Mission
A Community of Scholars in Common Pursuit
The Department of Art and Design is a community of scholars, both faculty and students, engaged in a common pursuit of knowledge. Our goal is to be a facilitator of learning; to prepare competent and caring practitioners with multicultural perspectives. Aware that education and learning are lifelong experiences, research and service are all part of our function.
The mission of the Department of Art and Design at Tennessee State University is to:
- Provide a four-year course of study for students desiring to enter the workforce in the visual arts;
- Provide a four-year course of study for students desiring careers as elementary and/or secondary art teachers;
- Help students develop a positive attitude, which leads to continued study at a more advanced or professional level in the field, as well as to engage in life long learning practices;
- Provide service courses for students engaged in study within other units of the university;
- Provide an opportunity for the campus and the community at large to gain exposure to the range and vitality of contemporary art and contemporary concerns in art education through exhibitions, lectures, visiting artists, and seminars; and
- Provide a historical context for personal study and development in the visual arts and/or visual arts education.
Accreditation: Tennessee State University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design ( NASAD ). In addition, the Tennessee Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation ( CAEP ) accredits the teacher certification program in Art.