an SDSU transcript.
2. International documents: Students with international coursework must have the institution send one official language record of all academic coursework and proof of degree. For each document, applicants must also send a certified literal English translation which can come directly from the institution or from a professional certified translator. The translation must contain all information shown on the original language documents;
    
3. English Language Proficiency (for international students only): All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship whose native language is not English and whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must demonstrate competence in English. Those applicants who do not possess a bachelor’s degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must submit official TOEFL (http://www.ets.org) SDSU institution code 4682), IELTS (http://www.ielts.org), Duolingo English Test (https://englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants), or PTE (https://pearsonpte.com) results.

Master of Fine Arts Degree in Art

The following admissions materials must be submitted via Interfolio by the January 12 deadline.

1. Statement of purpose addressing your professional goals and reasons for selecting the School of Art and Design at SDSU for your pursuit of these goals;
    
2. Artist statement that describes the nature and content of the work shown in the portfolio;
    
3. Digital portfolio of fifteen to twenty images. Presented as captioned images contained within a single PDF;
    
4. Current curriculum vitae or resume;
    
5. Two letters of recommendation from art instructors (or others) who are able to comment on your artistic potential in the area of specialization;
    
6. One copy of unofficial transcripts for all college and university-level institutions attended.

For information regarding the admissions process, visit the school website at https://art.sdsu.edu/apply/.

Master of Arts (Art History) Degree in Art

The following admissions materials must be submitted via Interfolio by the January 12 deadline.

1. School of Art and Design application;

2. Statement of purpose addressing your professional goals and reasons for selecting the School of Art and Design at SDSU for your pursuit of these goals, what you plan to accomplish at SDSU (in which areas do you plan to specialize), and what your long range career goals are (1-2 pages);

3. Your best term paper, seminar report, or published article (10-15 pages);

4. Two letters of recommendation from instructors who can assess your academic performance (you may include one museum reference);

5. Current curriculum vitae or resume;

6. One copy of unofficial transcripts for all college and university-level institutions attended.

For information regarding the admissions process, visit the school’s website at https://art.sdsu.edu/apply/.

Faculty

Director: Yapelli, Tina, Professor of Art and Design (B.A., Loyola Marymount University; M.A., California State University Fullerton)

Master’s Degree Program Advisor: Sherman, Sondra, Professor of Art and Design (B.F.A., Temple University; M.F.A., Munich Academy of Fine Art)

Tenured and Tenure-Track:

Buckley, Annie, Professor of Art and Design (B.A., University of California, Berkeley; M.F.A., Otis College of Art and Design)

Sherman, Sondra, Professor of Art and Design (B.F.A., Temple University; M.F.A., Munich Academy of Fine Art)

Struble, Eva, Professor Art and Design (B.A., Brown University; M.F.A., Yale University School of Art)

Castro, Carlos, Associate Professor of Art and Design (B.F.A., Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano; M.F.A., San Francisco Art Institute)

Hebert, Matthew, Associate Professor of Art and Design (B.Arch., University of California, Berkeley; M.F.A., California College of the Arts)

Manley, Adam, Associate Professor of Art and Design (B.A. International Relations and Political Science, State University of New York, New Paltz; M.F.A., San Diego State University)

Ozkal, Arzu, Associate Professor of Art and Design (B.F.A., Bilkent University; M.F.A., State University of New York, Buffalo)

Quick, Kerianne, Associate Professor Art and Design (B.A. [Cum Laude], San Diego State University; M.F.A., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Avnisan, Ava, Assistant Professor of Art and Design (B.A., University of Maryland; M.F.A., Brooklyn College; M.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago)

Caldwell, Avery, Assistant Professor of Art and Design (B.F.A., University of California, Los Angeles; M.Arch., University of California, Los Angeles)

Sneed, Gillian, Assistant Professor of Art and Design (B.A., Mills College; M.S., Pratt Institute; M. Phil., Graduate Center, City University of New York; Ph.D., Graduate Center, City University of New York)

Tete, Iren, Assistant Professor of Art and Design (B.S., College of William and Mary; M.F.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

Yu, Yin, Assistant Professor of Art and Design (B.S., Shanghai Maritime University; M.S., Southern New Hampshire University; M.S., University of Oregon; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara) 

Additional Faculty:

Siprut, Mark, Associate Professor of Art and Design, Emeritus (B.A., Humboldt State University; M.A., Humboldt State University; M.F.A., University of California, Santa Barbara) 

Stringfellow, Kim, Professor of Art and Design, Emerita (B.F.A., Academy of Art College; M.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago)

Lecturers:

Benzel, Gary M., B.F.A., Art and Design

Brown, James E., B.Arch., Art and Design

La Quire, Jennette, M.Arch., Art and Design

Luera, Martin, M.F.A., Art and Design

Shigley, Neil, B.A., Art and Design

Weeks, Beth, B.S., Art and Design

Whitmore, Tessie C., M.F.A., Art and Design

Williams, Allyson B., Ph.D., Art and Design

Wilson, Mary Cale, M.F.A., Art and Design

Woods, Ann C., Ph.D., Art and Design

Wyss, Scott, B.F.A., Art and Design

Emeritus Faculty:

Berelowitz, Jo-Anne, Ph.D., 1993-2014, Professor of Art and Design

Berg, Robert V., M.F.A., 1963-1992, Professor of Art

Burkett, Richard A., M.F.A., 1989-2017, Professor of Art and Design

Cooling, Janet L., M.F.A., 1984-2008, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Couttolenc, Patricia C., M.F.A., 2008-2018, Associate Professor of Art and Design

Dominguez, Jesus Y., M.F.A., 1976-2002, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Dumlao, Gerald C., M.F.A., 1977-1998, Associate Professor of Art

Fisch, Arline M., M.A., 1961-1996, Professor of Art [Senate Distinguished Professor]

Hayakawa, Joanne, M.F.A., 1982-2010, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Hunter, Lawrence B., M.A., 1963-1989, Professor of Art

Johnson, Hiroko, Ph.D., 2000-2011, Associate Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Maruyama, Wendy L., M.F.A., 989-2010, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Merritt, Susan C., M.F.A., 1986-2013, Professor of Art and Design

Miller, Allan W., M.F.A., 1963-2004, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Moaney, Eric R., M.F.A., M.S., 1968-1998, Assistant Professor of Art

Nakamura, Kotaro, M.A., Professor of Art and Design

Nelson, Kerry A., M.S., 1988-2012, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Ollman, Arthur L., M.F.A., 2006-2014, Professor of Art and Design

Orth, Fredrick J., M.F.A., 1965-2001, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Perczel, Csilla F., Ph.D., 1970-1990, Associate Professor of Art

Ray, Eugene A., M.F.A., 1969-1996, Professor of Art

Rigby, Ida K., Ph.D., 1976-2006, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Roberts-Fields, Gail C., M.A., 1976-2009, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Rogers, John J., M.S., 1963-1996, Professor of Art

Shirk, Helen Z., M.F.A., 1976-2005, Professor of Art, Design, and Art History

Wallace, Robert D., Litt. D., 1957-1986, Professor of Art

Programs

• Art History Minor
• Art Minor
• Art, Art History Concentration, M.A.
• Art, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Applied Design, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Art History, B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Graphic Design, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Interior Architecture, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Multimedia, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Painting and Printmaking, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Sculpture, B.A. in Applied Arts and Sciences
• Art, Emphasis in Studio Arts, B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Art, M.F.A.
• Art, Studio Arts Concentration, M.A.

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