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Thrive in an Art Student's Natural Habitat

At Dominican, you'll take classes in our Digital Media Center, which features the latest computer and printing technology in a comfortable space to critique and discuss your work with fellow students. 

You'll also enjoy ready access to spacious painting and drawing studios, digital photo labs, a black and white darkroom, a sculpture woodshop, a ceramics studio, and a printmaking studio—all with great natural light.

The O'Connor Art Gallery, steps away from our classrooms and studios in Lewis Hall, exhibits the work of contemporary artists of national renown who will introduce you to innovative movements, strategies and techniques. It is also the site of the art department's annual juried student show and senior thesis exhibitions.

Pick Your Path to Purpose 

The Graphic Design/Art major offers two concentrations: Graphic Design and Painting. You’ll take courses like Sculpture, Ceramics, Drawing, Design Applications, Painting, Color Photography and Global Art History as you fulfill the requirements of the common art core. These classes focus on the study of art, while advanced classes delve into Graphic Design or Painting in greater depth.

Graphic Design Concentration 
As a graphic designer, you'll work side-by-side with talented faculty who are passionate about art. You'll learn to master the art of visual communication—with the latest technology. Alongside fellow students in small classes, you'll present your work and discuss it in detail. 

In a curriculum rooted in the liberal arts, you'll deepen your understanding of the creative process and expand your capacity for critical thinking and compelling visual, oral and written expression. You'll come to understand a discipline that brings form and order to human activities, inventions and creations—and prepare for rewarding work in a corporate or studio setting.

Painting Concentration
Painting is a deep immersion in creative expression. You will expand your perspective, build your technique, and find your own artistic voice. You’ll also develop your personal talents and live out your passion. 

In small classes, you'll work side-by-side with talented artists who love to teach. You'll study the subtleties of painting and drawing, deepen your knowledge of art history, and practice your hand at printmaking, design, photography and sculpture. 

In a curriculum deeply rooted in the liberal arts, you'll sharpen your critical thinking skills and gain a new understanding of the broader society and culture. You'll learn to present your work effectively, to discuss it intelligently, and to communicate visually with refinement and impact. The Painting concentration will prepare you for a meaningful career and for lifelong intellectual competence.

Enjoy Many Ways to Learn, On Campus and Beyond

Practical, hands-on experience is built into the Graphic Design/Art curriculum. Through our internships, you’ll have access to the vast cultural, business and professional resources of Chicago—one of the largest job markets for art professionals in the nation. We make our connections your connections, so you can test­ drive your dream job in the real world. 

You can also combine academic study with compassionate service to people in need, in the Chicago area or around the world, through the university’s Civic Learning Program.  And the university's outstanding study abroad programs add an extra layer—and, perhaps, artistic backdrop—to your education.

Take Your Work Beyond the Classroom

You can apply for grant funding to support your creative work. The university awards funding on a competitive basis that enables students to complete original research or creative work or travel to academic and professional conferences across the U.S. It's all part of the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Investigations Program (URSCI), a distinctly Dominican initiative. URSCI also will give you a chance to present your work at a campus expo in April.

Students who wish to teach art to elementary or high school students can combine their major with the Secondary and K-12 Education program. Offered by the School of Education, the program includes a full semester of clinical practice, split between an elementary school and a middle or secondary school.

International Students

International students requiring an I-20 or DS 2019 may not apply for this major until SEVP approval.