The mission of the School of Art is to provide a comprehensive instructional program in visual art that will develop professional artists, art historians and critics, art educators, and an educated public. Since visual images permeate our cultural environment, we strive to teach literacy of this dominant cultural language. With our direction, students create original art, analyze both historical and contemporary art works and images, and research the history of art in cultural contexts. Through these processes, our students develop critical- and creative-thinking skills, cultivate an informed aesthetic, and master the ability to evaluate art works and images.

The School of Art offers professional and liberal arts education courses in the visual arts. We provide comprehensive and integrated instruction in studio art, art history, and art criticism. Courses in the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program strive to provide an intensive professional education for students interested in art careers. For students interested in a liberal arts education with an emphasis in the visual arts, the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees meet their needs. A teaching endorsement is available to students seeking licensure to teach in schools K-12.

The School of Art serves the people of Montana and beyond by supporting students to gain knowledge, skills, and understanding of the visual arts as an enrichment to daily life. To achieve this purpose, the School of Art is dedicated to the following goals:

• To provide high quality preparation for students interested in pursuing a professional career in the visual arts, art education, art history, and art criticism.
• To maintain a community of practicing artists and scholars as faculty to provide significant mentoring and rigorous intellectual challenges for students.
• To contribute to a cultural and artistic climate of creativity and intellectual curiosity for the campus, the local community and the state.
• To serve the local community, the state, the region and the nation as a source of expertise in scholarly, creative, and technical areas of the visual arts.

The School of Art provides comprehensive education in studio art, including intensive hands-on studio practice, art history, criticism, and theory. Programs provide thorough professional training for students interested in careers in the field of art. Welcome to the School of Art.

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