An Introduction to Studio Art

Do you have an artistic side? Do you enjoy expressing yourself through drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, or other mediums of art? No matter what your major, pairing it with an Art minor taps into the creative juices that enhance the study of virtually any academic discipline. You’ll find that having an artistic outlet helps you better focus on your major and, in many cases, contributes to making your skill set more marketable. From sports illustrator to wildlife photographer, many professions benefit from both a background in art as well as in-depth knowledge of another field, making an Art minor an ideal addition to your resume.

Tour UNE's Creative and Fine Arts Facility

Why UNE

The Art minor at UNE is a flexible program that can serve multiple roles in your education. It can take you in a completely different direction from your major, expanding your horizons and providing a creative outlet entirely separate from your area of focus. Or, it can complement your primary academic field, providing a skill set that pairs perfectly with your major and opens doors to your dream profession. 

During my time at UNE, I had several opportunities to combine science and art: illustrating the internal anatomy of Mustelus canis as an independent study and interning as a scientific illustrator for the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The art program at UNE helped me develop a unique skill set, which made me a competitive applicant for research opportunities, especially for those looking to communicate science in nontraditional ways.”  — Crista Kieley, B.S., Class of ’20, Marine Science (Oceanography track) major, Art and Chemistry double minor (Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University, Galveston)

Academics

Experiential Learning

Hands-on learning is at the heart of a UNE education, and it doesn’t get more hands on than art. As part of the process of learning the fundamentals of art, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to create an array of artistic projects — from sculpture and ceramics to sketches and paintings. You’ll spend class time being actively engaged, and you’ll leave with the dirty hands to prove it! 

You can even expand the real-world experiences provided by the Art minor by working with a faculty mentor in any medium on an artistic project or by signing up for an arts internship. Possible internship opportunities include: 

  • Positions with UNE’s Office of Communications 
  • Working with Engine — Biddeford, Maine’s local arts center 
  • Serving as a teaching assistant to a faculty member to earn course credit 

Examples of Available Courses

UNE’s Art minor provides an in-depth introduction to studio art in both traditional and contemporary practice. The following are just some of the exciting courses you can take: 

  • Art in the Modern World 
  • Painting I 
  • Ceramics 
  • The Painted Book 

Curriculum

A student with a major in another program may minor in Art with the permission of the Academic Director. This minor provides an in-depth introduction to studio art in both traditional and contemporary practice. Eighteen (18) credit hours as listed are required.

Program Required CoursesCredits
ART 101 – Watercolor or ART 104 – Painting I3
ART 118 – Drawing & Design Fundamentals3
Two (2) Elective Courses from List A (at most one (1) WRT course allowed)6
One (1) Elective Course from list B3
One (1) Elective with the Prefix ARH3
Minimum Total Required Credits18
List A Elective Course OptionsCredits
ART 101 – Watercolor3
ART 102 – Photography3
ART 104 – Painting I3
ART 105 – Elements of Acting3
ART 106 – Two-Dimensional Design3
ART 108 – Boatbuilding3
ART 109 – T-Shirt Design3
ART 110 – Ceramics I3
ART 111 – Scientific Illustration3
ART 113 – Three Dimensional Fundamentals3
ART 114 – Printmaking3
ART 124 – The Painted Book3
ART 130 – Art of the Letter3
ART 199 – Topics in Art3
LIL 120 – Intro to Arts & Humanities Seminar3
WRT 211 – Creative Writing: Poetry3
WRT 212 – Creative Writing: Short Fiction3
List B Elective Course OptionsCredits
ART 200 – Advanced Drawing3
ART 206 – Expressions in Clay3
ART 207 – Landscape Painting3
ART 214 – Color Digital Photography3
ART 230 – Graphic Design3
ART 234 – Digital Animation3
ART 299 – Advanced Topics in Arts3
ART 324 – The Painted Book 3D3
ART 395 – Studio Concentration Seminar3
CMM 225 – Topics in Digital Storytelling3
CMM 300 – Documentary Video3
CMM 311 – Digital Video Production3

For more information see the Academic Catalog.

Find Your Career

Whether you’re a Business or Communications major with aspirations to enter the field of marketing, a History major interested in museum exhibition design, a science major with a dream of creating scientific illustrations or environmental photographs, an English major who hopes to someday write and illustrate children’s books, or one of many other kinds of major that pairs well with art, you’ll be sure to find UNE’s Art minor to be a worthy addition in your educational experience and career preparation.

An Art Minor Pairs Well With

  • Business 
  • Communications 
  • Computer Science 
  • Education 
  • English 
  • Environmental Studies 
  • Environmental Science 
  • Marine Sciences 
  • Medical Biology 
  • Neuroscience 
  • Special Education 
  • Sport Leadership and Management 
  • Sustainability and Business 

Potential Careers 

  • Art Curator 
  • Art Handler 
  • Environmental Photographer 
  • Graphic Designer 
  • Interior Designer 
  • Marketing Specialist 
  • Merchandising Specialist/ Window Trimmer 
  • Scientific Illustrator 
  • Web Designer 
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Art Careers By The Numbers

37,000 

new jobs in art and design occupations projected within the next decade

(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021)
$74,000 

average yearly salary of visual artists

(Zippia, 2021) 

Contact

Undergraduate Admissions

Contact Undergraduate Admissions at (800) 477-4863 or email admissions@une.edu. You can also stop by our office on the Biddeford Campus Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.