COURSE CURRICULUM

The Art major at California Lutheran University requires a minimum of 42 credits, including at least 24 upper-division credits. The program is designed to give students a strong foundation in both traditional and contemporary art practices, while also allowing room for interdisciplinary exploration. Students begin by selecting one foundational art history course from a set that includes History of Art (ART 111 or ART 112), American Art (ART 105), or Indigenous Art of the Americas (ART 210). These courses provide historical and cultural context that informs their studio practice.Core studio courses include Drawing (ART 160), Life Drawing (ART 165), Digital Photography (ART 236), Beginning Painting (ART 270), and Design (ART 280), which together build essential skills in visual expression and technique. Students then advance into more specialized areas such as Sculpture (ART 320), Digital Art (ART 380), and Life Painting (ART 472). They also study Modern Art (ART 410) to gain insight into significant movements and trends in recent art history. The program culminates in two key experiences: Interdisciplinary Arts – Capstone (ART 418), which integrates learning across disciplines, and the Senior Show (ART 440), where students publicly exhibit their work.To further personalize their education, students choose additional electives, with at least two being upper-division courses. Elective options cover a wide array of topics and mediums, such as Watercolor, Ceramics, Printmaking, Typography, Animation, Film Production, Scenic Design, and even interdisciplinary studies like Art and Psychology or Philosophy of Art. This flexibility allows students to pursue personal interests and experiment across artistic disciplines. Overall, the program prepares students to become thoughtful, skilled, and creative artists ready for professional careers, graduate study, or work in related fields. The typical duration of the program is four years for full-time undergraduate students.