Art and Design
Commitment. Excellence. Creativity.
We provide strong training in the professional degree areas, including the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Fine Arts, Photography, Graphic Design and Art Education. We also offer the Bachelor of Arts in Art History and the Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts. Our primary purpose is to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue careers in these disciplines. Emphasis is placed on the production of intensive studio-based arts research, on the development of critical evaluative skills, and the practice of excellent oral and written communication abilities.
Our students develop research in state-of-the art studios that include expansive technologies for graphic design, printmaking, ceramics, wood and metal installation work, painting, illustration, digital and darkroom photography. Most importantly, our faculty members are committed to offering individualized instruction, academic advising and professional mentoring. Devoted solely to undergraduate learning, we offer small faculty-to-student ratios (1:12) that ensure high-quality contact with instructors. Our instructors are leaders in their professional fields, all committed to excellence in research and in teaching.
The University of Dayton is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Join us online from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 12 for an online artist talk with Alexander Martin (them/they), a multiracial black and queer artist and performer who lives and works in Peoria, Illinois. Community engagement is a major theme of their studio practice, which manifests as a combination of mixed media work, found objects, performance, ritual, and education.
What makes us special?
Learn what we have to offer. Both inside and outside the classroom, we are involved
Our faculty are dedicated to mentoring students, preparing them for the job market. Students explore a range of vocations within corporate and non-profit organizations and are encouraged to undertake Internships with local arts organizations, design firms and professional groups.
Our students can take advantage of several curricular and extra-curricular activities which help enrich their learning and creativity in the visual arts.
Please contact us for more information about our programs. We look forward to hearing from you.
In this video, learn about arts degrees at the University of Dayton. Hear from students majoring in Music, Art and Design, and Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology.
In this video, learn about arts degrees at the University of Dayton. Hear from students majoring in Music, Art and Design, and Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology.
In the News
04.05.21: University of Dayton faculty develop courses, digital archive to preserve Paul Laurence Dunbar’s legacy with $150K grant from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
A University of Dayton initiative to develop interdisciplinary courses and create a digital archive to help preserve the legacy of Dayton native Paul Laurence Dunbar launched its first faculty cohort, with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Read this story
03.03.21: Photographing Women of UD
Student photographer Kat Niekamp talks about her opportunity to take documentary photographs of the honorees of the Women of UD project, coordinated by UD's Women's Center during Women's History Month.
Read this story
03.01.21: Ohio Arts Council honors two University of Dayton faculty with Individual Excellence Awards and $4K grants
The Ohio Arts Council honored two University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences faculty Individual Excellence Awards for their respective creative work in filmmaking and graphic design. Jesseca Ynez Simmons, assistant professor of communication, and Misty Thomas-Trout ’11, assistant professor of art and design, received the awards and $4,000 grants to develop their skills and advance their careers.
Read this story
At the University of Dayton, the visual and performing arts link learning across disciplines for all first-year students. See some of the ways that learning is enhanced through the arts.
Common Academic Program (CAP) courses offered by the Department of Art and Design feature an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to learning and creative research.
The Department of Art and Design recognizes the scholarly efforts of our majors as they work toward their goals.
Four-year scholarships are awarded to first-year, full-time students in any Department of Art and Design program of study.