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ART 1304: Gateway to Art and Design

"Being assigned to travel around campus looking for galleries the entire semester helped me become familiar to what resources are available to me as an artist at Tech for the next few years."
- ART 1304 student

ART 1304 provides an overview of the School of Visual Arts and includes a strong advising component while informing new students of the possible curricular paths for multiple visual arts professions. Students explore a variety of resources such as galleries, museums and guest artist lectures with the goal of making art a part of their daily and future professional lives.  

What will students gain from taking this course?
Students in this course will broaden their understanding of the field of visual arts so that they can make informed decisions about their trajectory in the profession as they move forward.

What are some of the unique aspects of this FYE course?
According to instructor Jennifer Hand, "The highlight of the class is an overnight field trip to Richmond that involves a visit to a Graphic Design Agency, a tour of a private art collection, a visit to an art center and a visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. The FYE format helps us deliver these experiences to the majority of our first-year class and allows us a time and space for the whole group to come together without taking valuable time away from other classes."

What are students saying about ART 1304?
"I loved that we got to see the different areas of study (VCD, CT, Studio) and tour their facilities and meet some professors. I think it really helped us get an idea of what next semester could be like after portfolio review."

"This class was pretty dynamic, and I liked that we didn't always meet in the same place. Going to different buildings and meeting new people helped me familiarize myself with the campus and the college."

"I think the field trip to Richmond had the most impact in increasing my interest in graphic design. Seeing alumni from Virginia Tech in the workforce and applying what they learned definitely inspired me to continue to pursue this course of study." 

"I'm obsessed with art now."

Contact: Jennifer Hand