Welcome
The McMurry University Department of Art is dedicated to keeping the fine arts alive through a well-rounded study of studio techniques, digital art and administrative skills. You’ll combine your natural creative talent with professional study to become a respected career artist and expert in your field of choice.
The passion that brings you to study art at McMurry is the same passion our professors and faculty share. We’re excited to help you become proficient in painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, graphic design, arts administration and more. Our curriculum covers a vast number of cultures and artistic movements to create a contemporary pluralistic worldview to enhance your education.
You’ll learn highly marketable skills that satisfy your passion for design while positioning you as a coveted member of the workforce. We’ll apply classical art techniques with modern practices so you can thrive in careers like graphic design, illustration, studio art, brand design, photography, interior design, arts administration, gallery curation and more.
Take a look around the department to learn more about the exciting opportunities available for art students. We’re excited to walk alongside you as you take your first steps to explore a world of creating.
Areas of Study
Enrolling in McMurry’s art program is just the beginning of your exciting future in the arts. We offer popular degree plans in competitive fields of study.
Art Education
If your love of the arts covers a broad spectrum of mediums, a fulfilling career in art education may be right for you. You’ll get to share your passion for creating with young minds and inspire the next generation of artists. Your studies at McMurry will span from early childhood education to the study of fine art skills, such as painting, drawing, ceramics and photography. You’ll learn how to communicate with every eager learner, and you’ll be prepared with the tools and resources you need to continue your education with a teacher’s certificate. At McMurry, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts in art education; a minor in curriculum and instruction is required. Art EducationMultimedia and Graphic Design
Online marketing is on the rise and so is the need for talented graphic and web designers who can communicate boldly through art. Capable digital designers are essential in today’s job market. The skills you learn at McMurry will help you become a sought-after professional in the competitive field of multimedia and graphic design. In this degree program, you’ll learn about branding and color theory, and you’ll become proficient with tools like Illustrator and Photoshop. Upon graduation, your extensive portfolio will include expertly designed newsletters, apps, graphics, brochures, product designs and more. Digital creations inspire the world around us and are essential for companies who are looking to draw attention to their brand. At McMurry, you’ll have the opportunity to study the arts abroad and participate in regular galleries and art shows. You can earn a Bachelor of Arts in multimedia and graphic design or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in multimedia and graphic design. Multimedia and Graphic DesignStudio Arts
Your studies as a studio artist will keep your hands dirty and your heart full. You’ll explore forms of classical art like painting, drawing, ceramics and photography, and you’ll perfect techniques that have been used by successful artists for centuries. You’ll also become an expert in modern tools like Illustrator, Photoshop and website interfaces. McMurry’s studio arts degree offers well-rounded studies designed to help you thrive in a career as a full-time studio owner, designer, teacher, illustrator, art therapist, digital artist or museum curator. As part of your degree plan, choose from one of our annual studio art travel abroad courses. You can earn a Bachelor of Arts in studio arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio arts at McMurry. Studio ArtArt (Minor)
A foundation in the arts will set you up for success in a variety of careers. This degree program helps students perfect the skills needed for a career in fine arts, marketing and museum curation and helps you to develop an impressive portfolio of work. With a minor in art, you’ll choose from various elective courses and study painting, drawing, illustration, ceramics and photography while becoming proficient in digital art mediums or art history. ArtArts Administration (Minor)
Combine your artistic talent with your leadership and management skills. An arts administration professional works in jobs like museum curation, nonprofit, government archives and cultural preservation. You’ll become proficient in art history and learn how to identify art pieces by period and movement. In arts administration classes, you’ll become an expert in communication and a community leader, focused on education and the preservation of important pieces of our history. At McMurry, you can earn a minor in arts administration. Arts AdministrationMultimedia Applications (Minor)
Multimedia applications provides students with the opportunity to take a deep dive into digital artistic development. As a multimedia applications major, you’ll focus your studies on the creation of websites, apps, animations, and 2D and 3D creations. You’ll take hands-on courses where you’ll transform your art from paper form to moving designs. You’ll immerse yourself in the art of famous animators and learn how to use their techniques to build your future as part of the multimedia applications workforce. At McMurry, students can earn a minor in multimedia applications. Multimedia Applications
Student Opportunities
Art Galleries
An active exhibition schedule at the Amy Graves Ryan Fine Arts Gallery provides students with the opportunity to participate in regular gallery activities. Students may participate in national art shows, as well as student and faculty exhibits. Bachelor of Fine Arts majors will complete a senior gallery exhibition as part of their degree completion requirements. McMurry’s Brown Bag artists lecture series and workshops allow students to meet and study with exhibiting artists. Our secondary exhibition hall, the Gypsy Ted Gallery, offers regular student exhibition space and shows to select local artists. This gallery is run by a student director. For more information, contact professor Jennifer Nichols.Honor Society
Art students may receive a faculty nomination to join the Epsilon Theta chapter of Kappa Pi International Collegiate Art Honorary Fraternity. Students are eligible once they’ve completed more than 12 semester hours of courses and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above. Kappa Pi presents an opportunity for artists to work together to improve their skills while creating long-lasting friendships and connections in the industry. The Epsilon Theta chapter sponsors Homecoming and Christmas art sales, service projects, and additional educational and social activities. Kappa PiDepartmental Honors and Awards
Students with outstanding grades, reliability and participation are eligible for departmental honors.• Entering freshmen may apply for the Perry Bentley Scholarship.
• Transfer students and current art majors may apply to earn art scholarships in the spring.
• Recognition awards are presented annually.
• The spring juried annual student art competition acknowledges artistic achievement.
• Studio space and work apprentice programs may be applied for in the spring and are awarded based on student performance. Honors Program
Study Abroad
At McMurry, we consider travel to be an essential part of a well-rounded arts education. That’s why we offer annual study options beyond campus to all art students. Travels include regional, national and international locations significant to artists, art exhibitions and archaeological sites. Open your eyes to the cultural relevance of artistic movements and watch your textbooks come to life across the globe.Internships
Junior and senior art majors may be selected for art internships during their studies at McMurry. Internships allow students to have meaningful and educational on-the-job practice. You can work in a gallery, museum or commercial setting to see firsthand how the artistic concepts you’re learning are put into practice in the real world.Facilities
At McMurry, it’s our goal to present students with the highest quality and most up-to-date materials for their educational needs. The department of art has a superior ceramics facility that includes 14 pottery wheels, a slab roller, four electric kilns, three gas kilns, a clay mixing room, faculty studios, glaze mixing room and large workspaces. In the computer lab, you’ll find updated Mac computers and tablets to help you excel in multimedia design. The painting, drawing and design rooms have northern lighting and ample supplies for every form of art. Two photography darkrooms and a jewelry design lab round out students’ options. Advanced art majors who show promise in their studies and create a positive climate for faculty and students may apply for personal studio space in the spring and fall.Research
At McMurry, we believe in learning by doing. We actively engage students in the process of discovery in the following ways:• Courses are discovery based. The latest knowledge and research in art history and arts administration is combined with hands-on courses, where students learn essential techniques to improve their individual art skills.
• Students are invited to participate in faculty research. Research includes taking part in gallery curation, art shows and internship opportunities alongside McMurry professors and faculty. These programs help students get ahead in their respective careers with resume-building on-the-job experience.
• Students complete a required capstone experience. These senior projects combine all the skills students have learned during their studies at McMurry to demonstrate their level of expertise and readiness for the workforce.
Global Learning Endorsement
The Global Learning Endorsement provides an opportunity for students to highlight academic achievement in global/international studies on their transcript. This endorsement will provide helpful documentation of the student’s expertise for employment in an increasingly globalized world. Learn More
Beyond McMurry
Careers
An undergraduate education in art is an excellent choice for many successful career options.- Animation
- Art
- Art Education
- Art Therapy
- Brand Design
- Business Ownership
- Ceramics
- Digital App Design
- Digital Design
- Entrepreneurship
- Fashion Design
- Graphic Design
- Illustration
- Media Art
- Multimedia Art
- Museum Curation
- Photography
- Product Development
- Production Studio
- Videogame Design
- Web Design
Resources
The McMurry Visual and Performing Arts and Education Advisory Board offers advice, sponsors projects and awards, provides assistance, and funds activities that benefit department of art faculty and students.
The Advisory Board works to:
- Promote McMurry to the public and constantly improve the quality of education received by art students.
- Increase the flow of innovative ideas and number of art programs available to the administration and faculty.
- Involve art department donors in shaping the future of McMurry’s art programs.
- Promote and coordinate recognition of art alumni who have demonstrated outstanding success and leadership in their professions.
- Participate in fundraising for specific projects, needs and art shows for the department of art.
The Amy Graves Ryan Fine Arts Gallery is the primary gallery exhibition space at McMurry and serves as a learning center for art students. It showcases the work of students, faculty, alumni, and local and regional artists. Most exhibits include artist lectures and receptions, which allow the artists to connect with students and the surrounding community.
The Gypsy Ted Gallery is one of McMurry’s smaller art galleries and run by a qualified student director, responsible for all student exhibitions, art management, preparatory work and receptions. This gallery is located on the first floor of Old Main in Room 105 and open by appointment only. For more information, contact Rhonda Fujiwara, Gypsy Ted Gallery student director.