Choosing the right college and creative environment to pursue a visual arts education is a difficult task. We are excited that as a creative and motivated person you have decided to attend Central Washington University and join us in the Department of Art + Design. During your time at Central you will work with faculty members who are professional artists and designs as well as scholars in their field. The Art + Design faculty are recognized for their work regionally, nationally and internationally. We are successful practicing artists and designers and are passionate about interacting with creative students such as you.

The degrees we offer are as follows:

BA in Art, BA in Art Education, BFA in Studio Art, BFA in Graphic Design

Our studio areas include: Ceramics, Drawing, Graphic Design, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Wood Design.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts or BFA, which requires 110 credits, provides more breadth and depth in art than the Bachelor of Arts or BA, which requires 75 credits. The BFA is considered the degree for professional preparation in the arts. The BA degree is considered a Liberal Arts degree and provides a solid art foundation for a career that may include the combination of another area of interest or as preparation for graduate study in a related area. We offer a studio or graphic design track with the BA degree.

The Art Education BA satisfies the endorsement for visual arts. A comprehensive visual-art program that qualifies students to teach art at either the elementary or secondary levels in regular or self-contained classrooms. Students taking this major are required to apply to the Teacher Certification Program and complete the Secondary Education major offered through the Curriculum, Supervision, and Educational Leadership Department, in order to be recommended for Washington State licensure.

The Department of Art + Design is located in Randall Hall, a two-story, 82,000 square foot building designed for visual art instruction. Within the confines of the building are large specialized facilities for our various studio arts, design and visual art teaching courses. Over 300 CWU undergraduates are currently majoring or minoring in the visual arts. With 9 full-time (and several part-time) art faculty we are able to keep the student/teacher ratio low allowing for greater personal attention in the studio environment.

The Sarah Spurgeon Gallery offers the campus of Central Washington University and the community at large the opportunity to view and experience art and design first hand. The Gallery's exhibitions and related outreach programs (such as workshops, artist lectures, and interpretive programs) are designed to support the Department's educational objectives as well as to enhance, engage, and challenge the viewer’s knowledge and understanding of art.