Fine Arts Courses

ART211 Ceramics

[0–4, 3 cr.]

This course is an introductory course to the primary techniques of hand-made pottery, its maintenance, and finish, as well as the understanding, preparation, and maintenance, of clay through its various stages, and the relationship of design, functional and otherwise, to the medium.

ART212 Ceramics Wheel Throwing

[0–4, 3 cr.]

This course is a focus on wheel-made pottery, stressing the relationship of good functional design to useful wheel-made objects, by offering basic shapes of such pottery.

Prerequisite: ART211 Ceramics I

ART221 Drawing I

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This course is a study of the basic drawing techniques in various media in regards to landscape, still life, and the human figure.

Note: This course has not been taught since Fall 2022 and will not be taught in the academic year 2024–2025.

ART222 Figure Drawing

[1–4, 3 cr.]

This course explores the structural and muscular systems of the human body with emphasis upon proportion, formal relations, chiaroscuro, contour, volume, and foreshortening. This course aims at producing full-fledged compositions in various drawing media. Throughout the course, students develop the figure in different spatial situations as an exploration of expression in drawing. They will be exposed to questions of aesthetics, problem solving in composition, and the use of appropriate materials.

Prerequisite: FND201 Drawing for Foundation

ART301 Speculative Drawing

[1–4, 3 cr.]

This advanced drawing course promotes analytical thinking through experimental processes in drawing. Students will explore various techniques and methodologies through individual projects that investigate contemporary practices in drawing beyond the mimetic. The course requires innovative approaches to relevant media and their application in exploration, sequential thinking, and subjective representation.

Prerequisite: ART222 Figure Drawing

ART331 History of Art I

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This survey course provides a critical overview of visual production starting from the Paleolithic era and leading up to the Italian Renaissance. The course explores major movements and selected works in art, material culture, and architecture, examining the form, content, and function of the work in relation to evolving cultural, social, and political contexts. 

Prerequisite: ENG102 Academic English II

ART332 History of Art II

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course explores major movements and styles in European art and architecture from the Italian Renaissance to the early Modern period. It examines selected works from each movement along with the historical events relevant to the development of western Art and its underlying theories.

Prerequisite: ENG102 Academic English II

ART333 Art Education

[1–4, 3 cr.]

This course is a survey of the principles, materials, techniques, and resources for teaching art to children. Emphasis is on the extensive variety of art media suitable for young children, such as clay, paint, collage, and drawing.

ART334 Printmaking

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This course is a studio course investigating the basic printing processes of intaglio, planography, and relief.

Prerequisite: ART221 Drawing I or FND201 Drawing for Foundations

ART335 Islamic Art of the Middle East

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course is designed to stimulate a deeper understanding of the Islamic Art of the Middle East through an investigation of its cultural origins.

ART336 Art in Lebanon since 1900

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course surveys artistic production in Lebanon during the Modern and contemporary eras. It investigates the development of a Lebanese vernacular in relation to imported Western influences and changing cultural, social, and political contexts. Special attention will be given to historical developments that are relevant to cultural practices in the region today, including cultural identity and the problematic relationship between modernity and local traditions. Coursework will include visits to local exhibitions and studios to familiarize students with Lebanon’s contemporary art scene.

Prerequisite: ENG102 Academic English II

ART341 Painting I

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This course is an introduction to painting procedure. The course includes detailed studies of still life, landscape, and the human figure.

Prerequisites: ART221 Drawing I or Instructor consent

ART342 Painting II

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This course is a studio course that looks into a variety of approaches to space interpretation on a two dimensional plane.

Prerequisite: ART341 Painting I or Instructor consent

ART351 Sculpture I

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This is a course facilitating the realization of three dimensional forms through modeling, carving, and casting of meaningful subjects.

ART352 Sculpture II

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This is an advanced course that provides for greater proficiency in the creation of the three-dimensional form. Special emphasis is placed on the production of free standing and relief sculpture for specific sites.

Prerequisite: ART351 Sculpture I or Instructor consent

ART365 Studio III

[2–4, 4 cr.]

This studio focuses on two-dimensional explorations in various techniques in painting and mixed media. The studio looks into a variety of methodologies to acquire knowledge of subject rendering, spatial representations, and visual compositions. Anchored in the analysis of historical artworks, the course will develop the students’ mastery of materials, methods and techniques of representation.

Prerequisite: FND236 Studio II Visual Dynamics

ART366 Studio IV

[2–4, 4 cr.]

This studio explores concepts, materials, and processes in the development of three-dimensional forms. Students develop fundamental notions of composition, formal perception, as well as movement in space. The studio offers the opportunity to realize three-dimensional constructs based on conceptual and theoretical explorations. Students are encouraged to explore the inter-relation between objects and space through innovative approaches to form making.

Prerequisite: ART365 Studio III 

ART431 Modern Art

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course covers the main styles and movements of the western avant-garde from the early Modern era until the mid-twentieth century. It explores the cultural and socio-political contexts that inspired the theories from which Modern art emerged and developed. Themes and issues of contemporary relevance are addressed through the study of selected works.

Prerequisite: ENG102 Academic English II

ART431H Modern Art

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course covers the main styles and movements of the western avant-garde from the early Modern era until the mid-twentieth century. It explores the cultural and socio-political contexts that inspired the theories from which Modern art emerged and developed. Themes and issues of contemporary relevance are addressed through the study of selected works.

Prerequisite: ENG102 Academic English II

ART432 Contemporary Art

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course examines visual art and popular culture from 1960 to the present, especially the rise and establishment of new forms and media in art. It focuses on the production of meaning and explores topics addressed in contemporary art by investigating its practice, histories, institutions, and socio-political contexts. Students will carry out an in-depth investigation of themes addressed in contemporary cultural practice with the aim of enlarging and solidifying their background.

Prerequisite: ENG102 Academic English II

ART441 Painting III

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This course is a studio course that develops a greater awareness of the elements of art’s expressive potential in the creation of various moods.

Prerequisite: ART342 Painting II or Instructor consent

ART465 Studio V

[2–4, 4 cr.]

This advanced studio explores specific approaches in the process of artistic production, based on independent research, leading to the development of a personal thematic. Students are encouraged to adopt a multi-media approach in their investigations of space and time, including video, sound, installation, and/or performance. This studio offers the opportunity for advanced experimentation into the limits of artistic production and representation, as they relate to sensory experience, motion, and interaction. The themes investigated and the processes explored are developed in relation to emerging artistic practices.

Prerequisite: ART366 Studio IV

ART466 Senior Studio

[2–4, 4 cr.]

The senior studio provides the graduating student with the opportunity for independent investigation, resulting in a final collection that reflects a broad theoretical scope. The course requires significant research in the development of a personal thesis, and students are encouraged to develop their final projects through experimentation in their medium of choice. The studio solidifies the student’s background and a further defines their personal aesthetic direction.

Prerequisite: ART465 Studio V

ART472 Portfolio Design

[0–2, 1 cr.]

This course provides students with the guidance and advising necessary to transition into careers in the professional art market or application into graduate studies. Emphasis is placed on the development of a cohesive, well-presented printed and online portfolio as a personal marketing tool. The class cumulates in a final portfolio review.

ART481 Curation and the Art Market

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course in an introduction to the practical concerns of professional art practice, including aspects related to production, diffusion, and communication. Students are familiarized with the role and function of various actors and stakeholders (galleries, museums, art fairs, curators, etc.) of the contemporary art market in Lebanon and the wider region. The course covers post-production aspects related to the management of artistic practice, including the conception and creation of curatorial projects, as well as the role of art critics and the media.

Prerequisite: ART431 Modern Art or ART432 Contemporary Art

ART491 International Studio

[1–4, 3 cr.]

Each year an international traveling workshop will be organized to allow students to travel, visit global cities, and have direct exposure to artwork in established collections and museums. The workshop would present a specific project, with students carrying out personal work under the guidance of a faculty member. Drawings, sketches, and a workshop report would be presented upon the students’ return to LAU.

ART499 Senior Study

[0–6, 3 cr.]

This is a senior course that provides for independent initiation and execution of art projects, allowing for greater depth and research in the development of a personal idiom.