Essential Abilities/Technical Standards
1. Essential judgment skills to include: ability to identify, assess, and comprehend visual and conceptual situations for the purpose of problem solving around themes, subjects and technical/process challenges to elicit appropriate conclusions and/or course of actions. Critical and creative thinking are expected cornerstones of all work assigned in this program.
2. Essential physical/neurological functions to include: ability to use the senses of seeing, hearing, and touch to make correct judgments regarding visual and conceptual situations (which could include still-life and model arrangements) and meet required physical expectations to perform interventions for the purpose of demonstrating competence to safely engage in the practice of photography. Behaviors that demonstrate essential neurological and physical functions include, but are not limited to observation, listening, understanding relationships, writing, and psychomotor abilities consistent with course and program expectations. In addition, students should possess the following abilities:
- Ability to see still-life, life-model, and other subjects from a minimum of 8 feet distance.
- Ability to see color
3. Essential communication skills to include: ability to communicate effectively with fellow students, faculty, and all members of the Visual Arts programs. Skills include verbal, written, and nonverbal abilities as well as information technology skills consistent with effective communication.
Written and verbal critiques are expected and essential to success in this program.
4. Essential emotional coping skills: ability to demonstrate the mental health necessary to safely engage in the processes of this program as determined by professional standards of practice.
This program requires students to critically evaluate own artworks, and those of others, to enhance the learning process. Students are expected to cope with critique and apply the learning from it to the completion of photographic artworks.
5. Essential intellectual/conceptual skills to include: ability to measure, calculate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate to engage competently in the practice of photography. Students should exhibit the following abilities:
- Ability to calculate proportions
- Ability to synthesize multiple concepts and visuals within photographic artworks
- Ability to visualize, imagine, and synthesize ideas into photographic artworks
- Ability to analyze connections, correlations, spatial considerations, etc… and their effects on conceptual aspects of photographic artworks
- Ability to analyze concepts, readings, and research relevant to visual arts
6. Other essential behavioral attributes: ability to engage in activities consistent with safe photographic practice without demonstrated behaviors of addiction to, abuse of, or dependence on alcohol or other drugs that may impair behavior or judgment. The student must demonstrate responsibility and accountability for actions as a student in the Visual Arts Department and as a developing professional in the field of photography consistent with accepted standards of practice.