About Us

Students gain knowledge of the concepts of art and design that includes the visual arts. Students identify principles of design in a range of visual disciplines. Students discuss works of art and design using the vocabulary of the discipline (in terms of esthetics and the appropriate technology).

The visual arts are a critical and dynamic part of a liberal arts education, and occupy an important role in culture. Fine Arts majors at Hofstra experience traditional and contemporary perspectives in the approach to art and design. They acquire knowledge of the fundamentals of art and design, gain experience with the required tools, materials and techniques for making art and design, and master specific concepts and skills. A Fine Arts major can lead to an embrace of visual culture as part of meaningful life and a professional career in the field of visual arts.

The program teaches students to develop familiarity with central elements and concepts in visual culture, and gain facility in the methods of understanding and discussing them. Students will also develop an awareness of the power of images to influence their audience in various social and historical contexts, other cultures and historical eras.

Students will develop skills in three areas: Stylistic, comparative, historical, and formal analysis of visual forms through written and oral communication. Advanced writing skills: synthesizing organizing and presenting large amounts of material from various sources and disciplines. Research and methodology relevant to art history; use of the library, image indexes and databases. Curatorial skills: attribution methods, connoisseurship, provenance, and conservation; and the production of exhibition materials (catalogues, guides, talks). Is applicable only to upper level courses.