The goals of the Department of Visual Arts include preparing students for graduate work or careers in the visual arts; providing suitable programs and courses for persons who want to study or practice the arts for their own personal development and cultural enrichment; and introducing students to their cultural tradition.

The Department of Visual Arts offers Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with concentrations in Animation,? Art History, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Glass, and Printmaking.

These degree programs are intended for students who plan to pursue careers in Art or Art History, which will typically require their having continued their studies at the graduate level. The Department offers minors in Studio Art and in Art History.

All first-time freshmen must successfully complete CAS 100: First Year Experience as a degree requirement. Students must enroll during their first term at USA, except for summer-entry students who must enroll in the fall semester following entry. Students receiving a B.A. in Visual Arts must take ARS 396 (Studio Art students) or ARH 493 (Art History students) to fulfill the technology requirement. Students receiving a B.F.A. in Studio Art must take ARS 396 (Studio students), or ARS 479 (Graphic Design students), or ARH 493 (Art History students) to fulfill the technology requirement.