About
Do you want to advance your creativity, artistic skills, design thinking and leadership in the visual arts and design? Are you interested in many possibilities of art and design? We have the programs, facilities, support and outstanding faculty to help you achieve your goals.
Become immersed in the arts at the largest BFA in art program in the University of North Carolina System, with concentrations in animation/interactive design, ceramics, film and video production, graphic design, illustration, metal design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textile design.
Work side-by-side with talented students and faculty in the expansive Jenkins Fine Arts Center, a 142,000-square-foot-facility dedicated just to art and design. From digital weaving looms to laser cutters, a foundry, state-of-the-art computer labs, printmaking presses, photography darkrooms, a digital darkroom, a wood shop and more, you will be part of a community of artists who create, and nearly live, in Jenkins Fine Arts Center.
The Wellington B. Gray Gallery provides opportunities for students to show work and see the creative activity of professors and artists. Each concentration is supported by a guild that in turn provides enhancement to the curriculum. Guild activities include bringing in a variety of visiting artists and designers for artist's talks and workshops, supporting student travel to conferences and for research, and supporting the creative work of students. Partnerships with a variety of arts organizations across the state provide opportunities for internships, hands-on learning and professional development, from the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove to the Pitt County Arts Council right here in Greenville.
ECU Advantage
When you study art and design at ECU, your ideas have a voice. You have a place to think and make. You are part of a community of outstanding artists, designers, scholars and educators.
We believe everyone should have access to art and design in higher education, so we don't require a portfolio for admission as an incoming student. Instead, you work with outstanding faculty to develop your interests and apply to your concentration of choice during your second year of study.
Our alumni make a living by making a life in art and design. Our graduates run arts councils, have successful private studios and potteries, work in the textile and furniture design industries, and walk across the stage with cap in hand to land jobs in marketing, advertising, design firms, the gaming industry, film and video production houses and more.
What You Will Study
(For information about courses that carry general education credit, view the General Education Program section.)
Choose two courses from the following:
- ARTH 1906 - Art History Survey
- ARTH 1907 - Art History Survey
- PHIL 2271 - Introduction to Philosophy of Art
Students must complete first year core courses with a grade of C- (1.7) or better and must complete the courses before applying to an area of emphasis.
Intended graphic design and animation/interactive design students should take ART 1011. Intended painting students should take ART 1020. All other students have a choice of ART 1011 or ART 1020.
- ART 1011 - Visual Organization OR
- ART 1020 - Drawing
- ART 1012 - Form, Space, and Color
- ART 1013 - Process in Studio Arts
- ART 1014 - Narrative in Art and Design
- ART 1890 - First Year Seminar
- ART 2890 - Professional Pathways, Careers, and Entrepreneurship
- ART 3890 - Professional Practices
- ART 4101 - Senior Thesis: Development
- ART 4102 - Senior Thesis: Implementation
- Any
- FILM 3900 - American and International Film History, Part I
- FILM 3901 - American and International Film History Part II
(Intended film and video production emphasis students should take FILM 3900 and/or FILM 3901. Intended graphic design emphasis students should take ART 3090.)
See Section 8 for requirements that must be met prior to acceptance into an area of emphasis.
- ART 2070 - Introduction to Animation
- ART 2470 - Introduction to Digital 3D Modeling and Animation
- ART 3070 - Introduction to Interactive Design
- ART 3080 - Narrative through Kinetic Imaging
- ART 3082 - Motion Design Studio
- ART 3470 - Digital 3D Animation
- ART 2115 - Ceramics Studio I
- ART 2125 - Ceramics Studio II: Introduction to Hand Building
- ART 3100 - Ceramics Studio III: Kilns/Firing and Material/Glaze Studies
- ART 3115 - Ceramics Studio IV: Plaster and Mold Making
- ART 3120 - Ceramics Studio V: Ceramic Surface Design
- ART 4110 - Ceramics Studio VII: Ceramic Trends, Special Topics, Senior Projects
- ART 2205 - Film and Video Production Survey
- ART 2411 - Introduction to Scriptwriting
- ART 3420 - Cinematography, Lighting and Audio Capture
- ART 3450 - Post-Production Editing
- ART 3462 - Short-form Narrative Production
- ART 3466 - Documentary Production
- ART 2200 - Graphic Design Survey
- ART 2210 - Graphic Design Studio I
- ART 3200 - Graphic Design Studio II
- ART 3210 - Graphic Design Studio III
- ART 4200 - Graphic Design Studio IV
- ART 4205 - Graphic Design Studio V
- ART 2230 - Illustration I: Survey
- ART 3235 - Figure Communication
- ART 3240 - Illustration II: Concepts
- ART 4230 - Illustration III: Illustration Principles
- ART 4330 - Illustration IV: Applications
- ART 4340 - Illustration V: Portfolio
- ART 2300 - Metal Design Survey
- ART 2301 - Metal Design Studio I (Jewelry)
- ART 2311 - Metal Design: Enameling I
- ART 2321 - Metal Design: Forming I
- ART 3301 - Metal Design: Casting I
- ART 4311 - Metal Design: Special Topics
- ART 2560 - Painting Survey: Materials and Methods
- ART 2561 - Digital Painting: Composition
- ART 3561 - Painting Studio I
- ART 3563 - Painting Studio II
- ART 4560 - Advanced Painting I
- ART 4561 - Advanced Painting II
- ART 2225 - Introduction to Darkroom Photography
- ART 3250 - Introduction to Digital Photography
- ART 3270 - Color and Light Photography
- ART 3280 - Concepts in Photography
- ART 4225 - Methods and Research in Photography: Special Topics
- ART 4260 - Introduction to Alternative Photographic Processes
- ART 2600 - Printmaking Studio I: Etching
- ART 2602 - Printmaking Studio II: Lithography
- ART 2603 - Printmaking Studio III: Relief Printing
- ART 2604 - Printmaking Studio IV: Screen Printing
- ART 3601 - Intermediate Etching
- ART 3603 - Intermediate Relief Printing
- ART 3604 - Intermediate Screen-Printing
- ART 3610 - Intermediate Lithography
- ART 2705 - Sculpture Survey
- ART 2715 - Sculpture Studio I
- ART 2725 - Sculpture Studio II
- ART 3700 - Sculpture Studio III
- ART 3710 - Sculpture Studio IV
- ART 3720 - Sculpture Studio V
- ART 2335 - Weaving Design and Production
- ART 2336 - Dye and Direct Applications to Cloth
- ART 3305 - Traditional Felt Making
- ART 3315 - Dimensional Textiles
- ART 3316 - Fabric Manipulation and Construction
- ART 4335 - Contemporary Issues in Weaving
(Electives may be in any art (ART) prefix or art history (ARTH) prefix, including art education. Choose a minimum of 6 s.h. outside the area of emphasis. Electives may also include FILM 3900 or FILM 3901.)
Individual areas require portfolio review for acceptance into the area of emphasis. Entrance is competitive and space may be limited. Students not accepted into their preferred area of emphasis should be prepared to seek alternative areas of emphasis and/or degree programs. Students may submit to an area of emphasis only twice. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all ART courses taken to submit a portfolio.
Students should speak with faculty in their desired area to receive detailed instructions regarding the portfolio review process and requirements.
Students apply to areas of emphasis after successfully completing the following courses:
- Animation and Interactive Design - (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course)
- Ceramics - and
- Film and Video Production - (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course)
- Graphic Design - and (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in both courses)
- Illustration - (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course and in any illustration emphasis courses taken)
- Metal Design -
- Painting - and ; or (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course and in any painting emphasis courses taken)
- Photography - or (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course)
- Printmaking - or or or
- Sculpture -
- Textile Design - or or