About the Department
Mission
Azusa Pacific University's Department of Art prepares art students for a lifetime of artistic expression, and cultivates individual creativity through the study of history, technique, presentation, and social engagement, as reflectors of the creative and transformative nature of God the ultimate Creator.
Faculty believe that art is a socially responsible calling that empowers students to act as transformers in the world. In human history, artists have been the vessels and vehicles for spiritual, social, political, and psychological definition and change. Therefore, art is presented as both a professional occupation and an essential part of a liberal arts education. APU students train to continue in that artistic tradition.
Programs Offered
The Department of Art offers two undergraduate majors, a minor in art, and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Art.
Career Opportunities
Undergraduate art majors select one of two concentrations. The general studio concentration – in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, or printmaking – prepares the student for a professional art career. Most students who select this option later pursue a Master of Arts and/or a Master of Fine Arts. The teaching concentration offers a state-approved, Single-Subject Matter Program providing courses required to enter a California teaching credential program in graduate school. The graphic design major provides a strong background for students who wish to enter the fields of advertising, illustration, other commercially oriented areas, or graduate school.
Graduate students earn an advanced degree in APU’s Master of Fine Arts: Visual Art Program. Intense studies activity refines skills and visual activity, which exposure to multiple aesthetics and styles deepens the artist’s connection between craft and the Christian faith.
"All my professors took a personal interest in me, not just as a student, but as an artist. My professors presented opportunities to me that helped me attain specific professional goals."
Gloria Tuinhout Walker '89, '92
Elementary Art Specialist,
Upland Unified School District
