The art program at Luther College encourages student artists to engage in a visual language within the liberal arts. Studio work nurtures, enriches, and strengthens the student’s artistic identity.

The studio art major at Luther College is designed to help students sustain a lifelong pursuit of creative problem-solving, individual expression, and aesthetic appreciation. We encourage and expect our students to attend and take part in art and cultural experiences. This includes Luther College exhibitions, productions, lectures, workshops, internships and study abroad experiences. Our studio art courses guide students through many ideas and mediums. Introductory courses provide a foundation that engages students of all disciplines in visual discourse. Advanced courses hone skills and develop a higher level of critical thinking and understanding

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Studio art majors build skills in many mediums through foundations courses in the first year. In advanced courses, students narrow their focus towards specific mediums and artistic research. In their fourth year, studio art majors prepare a solo art show backed by artistic research and contemporary art theory. This prepares our students to pursue professional gallery work upon graduation.

Required for a major: 30 credit hours, including ART: 103, 108, 111, and 320; 16 additional credit hours in art at the 200-level or higher, including at least one 4-credit course at the 300-level or higher. Writing requirement fulfilled with ART: 320. For more information, visit the academic catalog.

Correlative requirement: In addition to the above 30 credit hours, 8 credits in Art History are required (ARTH: 252 and one additional 4-credit course selected from art history at the 200-level or higher).

Professional development: Majors are required to attend a minimum of 12 art colloquia. Art colloquium events occur approximately 10 times during the academic year, and include lectures, discussions, and workshops led by visiting scholars, faculty, and student researchers.  Students should plan on attending colloquium events regularly over their four years at Luther. Declared art majors are expected to attend as often as possible.

Required for a (studio) art minor: ART: 103; ART: 108 or 111; and four additional 4-credit courses in Art, at least two of which must be at the 200 level, and at least one of which must be at the 300-level.

Art management concentration: To complete the art management concentration, a student is required to complete a major in art and a minor in management, or a major in management and a minor in art or art history.