The Art Department programs at California State University, Dominguez Hills are characterized by a unique and close correlation among the Art History, Studio Art and Design Options, and by a strong coordination among the different studio areas. These Options both introduce students to potential careers in the art world and to provide personal fulfillment through creative and scholarly endeavors. Students may complete some combination of their major and minor in the Art Department. Some of the courses are offered in the evening to allow students who work in the day time to attend them.

The Art History option offers a diverse range of courses with emphasis on the cultures of the Americas, Asia, and Africa, as well as the achievements of contemporary and women artists. The Studio Art Option offers students a solid background in both traditional and contemporary media in closely supervised small classes. The Design Option introduces students to careers in the graphic design field. The Art Department also offers a Certificate in Digital Graphics, a program which introduces students to applying technology to the solution of artistic problems. The Subject Matter Preparation Program in Art not only prepares students for careers in education, but also trains them as studio artists. In addition to the major and minor Options, the Art Department offers courses for both General Education and Liberal Studies. The former help students to enrich their lives culturally and to appreciate the built environment.

All faculty members in the Art Department hold the highest degrees in their areas of specialization. The Department is located in a university with ready access to major freeways, allowing easy commuting to art galleries and museums in southern California. The students graduating in art from CSU Dominguez Hills are assured of a high quality education because of the small class sizes, accessibility of instructors and personal advisement throughout their years on the campus.

The Objectives of the Art Department are:

1. To offer courses for both art majors and non-majors that acquaint them with the art of world cultures and provide them with artistic experiences
2. To improve the artistic skills and comprehension of world art of each art student
3. To introduce students to career oriented skills for use in the various fields of art
4. To prepare future teachers to present courses in the California Public Schools
5. To provide artistic experiences for both the university and local community through the activities in the Art Gallery

The Fine Arts facility is located in LaCorte Hall. All of the traditional visual arts areas have generously sized studios and the majority of these adjoin exterior patios, which further extend their usable space and take advantage of Southern California’s mild climate. The studios are furnished with a wide range of equipment for various media.

The University Art Gallery contains over 2,000 square feet of exhibition space The Gallery has frequent exhibitions, including guest lectures by exhibiting artists, and provides for a Senior Art Exhibition each spring semester.

The department makes studio time available to art students whenever possible for nondirected activities.