The Hartford Art School is both geographically and culturally a focal point on the University of Hartford campus.Located near the bridge across the Park River, linking the dormitory area with the main campus, the buildings of the art school are easily accessible to students. The varied activities of the school-exhibitions, films, lectures, and receptions-provide stimulating enrichment to University life and are enthusiastically attended by students of the University as well as art school students.
Carol Joseloff Taub Hall is the main art building and houses administrative offices, a student gallery, and studio facilities for drawing, printmaking, painting, and foundation studies.
The Renée Samuels Center houses state-of-the-art digital labs, studios, and darkrooms for media arts and photography.
The Stanley Sculpture Studio is located behind Taub Hall and houses a modern sculpture facility with equipment and tools for working in clay, stone, wood, metal, and other sculptural materials.
Directly adjacent to the Stanley Sculpture Building, the Krieble Ceramics Center houses studios for ceramics, including a kiln room with gas-fired, wood-fired, and electric kilns; a clay and glaze laboratory; and studios for pottery and sculptural ceramics. The building also houses a large studio for the three-dimensional studies component of the first-year program.
Connecting the Sculpture and Ceramics buildings is the Sculpture Fabrication Workshop, providing space for a well-equipped and-staffed woodworking studio.
Studio art facilities in the Harry Jack Gray Center house the Illustration and Visual Communication Design departments of the Hartford Art School, and provide both classroom and advanced work stations for upper-level students in visual communication design and illustration. The Anne Bunce Cheney Art Library collection is housed in the Mortensen Library and is within a short distance of all studio facilities.
Annexed to the Stanley Sculpture Building is an expanded foundry for casting nonferrous metals, and a fully equipped workshop for glass blowing and hot and cold glass fabrication.
Founded in 1877, the Hartford Art School is one of the oldest art schools in America. Its studio programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The Hartford Art School awards the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees with studio majors as well as the Bachelor of Arts in Art History.
Mission
Students are at the heart of our mission. The primary charge of our full-time faculty is to teach at all course levels. A dynamic balance between the traditional and the emergent arts is the basis for developing new cross-disciplinary initiatives. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our school while expanding connections across the University and the Greater Hartford community, and to enhancing our network of national and international programs. Our strength reflects the comprehensive environment of an increasingly pluralistic and global art world. Our disciplines find distinction in their ongoing dialogue and mutual growth as we address the evolving needs of art students in the 21st century.
Admission Requirements
General requirements for admission are given in Admission of Students . Students applying to the Hartford Art School are expected to be graduates of accredited secondary schools although rare exceptions may be considered. Fourteen units of secondary subjects are expected. All applicants are required to submit a portfolio of original art work, and are urged to have a personal portfolio evaluation.
Application Procedure for First-Year Students
- Follow the general application procedures outlined in Admission of Students .
- All applicants are required to submit a portfolio for review as part of the admission process. Portfolios should contain a minimum of 15 examples of work that represents a breadth and depth of the applicant’s art experience. Of the 15 examples, five must be drawings in media such as charcoal, pencil, pastel, conté crayon, or ink. Examples of photography, three-dimensional work, films and videos may be included in the portfolio. A sketchbook is also required containing working drawings that represent the applicant’s artistic ideas and concepts.
There are three ways in which the portfolio may be reviewed:
- A personal portfolio/sketchbook review and campus visit are strongly recommended.
- Portfolios may be reviewed at any one of the National Careers in Art/Portfolio Days sponsored by the National Portfolio Day Association. Please contact the Hartford Art School Admission Office at 860.768.4827 to schedule a personal review or to gain information concerning a Careers in Art/Portfolio Day in your area.
- Portfolios may be submitted by mail to the University of Hartford, Office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance. Do not send original works of art. Mail portfolios should be submitted in CD or DVD form. Each image must be numbered and labeled with the applicant’s full name and accompanied by a list indicating title, size, medium, and date of composition. The sketchbook should be mailed in original form. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return of the sketchbook and slides.
Transfer Students
Students with previous academic or art school experience may transfer into the Hartford Art School with advanced standing, provided they have had a program comparable to the program at the Hartford Art School. Placement of students who have not had a comparable program of study will be determined by faculty of the school. Transfer students interested in the visual communication design and illustration majors must have their portfolio reviewed by the department faculty to determine placement in the program. Some transfer students may be required to take all or part of the foundations program.
Transfer credit and advanced standing are determined after an official review and transcript evaluation by the Office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance. Credit is accepted for those courses where a grade of C- or better has been achieved, and where the credit granting institution is accredited by the regional accrediting body for colleges and secondary schools. Credits from non-accredited institutions may be reviewed for transfer through the LINCS program, credit by examination, or by evaluation by the studio faculty of the Hartford Art School. A maximum of 36 studio credits will be accepted in transfer for application against degree requirements. A maximum of 48 academic credits may be applied to the program.
Transfer students must have achieved a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale to be considered for admission.
Application Procedure for Transfer Students
- File application form and application fee with the University of Hartford Office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance.
- Forward secondary school transcripts and all college transcripts to the University of Hartford, Office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance.
- Transfer applicants are required to submit a portfolio and sketchbook as part of the admission requirements. Please refer to portfolio guidelines under Application Procedure for Freshmen.
Honors Program
For an overview of the University-wide Honors program and specific program requirements for Hartford Art School students, see Special Academic Opportunities , in General Information.
Undergraduate Programs
A minimum of 120 credits is required for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The program may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Requirements include 72 to 78 credits in studio areas and 43 to 49 credits in academic subjects Studio requirements for each major are listed in Programs of Study pages. Academic course work is elective, the stipulation being that students complete a minimum of 12 credits in art history; 6 credits in English and composition; 12 credits in the All-University Curriculum (one course each from the following categories: Western Heritage, Social Context, Other Cultures, and Science and Technology); 3 credits in mathematics; 9 credits of academic electives; and 6 credits of unrestricted electives. Unrestricted electives may be taken in studio or academic courses. Applicability will be determined at the time of registration through consultation with the advisor.
Students select and plan their programs in consultation with faculty advisors and are encouraged to pursue their interests and the development of skills necessary to project them in their own directions. In addition to the studio majors, the college offers art students studio minors within most areas. Academic minors as well as contract majors, subject-area majors, and double majors are also available to art students who wish to combine interests in art with interests in academic pursuits.
Educational Outcomes
Every artist and designer must be, to some extent, a viewer, creator, communicator, theorist, and historian. For this reason, certain subject areas and learning processes are common to all specializations in art and design. Successful graduates of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the Hartford Art School are prepared to
- Analyze and interpret the nonverbal language of art and design;
- Demonstrate competence in a number of art and design techniques and processes;
- Develop responses to visual phenomena and organize perceptions and conceptualizations both rationally and intuitively;
- Demonstrate understanding of the major achievements in the history of art, including the works and intentions of leading historic and contemporary artists;
- Understand and evaluate contemporary thinking about art and design; and
- Make valid assessments of quality in works of art and design including the ability to critically analyze one’s own work.
Student Assessment
Each student at the Hartford Art School undergoes periodic assessment by the faculty in the department of the student’s major. These reviews supplement the traditional quantitative gauge of progress provided by grades in individual courses and grade point averages. During the third year of study, all students are required to present a comprehensive portfolio of their work for assessment. Likewise, all fourth-year students are required to participate in a capstone experience, which will provide a basis for final assessment. The capstone experience may take the form of a special project, independent study, senior exhibition, or portfolio preparation class, as determined by the department.
In some majors (e.g., visual communication design and illustration), assessment reviews begin in the second year of study, and results of the review may deem a student ineligible to continue study in that major. Students who do not pass these reviews may qualify for remedial work as determined by the department.
Foundation Year and Second Year (Art School)
Foundation Year (Art School)
All first-year students are required to complete the foundation program. It consists of four courses taken in tandem. These courses are designed to introduce the students to fundamental processes and principles of artmaking. The objective of the program is to develop the student’s perceptions, sensitivity and technical skills.
The typical first-year schedule is as follows:
Fall Semester (16 credits)
Spring Semester (16 credits)
Second Year of Study (Art School)
In the second year, students are required to select courses from a variety of studio offerings. The intent of the second year is to introduce specific media skills and processes in depth, and to provide a broad range of artistic experiences for the student prior to the declaration of the major. During the second year, students are required to select one 3-credit course from each of the following categories:
1. ceramics or sculpture
2. painting/drawing, or visual communication design
3. photography or media arts
4. printmaking or illustration
The remaining 12 credits of studio course work in the second year are elective. Students who have determined a major area of study are encouraged to use these elective studios to begin fulfilling the requirements of the major. Students who have not determined a major are encouraged to distribute these electives among different media.
Second-year students intending to major in visual communication design or illustration should consult with those departments prior to choosing studio electives in the second year.
In addition, students in the second year are required to elect at least one academic course each semester in order to maintain a reasonable completion rate of academic requirements.
Third and Fourth Years
During the second year of study, students are required to declare a major area of study from the offerings of the school. The third and fourth years of study are primarily involved in the pursuit of the major and the completion of cognate studio and academic requirements for the degree. Following are the typical programs of study outlined for each of the major areas.
Internships and Independent Study
Advanced students may elect to participate in internships with local design agencies, cultural institutions, or with artists in the region and New York City. Internships are arranged through faculty advisors and are monitored by the faculty of the school. Advanced students may also elect independent study under the supervision of faculty advisors, in order to pursue an area of study not covered specifically in regular course offerings.
Curricular Opportunities
In addition to the prescribed curriculum for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, many opportunities exist to enhance the educational experience for students in the Hartford Art School.
Subject-Area Majors
The subject-area major allows students to pursue disciplines in depth across colleges of the University of Hartford without fulfilling all of the cognate and general education requirements for the particular major.
The subject-area majors at the Hartford Art School, for students outside of the Hartford Art School B.F.A. program, require completion of 20 credit hours of Foundations (i.e., FWS 110 -FWS 111 , FWS 112 -FWS 113 , FWS 114 -FWS 115 , FWS 116 -FWS 117 ); all courses required for completion of the major in question; and successful completion of all assessment reviews required for the major. Please consult the required credits for majors list below. Students must formally request permission to pursue a subject-area major in art through the Declaration of Subject-Area Major on the Change of Major form. Applicants for the subject-area major in art must pass a portfolio review prior to approval of the subject-area major.
Students in the Hartford Art School interested in pursuing a subject-area major through another college at the University of Hartford should review the appropriate section of this Bulletin and consult with an advisor.
Contract Majors
Students who desire to combine the educational offerings of two or more colleges of the University may apply for a contract major. In essence, the contract major allows the student to prescribe an individualized curriculum that takes advantage of the resources of various components of the University. Past contract majors have been designed for theatre and set design, medical or biological illustration, public relations, and art therapy. Students interested in the contract major should consult the Office of the Associate Dean, Hartford Art School.
Double Degree
Students desiring a double degree may pursue two degrees simultaneously. Generally, the double degree involves an additional year of study (or a total of 150 credits). The Double Degree program may result in the conferring of two degrees. For example, the Bachelor of Fine Arts and the Bachelor of Arts. Students interested in the double-degree concept should consult the Office of the Associate Dean, Hartford Art School.
Studio Minors for Art Majors
Art students interested in investigating a studio discipline in greater depth while fulfilling the degree requirements for a major in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program may pursue a minor course of study in the areas of ceramics, drawing, media arts, sculpture, photography, printmaking, painting, visual communication design, or illustration. The minor involves the successful completion of 18 credit hours prescribed by the studio department involved. For more information and specific requirements, interested students should consult the Office of the Associate Dean, Hartford Art School.
Academic Minors
Students interested in pursuing an academic subject in greater depth while fulfilling the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts may pursue a minor program of study in one of the departments of the College of Arts and Sciences. Generally, the minor involves the successful completion of 18 credit hours prescribed by the academic department involved. For further information, interested students should consult the chairman of the department in which the minor is sought.
Consortium Courses
Students at the University of Hartford may participate in the Greater Hartford Consortium for Higher Education. Courses at Trinity College, Saint Joseph College, and Saint Thomas Seminary may be taken at no additional cost, provided the courses are not offered at the University of Hartford. Interested students should consult the Office of the Associate Dean, Hartford Art School.
Experiential Education Program
The University’s Experiential Education program (see Office of Student Affairs ) is open to art majors. Students must complete a minimum of the sophomore year with a 2.5 GPA and have permission from the college’s co-op coordinator to be eligible for the program.
All co-op students work either full- or part-time during at least two terms. Academic credit is awarded and applied toward degree requirements as unrestricted elective courses. Co-op is graded on a Pass/No Pass basis.
For more information, contact the college’s co-op coordinator or the Cooperative Education office.
Study Abroad
The Hartford Art School provides the opportunity for study abroad on several affiliate art programs throughout the world. For information about Study Abroad Programs, click here .
Art Minors for Non-Art Majors
University students matriculated at colleges other than the art school may pursue a minor in the fine arts. Generally, the fine arts minor requires successful completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours in art, including some portion of the Foundations program. Course requirements for the minor are determined on an individual basis. Interested students should contact the Office of the Associate Dean at the Hartford Art School.
Gallery/Student Gallery and Special Events
The Joseloff Gallery, housed in the Harry Jack Gray Center, plans a series of exhibitions around the academic year. These exhibitions are planned and curated to bring to the University of Hartford a wide range of artworks to be viewed by students and the general public.
The Silpe Gallery, housed in Taub Hall of the Hartford Art School, is used throughout the academic year as a showplace for student artwork. Advanced students are generally expected to exhibit in the student gallery.
Exhibition opportunities for undergraduate students are also available through group exhibitions, departmental exhibitions, and other planned shows. The annual Alexander Goldfarb Student Exhibition, open to all students of the school, is a juried exhibition at which cash awards are presented from an endowed fund that underwrites this event.
An active program of lectures, film screenings, visiting artist demonstrations, lectures, and workshops is scheduled throughout the academic year to round out the educational experience for the art student.
Richard Koopman Distinguished Chair for the Visual Arts
The Richard Koopman Distinguished Chair for the Visual Arts was established by an endowment in 1988. This endowment provides funds, on an annual basis, for the appointment of highly distinguished artists/teachers to the faculty of the Hartford Art School for a specified period of time. These appointments are made in the various departments of the Hartford Art School on a rotating basis. The occupant of the Koopman Chair joins the teaching faculty and conducts courses for all levels of students in his or her specialty.
Undergraduate Studio Majors