Minors

Designed for students whose passion for art fosters historical curiosity and critical reflection, the Art History minor allows art and design majors to complement their studio experience with an intensive academic investigation of the rich and diverse history and cultural relevance of art. Moore's Art History classes are intellectually challenging and emphasize research, writing, and conversation about specialized art historical topics and issues related to aesthetics and critical theory. Over the course of their stay at Moore, students completing an Art History minor take 15 credit hours (5 courses) of upper-level Art History electives of their choosing.

Students who choose the Art Therapy minor will be exposed to both educational and therapeutic applications of art therapy for children and young people, and explore creative expressions as a means to support growth and wellness. Coursework will introduce art therapy as a professional field of study, discuss the emotional, social, intellectual, and physical phases of development in school-aged children, and provide examples of hands-on activities, lessons, and techniques used in the practice of art therapy.

The minor is for students who are curious self-learners and problem-solvers, have the desire to be part of a creative team or community, and thrive with the challenge of working within frameworks and prescribed limitations. It teaches a variety of industry-relevant knowledge including: hand and digital drawing, animation and storyboarding, development of 2D character design and 3D environments, history, theory, gaming strategies, proficiency in the use of art-making software and critical analysis of interactive culture.

What essential skills and knowledge are required for emerging artists and designers to manage their careers successfully in a twenty-first-century world?  The Business minor introduces students to the fundamentals of professional practice through a 12-credit, non-sequential minor comprised of four courses that focus on business experience: Marketing, Principles and Practices, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship.  

Explore a lucrative and influential field that's always in demand! In our Comics minor, you'll learn how to create visual narratives for print and screen through the use of imagery, design, color and type. You'll also cultivate the drawing, graphic design and narrative design skills necessary to tell a compelling story, with courses like Sequential Illustration & Personal Narrative and Storyboarding.

The minor in Creative Writing is designed for students who are interested in pursuing writing as a creative art form, both in itself and in tandem with other art and design fields. In addition to learning the craft of writing in a range of genres from experienced professional writers, students in the Creative Writing minor will enhance their own development as writers with the study of literature and literary theory. The 12-credit curriculum requires two creative writing workshops, one literature course, and an advanced capstone course in which each student completes an in-depth creative writing project in the genre of her choice. The Creative Writing minor curriculum is supported by co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and events offered by The Writer’s Studio.

The Fashion Design minor focuses on fashion skills relating to drawing, design, pattern making, draping and clothing construction. Students explore the history of the costume and computer applications for fashion and apparel fabrics.

The Fashion Merchandising minor focuses on building future fashion business leaders with a focus on Fashion Buying & Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Retail Management, Omnichannel Marketing, and Trend Forecasting. Through these courses and experiential learning, we aim to empower students to revolutionize the fashion industry and positively affect the global fashion value chain.

A minor in Film & Digital Cinema can complement many disciplines as students learn the value of using sound and moving images to tell stories, sell products and craft compelling spaces. Students get hands on experience with audio and video equipment and the software used to organize these elements as well as an understanding of the critical and collaborative aspects of this field.

A Fine Arts minor allows students in professional and applied majors to explore multiple approaches to art-making. This course of study can provide a rich influence on their major work. Students investigate contemporary and historic strategies for navigating innovative relationships among form, content, and material. The Fine Arts minor includes tracks in 3D Media, Drawing, Printmaking, and Painting, as well as a more general track that allows students to explore Fine Arts more broadly. All of the minor tracks have great flexibility, allowing students to create a program of study that best suits their interests.

Graphic Design is the visual communication of information using a skillful combination of elements including images, typography, color and layout. In addition to hand techniques, Graphic Designers use cutting edge digital technology not only as a tool to create visual form but as a medium through which communication takes place. Print, packaging, digital media, and websites are just a few examples of the wide variety of media that are used.  Students may choose between two graphic design minor tracks: Communication Design, with a print emphasis, and Interactive Design. A 3-credit Digital Image Making course is required for both minor tracks.

From editorial illustration in newspapers and magazines, to book publishing, to illustration for advertising, music, fashion or websites, the aim of illustration is to elucidate information through evocative, visual representation.   Because Illustration is a skill that can apply any discipline, this minor enables you to develop new skills to enhance your work. Illustration Concepts and Practices I and II are required for all Illustration minors. An additional nine credit hours, selected from other Illustration courses, complete the 15-credit hour requirement for the minor.

A minor in Interior Design gives you the opportunity to increase the breadth of your design and 3D experience. Courses are required in Interior Design process, design drawing and history of interiors. Two other courses may be selected from the areas of design, hand or digital drawing techniques, materials and construction, design history or furniture design.

Students can select from two minor tracks in Photography. A 3-credit Digital Photo I course is required for both minor tracks.

Textile Design minors may be focused inSurface & Fabric Design, Fabric & Knit Construction and Material Studies. These programs introduce students to the vocabulary, techniques, materials and design skills necessary in the field of textile design.