Curriculum

Our program combines development of technical skill in traditional studio media and new and emerging technologies with conceptual inquiry to empower you to create visual messages capable of engaging clients and changing culture.

  • Freshman
  • Sophomore
  • Junior
  • Senior
ID Course Title Course Req
Liberal Arts (6 cr. required)
LA122  Writing in Context 3
LA225  Perspectives on Society & Culture 3
Art History (6 cr. required)
AH125  Exploring Visual Culture 3
AH210  Intro to World Art History 3
Studio Courses (3 cr. required)
Studio Elective 3
Seminar (1 cr. required)
FD100  First Year Seminar* 1
Foundation Studio - (15 cr. required)
FD101  Visual Elements: 2D 3
FD102  Visual Elements: Digital Tools 3
FD105  Drawing 1 3
FD111  3D Design 3
FD112  Time Arts 3
TOTAL 31
At the completion of First Year: 31 cr. earned to date 31

*FD100 First Year Seminar is required of all freshman with fewer than 30 transfer credits.

recommended electives: FD 200 First Year Design Studio

ID Course Title Course Req
Art History (3 cr. required)
AH213  History of Design Arts 3
Liberal Arts (9 cr. required)
LA225  Perspectives on Society & Culture 3
MTH101 Math or SCI223 Science 3
MTH101 Math or SCI223 Science 3
Studio Courses (18 cr. required)
IL251  Word & Image 3
IL252  Visual Techniques 3
IL253  Painting for Illustration 3
IL255  Drawing for Illustration 3
IL254  Digital Media Strategies I 3
IL256  Digital Media Strategies II 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Second Year: 61 cr. earned to date 61

ID Course Title Course Req
Art History (3 cr. required)
Art History 200/300-level 3
Liberal Arts (9 cr. required)
LA325  Literature Seminar 3
LA321  Social Science Seminar 3
Liberal Arts 300/400-level elective 3
Studio Courses (18 required cr.)
IL351  Visual Vocabulary 3
IL354  Design & Image 3
IL352  Cultural Marketplace 3
*Studio Elective from suggested menu of courses 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Third Year: 91 cr. earned to date 91

*Studio elective suggested menu of courses:

Recommended electives: IL257 IL: Special Topics, IL258 Capsule
Collection, IL259 Picture Book, IL260 Environments & Architecture, IL261
Flora & Fauna, IL262 Graphic Novel, IL263 Intro to Game Development, IL264
Character Design, IL265 Visual Development, IL266 The Moving Image, IL357
Advanced Graphic Novel, IL359 Advanced Picture Book, IL358 IL: Special
Topics, IL362 Advanced Graphic Novel, GD351 Motion Graphics, GD251
Fundamentals of Interactive Media

ID Course Title Course Req
Art History (3 cr. required)
Art History 300/400-level 3
Liberal Arts (6 cr. required)
LA421  Research for Creative Practice 3
Liberal Arts 300/400-level elective 3
Studio Courses (15 required cr.)
IL450  Illustration Advanced Studio I 3
IL451  Illustration Advanced Studio II 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective` 3
Thesis (9 cr. required)
TH453  Thesis Development (semester 1) 3
GD 445 Center for Design or ND 301 Internship 3
TH499  Thesis (semester 2) 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Fourth Year: 121 cr. earned to date 121

Learning Outcomes

Understand the methodologies and practice of the contemporary Illustration marketplace.

To have a robust and diverse technical facility as an image maker and visual communicator.

To create a portfolio of work that exhibits a clear, focused personal vision and visual language.

To have a strong historical context of illustration as a means of visual cultural communication.

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Foundation Year

A time to explore

In your Foundation Year, you’ll be immersed from day one in media and making of all kinds from drawing, design, and sculpture, to digital tools, video, and performance. It’s a year of discovery, a time to explore new ways of thinking and making, meet new friends, and get to know your new community.

Foundation Year

Thesis

Preparing for graduation

Your senior year is an exciting time of tranistion from student to working artist or designer. The focus of your senior year is conceiving a thesis project of your own design and producing it with the support of faculty, your peers, and a mentor who works with you one-on-one.

Senior Thesis

Areas of Study

Freedom to focus

PNCA offers ten undergraduate majors, all of which offer you choices in your electives and liberal arts courses. This means that whatever your major, you have the freedom to focus many of your course choices around your particular area of interest. We've outlined the following Areas of Study to give you a sense of the scope of courses available at PNCA.

Areas of Study

Liberal Arts

Fortify your intellectual foundation

Liberal Arts courses round out your education, helping you become a more thoughtful, well-rounded artist or designer. Explore widely or select your courses to focus on one of what we call Areas of Study.

Liberal Arts

Come tour PNCA today

Come explore and experience how PNCA is dedicated to empowering students to reimagine what art and design can do in the world.

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