The short version
- Book your advisor appointment in JSU Navigate now. You can’t register until your advisor clears you.
- Spring registration opened October 26. If you have not registered yet, see your advisor now.
Spring 2027 courses by area
Tap your concentration to open it. The CRN is the number you type into MyJaxState to register.
Foundations
Every Art and Design major takes these first, whatever concentration you end up in.
Most students work through them over the first year and a half. They come before Portfolio Review, which happens the fall of your sophomore year and is what gets you into the BFA and any 400 level studio. You can usually start one course in your concentration along the way, so ask your advisor which one fits.
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 134 Drawing I | Monday and Wednesday, 12 to 2:45, Hammond 113 | Ronald Baker |
| ART 233 Design I CRN 21570 | Monday and Wednesday, 8 to 10:45, Carlisle 123 | Sarah Ellis |
| ART 234 Drawing II CRN 21571 · 21572 · 21573 | Three sections: MW 3 to 6 (21571) and TR 12 to 2:45 (21572) with Ronald Baker, TR 8 to 10:45 (21573) with Nic Tisdale, Hammond 113 | Requires ART 134 Drawing I |
| ART 240 Design II CRN 21574 · 21575 · 21576 | Three sections: MW 8 to 10:45 (21574) and TR 12 to 2:45 (21576) with Nic Tisdale, MW 12 to 2:45 (21575) with Sarah Ellis, Carlisle 102 | Requires ART 233 Design I |
| ART 335 Figure Drawing CRN 21583 | Monday and Wednesday, 8 to 10:45, Hammond 113 | Requires ART 134 Drawing I and ART 234 Drawing II. Chad Anderson |
Foundations questions go to Nic Tisdale, Hammond Hall 202B. ntisdale@jsu.edu
Two more things every major does, whatever your concentration.
Portfolio Review (ART 298) runs each fall, not in spring. Take it the fall of your sophomore year, once you have finished Drawing I, Drawing II, Design I, Design II and one art history survey, and are enrolled in the first course of your concentration. Bring at least two works from each foundation class. How Portfolio Review works.
Your senior capstone. BFA students take ART 488 BFA Seminar (CRN 21629), Tuesday and Thursday 3 to 5:45 in Hammond 104B. BA students take ART 499 BA Senior Seminar and Exhibit (CRN 21631), Tuesday and Thursday 3 to 6 in Hammond 104B. Both are taught by Patrice Anderson.
Life models wanted for Figure Drawing: $8.25 an hour for students, $45 a class for non-students. Ask Nic Tisdale.
Art History
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 111 Survey of Art I | Two sections, hybrid: Tuesday or Thursday 12:45 to 2:15, Roundhouse 101 | Global art from prehistory through the Middle Ages. Dr. Maureen McGuire |
| ART 112 Survey of Art II | Hybrid, Wednesday 4:30 to 6, Roundhouse 101 | Writing intensive. Global art from the late Middle Ages to the present. Prof. Sarah Faulkner |
| ART 202 Art Appreciation | Many sections, in person and online | Studio art students should not enroll in this one. Dr. Tray Ridlen teaches the Monday 12:30 section |
| ART 203 Honors Art Appreciation CRN 21569 | Wednesday 12:30 to 2, Roundhouse 101 | Dr. Tray Ridlen |
| ART 376 Cannabis: Propaganda and Product CRN 21592 | Friday 9 to 12, Roundhouse 101 | Writing intensive. A one day a week project based seminar, in the shape of Graphic Design History. Dr. Tray Ridlen |
| ART 377 Classical Mediterranean CRN 21593 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 4:30, Roundhouse 101 | Writing intensive. Art and visual culture of the ancient and Classical world. Dr. Maureen McGuire |
| ART 439 Special Topics: Monuments and Memory CRN 21597 | Tuesday and Thursday, 9:15 to 10:45, Roundhouse 101 | Reacting to the Past games and public art. Co-taught by Dr. Lance Ingwersen in History and Dr. Tray Ridlen |
Taught by Dr. Tray Ridlen (mridlen@jsu.edu), Dr. Maureen McGuire (mkmcguire@jsu.edu) and Prof. Sarah Faulkner (svfaulkner@jsu.edu).
See the art history sheet (PDF, 0.6 MB)
Ceramics
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 309 Ceramics I: Handbuilding CRN 21581 | Monday and Wednesday, 12 to 2:45, Carlisle 103 | No prerequisite. Mostly handbuilding and sculptural work, with an introduction to the wheel |
| ART 409 Ceramics II: Wheel Throwing CRN 21621 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 5:45, Carlisle 103 | No prerequisite. All wheel work. Pottery, vessels and functional objects |
| ART 410 Ceramics III CRN 21622 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 5:45, Carlisle 103 | Requires ART 409 Ceramics II |
| ART 413 Advanced Ceramics IV CRN 21623 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 5:45, Carlisle 103 | Requires ART 410 Ceramics III |
| ART 301 Special Topics: Public Sculpture CRN 21577 | Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 10:45, Carlisle 103 | Outdoor sculpture made for the Serenity Garden |
| ART 490 Advanced Independent Study CRN 21630 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 5:45, Carlisle 103 | Your own direction, built with the professor |
Taught by John Oles, Professor of Ceramics. joles@jsu.edu
See the ceramics slides (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Graphic Design
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 302 Introduction to Graphic Design CRN 21578 | Tuesday and Thursday, 12 to 2:45, Roundhouse 102 | Required for every Graphic Design student, and the only gate into the concentration. Requires ART 233 Design I. Tara Holbrooks |
| ART 343 Graphic Design II CRN 21585 | Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 10:45, Hammond 104A | Requires ART 342. Project research, design process, and the unity of type and image. Tara Holbrooks |
| ART 352 Type in Motion CRN 21586 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 5:45, Hammond 104A | Requires ART 342. Kinetic typography in Adobe After Effects. Tara Holbrooks |
| ART 431 Advanced Graphic Design IV CRN 21595 | Tuesday and Thursday, 12 to 2:45, Hammond 104B | Requires ART 430. Information design, package design, advanced type and image. Patrice Anderson |
| ART 434 Graphic Design Workshop CRN 21596 | Monday and Wednesday, 8 to 10:45, Hammond 104A | Goes to Creative South in Columbus, Georgia, April 8 to 10, 2027. Design merchandise, meet professionals, sell your work. You have to be enrolled to go. Patrice Anderson |
| ART 481 Internship in Graphic Design CRN 21627 | Off site, doesn’t meet | Real client work for credit. Patrice Anderson |
Graphic Design faculty: Patrice Anderson (pnanderson@jsu.edu), Mary Dunn (mbdunn@jsu.edu) and Tara Holbrooks (tholbrooks@jsu.edu).
Seniors also take a capstone, listed under Foundations because every concentration takes one.
Illustration
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 327 Commercial Illustration CRN 21582 | Monday and Wednesday, 8 to 10:45, Hammond 104B | Also goes to Creative South in Columbus, Georgia, April 8 to 10, 2027. Mary Dunn |
| ART 339 Digital Illustration CRN 21584 | Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 10:45, Carlisle 123 | Chad Anderson |
| ART 445 Advanced Drawing and Illustration CRN 21598 | Monday and Wednesday, 12 to 2:45, Carlisle 123 | Chad Anderson |
Taught by Chad Anderson (wcanderson@jsu.edu) and Mary Dunn (mbdunn@jsu.edu).
Painting and Drawing
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 303 Beginning Painting CRN 21579 | Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 10:45, Hammond 106 | Beginning oil painting. Mix color, build texture and paint convincing depth on canvas, finishing with a master copy. Allison McElroy |
| ART 305 Special Topics in Painting: Abstraction CRN 21580 | Monday and Wednesday, 12 to 2:45, Hammond 106 | No prerequisites and no painting experience needed. Picasso, Kandinsky and Mondrian stopped describing the world and started inventing one. Bring curiosity. Allison McElroy |
| ART 391 Watercolor CRN 21594 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 5:45, Carlisle 123 | Bryce Lafferty |
| ART 403 Painting II: Capturing Identity and Essence CRN 21619 | Tuesday and Thursday, 12 to 2:45, Hammond 106 | Portraits that go beyond likeness, to presence and character. Builds on ART 303. Cross listed with ART 405. Allison McElroy |
| ART 405 Advanced Painting IV CRN 21620 | Tuesday and Thursday, 12 to 2:45, Hammond 106 | Cross listed with ART 403 Painting II. Allison McElroy |
Taught by Allison McElroy (amcelroy@jsu.edu) and Bryce Lafferty (blafferty@jsu.edu).
See the painting slides (PDF, 0.3 MB)Photography
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 368 Introduction to Photography CRN 21587 · 21588 · 21589 | Three hybrid sections: Wednesday 8 to 10:45 (21587) or 12 to 2:45 (21588) with Doug Clark in Carlisle 122, Tuesday 3 to 5:45 (21589) with Sarah Cusimano Miles in Carlisle 116 | Start here for photography |
| ART 369 Black and White Photography CRN 21590 | Monday and Wednesday, 12 to 2:45, Carlisle 116 | Sarah Cusimano Miles |
| ART 371 Special Topics in Photomedia CRN 21591 | Hybrid, Tuesday 12 to 2:45, Carlisle 116 | Sarah Cusimano Miles |
| ART 475 Studio Lighting CRN 21599 | Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 10:45, Carlisle 122 | Doug Clark |
Taught by Doug Clark (dclark@jsu.edu) and Sarah Cusimano Miles (smiles@jsu.edu).
Printmaking
Printmaking is a field that allows you to make multiples of your images through various methods. If you enjoy drawing, designing, problem-solving, and hands-on techniques, printmaking could be for you! We offer a wide range of courses including Screenprinting, Relief Printmaking, Intaglio, Lithography, Book Arts, and various Special Topics.
In Artists’ Books in the Spring, you’ll learn how to make beautiful books by hand.
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 461 Artists’ Books CRN 21624 | Tuesday and Thursday, 3 to 5:45, Mason Hall 104 | Learn how to make beautiful books by hand. Sarah Ellis |
| ART 462 Printmaking: Relief CRN 21625 | Monday and Wednesday, 3 to 6, Mason Hall 104 | Sarah Ellis |
Taught by Sarah Ellis, Associate Professor of Printmaking and MFA Program Coordinator. scellis@jsu.edu
MFA in Visual Communication Design
| Course | When and where | What and who |
|---|---|---|
| ART 6101 Traditional Communication Studio CRN 21600 | Monday and Wednesday, 12 to 2:45, Roundhouse 100 | Mary Dunn |
| ART 6504 Special Topics in Photomedia CRN 21626 | Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 10:45, Carlisle 122 | Doug Clark |
| ART 6505 Graduate Illustration Studio CRN 21614 | Monday and Wednesday, 8 to 10:45, Hammond 104B | Mary Dunn |
| ART 6588 Special Topics in Graphic Design CRN 21632 · 21633 | Two sections: Monday and Wednesday 3 to 5:45 (21632), Tuesday and Thursday 3 to 5:45 (21633), Mason Hall 104 | Sarah Ellis |
| ART 6788 Graduate Seminar in Art History CRN 21618 | Friday 9 to 12, Roundhouse 101 | Dr. Tray Ridlen |
| ART 6950 Graduate Internship in Visual Communication CRN 21628 | Off site, doesn’t meet | Patrice Anderson |
Graduate program questions go to Sarah Ellis, MFA Program Coordinator. scellis@jsu.edu
Courses, meeting times, rooms, dates and instructors can all change before the semester begins. Confirm anything here with your advisor and with the course listing in MyJaxState before you register. The full Art and Design schedule (PDF, 0.07 MB)
Where you are, and what to do next
Find yourself below. Everyone meets an advisor before they can register.
- New or first year
Start with the foundations: ART 134 Drawing I, ART 233 Design I, ART 234 Drawing II, ART 240 Design II. Foundations explains the order.
- Sophomore
Take ART 298 Portfolio Review this fall. Zero credit, pass or fail. It gets you into the BFA and comes before any 400 level studio.
- Junior or senior
Choose your studios from the list above, then check Planning your Spring 2027 courses for what opens what.
- Not a major, just curious
Three courses need no prerequisite and no experience: ART 309 Ceramics I, ART 409 Ceramics II, ART 305 Special Topics in Painting.
Spring 2027 registration opens
Priority registration opens at 8:00 AM Central on your day, based on hours earned.
| Date | Who can register |
|---|---|
| Monday, October 26 | Graduate students |
| Tuesday, October 27 | Seniors (90 or more hours) |
| Wednesday, October 28 | Juniors (60 or more hours) |
| Thursday, October 29 | Sophomores (30 or more hours) |
| Friday, October 30 | Freshmen, and open registration for everyone |
Every Art + Design major meets with an advisor before registering, every semester. Here is how to get ready for Spring 2027.
Get ready to register
- Find your advisor. Open JSU Navigate and look under Your Success Team (My Team in the app). Art + Design majors are advised through the College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences advising office.
- Book an appointment early. Use Appointments in JSU Navigate, which also shows drop-in hours. Aim for the weeks before priority registration opens on October 26, because appointments fill up.
- Check your degree audit. Open DegreeWorks and compare it with the course flow on your concentration page, listed under Concentrations in the menu. Bring a list of the courses you think come next.
- Meet with your advisor. Your advisor clears you to register. You can’t register until you’re cleared.
- Register on your date. Log in to MyJaxState, choose Registration, and build your schedule in College Scheduler. How to register.
- Pay by January 12. That’s also the last day to add a class.
Spring 2027 dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 8 and 9 | Advisement and Grading Days. No classes meet. |
| January 6 | Classes begin. Late registration fee starts. |
| January 12 | Payment due. Last day to register or add a class. Last day to withdraw from all courses for a 100% refund. Last day to apply for Spring 2027 graduation. |
| January 18 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No classes. |
| February 25 and 26 | Advisement and Grading Days. No classes meet. |
| March 22 to 26 | Spring Break |
| April 20 | Last day of class |
| April 21 to 27 | Final exams |
| April 29 and 30 | Spring Commencement |
Source: JSU Academic Calendar 2026-2027 and JSU Priority Registration. Dates can change, so check the registrar before a deadline.
More advising help
- Planning your Spring 2027 courses
- Portfolio Review and getting into the BFA
- BFA or BA, and minors
- Questions about a course? Email the professor. Find everyone on the faculty page.
Student support
- Tutoring: free, booked in JSU Navigate. Student Success Center, Houston Cole Library 2nd floor, 256-782-8223. Tutoring
- Disability Resources: 209 Houston Cole Library, 256-782-5020. Disability Resources
- Counseling Services: 256-782-5475. Counseling Services. In an emergency call University Police at 256-782-5050 or 911.
- Transfer and adult students: Transfer and Adult Student Learning Support, Houston Cole Library 6th floor.