OATdb Archive

2009 - 2010

Art BA (Photography)

Goal
Provide A Quality Liberal Arts Degree Program In Photography
The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Photography will provide students interested in pursuing a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in Photography.

Objective
Camera Skills
Students will learn to use the camera as an artistic tool.

Indicator
Senior Portfolio
Students will be required to take ART 495 and produce a final portfolio that will demonstrate expertise in photography and creative use of photographic equipment and techniques.
The portfolio will include 20 printed images, 20 digital images, an artist's statement, and a resume.
The portfolio will:
• consist of a cohesive body of work.
•  demonstrate technical proficiency with use of cameras.
•  demonstrate proficiency in photographic printing techniques.
•  demonstrate the students ability to express and communicate ideas and concepts through the medium of photography.

Criterion
Portfolio Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75% on the portfolio evaluation.

Indicator
Traditional Darkroom Techniques And Processes
Students will be required to take ART 232 and use black and white film and darkroom developing and printing techniques. Students in ART 232 will produce a portfolio of prints.
The portfoliios will:
• demonstrate individual and expressive solutions to creative problems.
• demonstrate the ability to use a camera to produce a properly exposed negative.
• demonstrate the ability to develop film and control the contrast of a negative.
• demonstrate proficiency in black and white printing by including prints that have an appropriate range of tones and contrast.
• include archival prints that are properly fixed to insure longevity.

Criterion
Traditional Darkroom Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Traditional Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75 on the evaluation of portfolios of works made using traditional darkroom techniques.

Action
Continue Teaching Digital And Analog Techniques, Raise The Standards For Success
Most of the scores measuring the indicators were well above the criteria, and most students scores were above 90.
While this indicates successful learning outcomes for students, it also indicates the need to raise the standards of faculty evaluators and to re-examine the rubric used to measure the indicators.

The ability to articulate a conceptual direction in a written artist's statement will be added to the indicators for the senior portfolio.

Art Department faculty from areas other than photography will be brought in as evaluators of the photography student's work.

The criteria will be raised to expect at least 80% of students to score 80% or higher.

Photography faculty will continue to train students to use digital cameras and film cameras. 
Faculty will continue to follow developments in technology and ensure that course content addresses current trends and standard techniques.

Objective
Digital Imaging
Students will learn to be proficient in the creation and manipulation of digital images.

Indicator
Senior Portfolio
Students will be required to take ART 495 and produce a final portfolio that will demonstrate expertise in photography and creative use of photographic equipment and techniques.
The portfolio will include 20 printed images, 20 digital images, an artist's statement, and a resume.
The portfolio will:
• consist of a cohesive body of work.
•  demonstrate technical proficiency with use of cameras.
•  demonstrate proficiency in photographic printing techniques.
•  demonstrate the students ability to express and communicate ideas and concepts through the medium of photography.

Criterion
Portfolio Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75% on the portfolio evaluation.

Action
Continue Teaching Image Editing And Digital Printing
100% of the students scored well above the minimum criteria.
While this indicates successful learning outcomes for students, it also indicates the need to raise the standards of faculty evaluators and to re-examine the rubric used to measure the indicators. 

The ability to articulate a conceptual direction in a written artist's statement will be added to the indicators for the senior portfolio.

Art Department faculty from areas other than photography will be brought in as evaluators of the photography student's work.

The criteria will be raised to expect at least 80% of students to score 80% or higher.

Continue to train students in the use of capturing images with digital cameras and scanners, the editing of these image using software such as adobe photoshop, and in technical aspects of digital printing.


Objective
Darkroom And Printing
Students will become proficient in traditional darkroom and printing techniques.

Indicator
Traditional Darkroom Techniques And Processes
Students will be required to take ART 232 and use black and white film and darkroom developing and printing techniques. Students in ART 232 will produce a portfolio of prints.
The portfoliios will:
• demonstrate individual and expressive solutions to creative problems.
• demonstrate the ability to use a camera to produce a properly exposed negative.
• demonstrate the ability to develop film and control the contrast of a negative.
• demonstrate proficiency in black and white printing by including prints that have an appropriate range of tones and contrast.
• include archival prints that are properly fixed to insure longevity.

Criterion
Traditional Darkroom Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Traditional Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75 on the evaluation of portfolios of works made using traditional darkroom techniques.

Indicator
Senior Portfolio
Students will be required to take ART 495 and produce a final portfolio that will demonstrate expertise in photography and creative use of photographic equipment and techniques.
The portfolio will include 20 printed images, 20 digital images, an artist's statement, and a resume.
The portfolio will:
• consist of a cohesive body of work.
•  demonstrate technical proficiency with use of cameras.
•  demonstrate proficiency in photographic printing techniques.
•  demonstrate the students ability to express and communicate ideas and concepts through the medium of photography.

Criterion
Portfolio Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75% on the portfolio evaluation.

Action
Darkroom Experience
100% of the students scored well above the minimum criteria.
While this indicates successful learning outcomes for students, it also indicates the need to raise the standards of faculty evaluators and to re-examine the rubric used to measure the indicators. 

The ability to articulate a conceptual direction in a written artist's statement will be added to the indicators for the senior portfolio.

Art Department faculty from areas other than photography will be brought in as evaluators of the photography student's work.

The criteria will be raised to expect at least 80% of students to score 80% or higher.
Continue to offer traditional darkroom experience to students and to encourage this as a creative, artistic practice.

Objective
Concepts And Ideas
Students will have the ability to use the photographic medium to express concepts and ideas.

Indicator
Traditional Darkroom Techniques And Processes
Students will be required to take ART 232 and use black and white film and darkroom developing and printing techniques. Students in ART 232 will produce a portfolio of prints.
The portfoliios will:
• demonstrate individual and expressive solutions to creative problems.
• demonstrate the ability to use a camera to produce a properly exposed negative.
• demonstrate the ability to develop film and control the contrast of a negative.
• demonstrate proficiency in black and white printing by including prints that have an appropriate range of tones and contrast.
• include archival prints that are properly fixed to insure longevity.

Criterion
Traditional Darkroom Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Traditional Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75 on the evaluation of portfolios of works made using traditional darkroom techniques.

Indicator
Senior Portfolio
Students will be required to take ART 495 and produce a final portfolio that will demonstrate expertise in photography and creative use of photographic equipment and techniques.
The portfolio will include 20 printed images, 20 digital images, an artist's statement, and a resume.
The portfolio will:
• consist of a cohesive body of work.
•  demonstrate technical proficiency with use of cameras.
•  demonstrate proficiency in photographic printing techniques.
•  demonstrate the students ability to express and communicate ideas and concepts through the medium of photography.

Criterion
Portfolio Criteria
The portfolios will be evaluated by a committee of Photography faculty. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. Using a scale of 0-100%, it is expected that at least 80% of students receive a score of 75% or greater.

Finding
Successful Portfolios
100% of the students scored above 75% on the portfolio evaluation.

Action
Encourage Creativity And Expression
100% of the students scored well above the minimum criteria.
While this indicates successful learning outcomes for students, it also indicates the need to raise the standards of faculty evaluators and to re-examine the rubric used to measure the indicators. 

The ability to articulate a conceptual direction in a written artist's statement will be added to the indicators for the senior portfolio.

Art Department faculty from areas other than photography will be brought in as evaluators of the photography student's work.

The criteria will be raised to expect at least 80% of students to score 80% or higher.

Continue to develop aesthetic awareness and individual expression through critiques, and lectures on creativity and contemporary art.

Objective
History Of Photography
Students will learn the History of Photography and an understanding of contemporary photographic art and its relationship to the continuum of history.

Indicator
History Of Photography
Students will be required to take ART 334 and write a two page evaluation of two photographs of their choice. One photograph must have been taken and printed in the 19th Century and the second must be an image created after 1975. The evaluation will discuss the formal attributes of the photograph, the style, the social or political influences, the technology used, and the subject matter.

The essays will
• provide a clear introduction and draw conclusions supported by visual and contextual evidence. 
• move from specific examples to general statements.
• describe the works accurately and clearly.
• use vocabulary introduced in classroom lectures and photography history textbooks.
• convey a clear and convincing image of their perspective.
• use external information about the cultural context and photographic techniques gathered from readings and presentations.
• present an understanding of the works in a way that is convincing and supported by detailed evidence.
• sum up major ideas and draw convincing conclusions grounded in visual evidence and contextual information.

Criterion
Historical Evaluation Criteria
The papers will be evaluated by a committee of faculty in the Photography Program. The faculty will use a rubric developed and adopted by the committee. A scale of 0-100% will be used to determine successful completion of the requirements. It is expected that at least 75% of the students will score 80% or higher.

Finding
Successful Papers
100% of the students scored above 80 on the evaluation of their papers.

Action
Continue Teaching History Of Photography
100% of the students scored well above the minimum criteria.
While this indicates successful learning outcomes for students, it also indicates the need to raise the standards of faculty evaluators and to re-examine the rubric used to measure the indicators. 

Art Department faculty from areas other than photography will be brought in as evaluators of the photography student's work.

The criteria will be raised to expect at least 80% of students to score 80% or higher.

Continue to require the History of Photography and to engage students in contemporary photography by bringing visiting artists to lecture and offer workshops and to take field trips to area museums and art centers.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement The Art Department currently offers two degree plans in Photography. The Bachelor of Arts is considered a general degree in arts and humanities with a general specialization in photography. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is considered the professional degree in photography.
There has been discussion among faculty in the art department concerning the need for the BA in Photography. The BA in Studio art is a liberal arts degree with a focus on breadth of studies in the arts and sciences. The art study is general also, and there is little or no specialization. One of the goals for the BA in Studio Art is to revise the curriculum to meet the needs of BA students who wish to empahsize one area such as Graphic Design, Computer Animation, or Studio Art. it is believed by some faculty that the BA in Studio Art could also serve the needs of students seeking a liberal arts degree with a photography emphasis. 
The faculty have agreed to revise the curriculum of the BA in Photography to include more general studio classes and to make the curriculums of the two BA degrees more uniform.