The College of New Jersey Logo

Apply     Visit     Give     |     Alumni     Parents     Offices     TCNJ Today     Three Bar Menu

Advising

Dear students,

Please be aware of the schedule grid, which includes the following major components:

1. In order to fit precisely in the new grid, studio courses will run 5 hours and 50 minutes.

2. To allow our students more flexibility, open studios will not be scheduled with specific courses. However, studios will be open for general use on Wednesdays from 8-10:50am and 5:30-9:20pm and students will be expected to use this time to work. Technical supervision and assistance will be available in these studios and facilities: sculpture, printmaking, photography darkroom and lighting studio.

3. In the new grid, College-wide colloquia time is scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:30-1:30pm, during which there is no class meeting time. On these days, morning studio classes will be scheduled from 8am-12:20pm, followed by a break during colloquia time. These classes will resume their meeting time at 2pm and continue until 3:20pm.

We are glad to provide for you more creative possibilities to enhance your educational experience in the Department of Art and Art History.

 

Click this link to access our 2024 Fall Semester Waitlist

 

General Information for All Students

Academic Holds

Academic holds are placed on students’ accounts by the Office of Records and Registration and prevent students from registering without one’s advisor removing the hold through PAWS. Students must meet with their advisor, review their academic requirements and Art Department Program Planner, and develop a curriculum plan for future semesters.

Academic Load

The normal academic load is four course units. The maximum load for any student is five course units. A student must receive permission of the Assistant Dean of the School of Arts and Communication to carry five course units. Permission to carry beyond four course units may be requested by sophomores, juniors, and seniors with at least a 3.3 GPA.

Course Substitution Approval

Any transfer or TCNJ art course being considered for substitution must be discussed with the student’s area coordinator. The coordinator then submits the request in writing for approval by the Art Department Chair or Art Department Academic Advisor, who then submits a written substitution request to Records & Registration via PAWS.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. The College must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record.

College Core Requirement

College Core History Waiver

Art students who have taken four art history courses (AAH prefix or AAV250/History of Graphic Design), can have the College Core history requirement waived.

Any student not required to take four art history courses may elect to do so and consequently have the College Core history requirement waived.

Students taking five or more art and design history courses within the major still need 2 courses in the domain of BSCP (Behavioral, Social, or Cultural Perspectives) & SCHP (Historical Perspectives)

Social Justice

The fulfillment of these goals is achieved by completing major or College Core courses designated as meeting each requirement.

All Art Education majors are exempt from the Race & Ethnicity requirement.

All “Non-Western” art history courses fulfill the Global requirements

Transfer students with 8 course units are exempt from Social Justice and First Year Seminar course requirements.

4D is not a requirement for the students who choose the old model

Grade Requirements and Repeat Courses

Grade Requirements

Students are required to receive a minimum of B in all the critical content courses (All freshman level core courses except Visual Thinking)

All art and art history majors who entered our programs in the Fall 2012 semester and onward are required to earn a C+ in all art courses, including core courses and art history, as well as all courses within the program of study. Students who receive a C or lower are required to repeat the course.

Repeat Courses

A student may repeat any course once. If a student desires to take a course more than twice, permission must be obtained from the chair of the department. When a course is repeated, only the highest grade is counted in the grade point average and toward meeting graduation requirements, although all grades earned will appear on a transcript.

Sophomore Review

Visit this link for information on the Visual Art Sophomore Review. Visit this link for information on the Art Education Sophomore Review.

Major and Minor

Declaration of Major

Students may declare majors at any time prior to the completion of 16 course (the end of the Sophomore Year)

Changing Majors

Students wanting to change their major must complete the Change of Major form. The Application for Change of Major must be approved by the Area Coordinator of the discipline being pursued, who initials the application form, and the Department Chair. The application is then submitted through the Art Office.

Declaration of Minor

Minors consist of five full courses units (or four full course units plus an approved experience). Only one course taken as a part of the student’s major may also be counted toward the student’s minor.

To apply for a minor, students must complete a Declaration of Major/Minor Form, receive approval from the Art Department Area Coordinator (discipline of the minor), who initials the application form, meet specific discipline requirements listed below and receive approval of the Art Department Chair.

One-half of the courses required for the minor must be completed at TCNJ

Minors will be recorded along with majors on the student’s transcript.

Independent Study and Internship Guidelines

Independent Study Guidelines

Internship Guidelines

Independent Study
Department of Art and Art History, TCNJ

Independent study should be used for individual pursuit of topics within or beyond a student’s
major field of study, which transcend the regularly available curriculum. It will normally
involve research, primary source reading, and/or fieldwork. Note: Independent Study may not
be taken as a substitution for any existing course.

Matriculated students who have completed at least 14 units (56 credits) are eligible for
independent study. At least 3.75 units (15 credits) must have been completed at The College of
New Jersey. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 is required, subject to waiver by the
department chair. A student may enroll in no more than 1.5 units (6 credits) of independent
study in a given semester. A department may limit the number of independent study units
which a student is permitted to complete within that department’s programs.

An independent study application consists of two parts. The first is an enrollment form,
including an evaluation rubric, which must be signed by the student, faculty sponsor and
department chair. The second is an independent study summary proposal prepared by the
student in conjunction with the faculty sponsor. The proposal must follow the guidelines of the
College and include the following information:

1. a detailed description of the project (articulating the need for the study and the reason
why the student is requesting an independent study)

2. the amount of time devoted to each major aspect of the project

3. a description of prior course work or other experience which prepares the student for
the proposed activity

4. the frequency and duration of meetings with the faculty sponsor

5. dates for completion of project milestones where applicable

The proposal must clearly articulate the need for the independent study. It must explain how
the activity differs from courses offered throughout the academic year (i.e., why the student is
not taking a course offered through the Department). It should also include information about
previous independent study courses in which the student has completed. The methods by which
the student’s work will be evaluated must be clearly stated in the proposal. Some appropriate
forms of evaluation include papers, performances, and/or presentations. All AAV 391

Independent Study in Visual Arts proposals should include a public display or exhibition of
artwork completed as a culminating activity. To determine the number of credits, the guideline
of a minimum of 12 hours of effort per week per one course unit shall apply.
The completed application must be submitted to the Department of Art and Art History for
review (by November 15 for Spring and May 1 for Fall and Summer). The Department may
approve, request revisions, or reject the proposal. If the proposal is approved, it is forwarded to
the Assistant Dean for approval and, if approved, to The Office of Records and Registration at
the time the student registers for the course.

Independent Study or Mentored Research Enrollment Form

College Policy for Independent Study- https://policies.tcnj.edu/policies/digest.php?docId=8062

Internships
Department of Art and Art History, TCNJ

The primary purpose of the college-level internship is the development of occupational or
professional competence in the actual occupational setting after theory education has been
completed. Other purposes (income, career exploration, learning-by-doing, on-the-job training,
etc.) cannot be the primary purpose, though they may occur as a secondary result of the
internship experience. A minimum of 50 on-the-job hours should be required per quarter
course unit of credit (0.25 units). A substantial written assignment or portfolio requiring
research and/or creative work should be required. A simple log describing activities may be
included but in and of itself is not sufficient to satisfy this requirement.
An internship contract consists of two parts. The first is an enrollment form, which must be
signed by the student, supervising faculty and department chair. The second is a proposal
prepared by the student. The written proposal must follow the guidelines of the College and
include the following information:
1. The number of credit hours from any previous internship, as well as the semester taken
and the firm or agency where the internship was done

2. How credits are to be earned and what on-the-job activities will be required of the intern

3. The method of evaluating the internship to be used by the faculty supervisor

4. The firm or agency where the internship will be done

5. The professional person at the firm or agency who will supervise the student during the
internship

6. Information about on-site visits by a supervising faculty member whenever feasible

The completed internship contract must be submitted to the Department of Art and Art History
for review (by November 15 for Spring and May 1 for Fall and Summer). If a student receives
an Internship offer after the Department’s contract deadline, the student must complete and
submit the contract as soon as possible to the supervising faculty (for a signature) and then to
the department chair.

Students interested in an internship must understand the following guidelines and
requirements:

1. Enrollment is limited to upper division program majors or minors with at least a 2.5
GPA in that program.

2. The internship is an applied experience. Students must be working under guidance of
professionals within the discipline of study.

3. Internships may be offered on either a graded or pass-fail basis.

4. Student taking a second internship is expected to obtain different knowledge and
experience from the first internship.

5. A maximum of 3 internship units can be counted toward a degree, and a maximum of 2
course units is allowed for any single internship within a semester.

Further information on credits, GPA, and requirements for the Internship and The Internship
Contract are available in the Student Handbook. Check the student HOTLINE for opportunities.

Internship Enrollment Form

College Policy for Internships

Transfer Students

General Guidelines

Students transferring to TCNJ who have completed AA or AS degrees (NOT AAS) from New Jersey public community colleges are waived from College Core requirements.

Transfer students with 8 or more course units are exempt from meeting the Social Justice requirement and taking an First Year Seminar course.

Residency Requirement: a minimum of 12 courses must be taken within the TCNJ’s Department of Art & Art History. “Credits by exam” doesn’t count as one of the twelve.

Transfer students who entered the program as a freshmen or sophomore will have a Sophomore Review during the second semester of their junior year.

Transfer students cannot exceed the following number of units to TCNJ:

    • 16 course units (64 credits) from a community college
    • 20 course units (80 credits) from a four-year college
    • Combination of 2 & 4 year college: 16 course unit as the maximum for 2 year
    • Three course units transferred during the senior year

Once the maximum number of transfer credits has been accepted, students may not transfer additional credits to replace those already accepted.

For transfer students who want to pursue a minor, be aware one-half of the courses required for the minor must be completed at TCNJ

Evaluation Process

Transfer applicants who are admitted to TCNJ receive an “official” transfer credit evaluation with their admission materials. Credits are evaluated by an Academic Evaluator in the Office of Records and Registration, only occur after an applicant has been admitted. Please be sure all official transcripts have been submitted to TCNJ. If a student attended a NJ Community College, s/he should refer to the NJTransfer website for transfer equivalencies.

After the “official” review, all transfer credits and course equivalents are posted on the student’s PAWS account. Transfer courses are sometimes accepted as general or liberal learning courses. If a student would like to request that a transfer course fulfill a specific course requirement for the major, the Department can review the coursework and syllabus. To transfer courses into the Department of Art and Art History, please see the information below.

Transfer Courses in the Department of Art and Art History:

For 100-level foundation, 200-level intermediate, or 300-level advanced courses in Visual Arts (AAV) course, please contact the appropriate program coordinator. The area coordinator must review a portfolio with 3-5 artworks from the course and the course syllabus/description/assignment sheets.

  • Foundation courses that can be considered for transfer include AAV 111 Drawing, AAV 113 3-D, AAV 130 Photo I, and AAV 140 4-D.
  • Transfer courses typically are not accepted for AAV 112 2-D Design and Color Theory, since the course includes a digital component. If the 2-D Design and Color Theory transfer course includes a digital component, the Department Advisor can review the portfolio with 3-5 artworks from the course and course syllabus/description.
  • Transfer courses typically are not accepted for AAV 102 Visual Thinking.
  • As per College policy, 300 and 400-level transfer courses are generally not accepted. Typically, 2-year community college courses cannot fulfill the requirements of advanced 300-level studio courses.

Typically, no Art Education (AAE) transfer courses are accepted. For Art History (AAH) courses, please contact an Art History Professor. For Visual Arts (AAV) courses, please contact the appropriate professor, as stated below, and schedule a meeting to review your artwork and syllabus/description for each course you wish to have evaluated.


Fine Art and Photography/Video Coordinator: Anita Allyn: allyn@tcnj.edu

Art Education Coordinator: Dr. Lisa LaJevic: lajevic@tcnj.edu

Graphic Design Coordinator: Visit the Department of Design and Creative Technology for more information

Art History Coordinating Administrators: Lois Fichner-Rathus: loisfr@tcnj.edu; Deborah Hutton: dhutton@tcnj.edu; Lee Ann Riccardi: riccardi@tcnj.edu

Department Chair: Liselot van der Heijden: vanderhe@tcnj.edu

Top