Art Minor
Maybe you’re not quite sure about a full-fledged major in Art, but you have a keen interest in Design, Ceramics, Painting, or Art History? Perhaps you are looking to bolster your graduate school application with a more well-rounded understanding of issues that extend beyond your major? Maybe you want to pad the résumé, or you just want to blow off some steam and harness some latent creative skills you’ve had since you were very young? You remember that feeling of being in the moment and creating something visually engaging, something weird, or something just plain fun? We know that feeling quite well, and we’ll give you credit for it.
Whatever the case may be, the Art minor provides non-majors with the opportunity to explore artistic media, techniques and basic art concepts. Adding an Art minor to your résumé will separate you from other applicants in any setting—it demonstrates that you can communicate visually and critically, and these are key skills in nearly every industry.
Coursework can include art appreciation, aesthetics, design, art history and studio experience. The best part, if you’re really thinking about an Art minor, there are actually quite a few options, including:
Studio Art Minor (24 Units)
This is a good choice if you are interested in design, ceramics, painting, photography, or other “Studio-Based” courses. The Minor in Studio Art will give you a chance to get your hands dirty, to get immersed in visual content, to create and add something positive to the world. Furthermore, gaining added expertise in the arts will greatly interface and inevitably enhance your primary major.
Art History Minor (21 Units)
For those seeking to enhance their major with a real understanding of the nature of artistic practices through time and across many cultures. The Minor in Art History offers the opportunity to learn ways to view and interpret the visually complex world in which we live today and to shape the world in which we will live tomorrow. The study of art history builds powers of observation, awareness of historical and social contexts, and critical analysis skills that can be applied to any field.
Arts Management Minor (18 Units)
This is a great option for those interested in an interdisciplinary program that combines the study of business management and art. The Arts Management minor provides CSUCI students from all majors the opportunity to learn about the practical and theoretical mechanisms of administration and marketing in cultural institutions.
Visual Communication Minor (24 Units)
We like to think of this as the perfect blend of Communication and Art courses—an excellent minor for ANY student that will give you a taste of all the software, techniques, and ideas necessary to communicate in a visual world. The Minor in Visual Media Communication will help prepare students for advanced careers in the media industry and a full range of media/communication-related fields. Students will develop a foundation in production using the latest technologies and digital media, while also learning about the role these technologies play in mediating language and human experience.
Visual Communication Minor Courses
Computer Game Design Minor (24-25 Units)
The minor in computer game design and development is an interdisciplinary program involving participation from the areas of Art, Computer Science, Business, Mathematics and Psychology. Lots of people dream of somehow getting into the field of game design—taking these courses will give you the tools to set you on the right track. This minor provides a foundation in artistic, mathematical, psychological and computer programming tools and techniques relevant to the design and development of computer games as well as in business methodologies applicable to Computer Gaming.