Visualization - BS
The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Visualization program is to engage and develop the student’s visual, intuitive and analytical capabilities through the scientific and aesthetic issues surrounding the use of technology in visual communication. To fulfill its mission, the program requires both a creative spirit and the technical understanding to adapt to the changing demands of the visual industries served by the departmental programs.
The curriculum integrates elements of fine arts, three-dimensional design, programming and digital technology to provide a broad, wide-ranging educational experience. The core of the program is the studio experience, which explores the relationship between theory and practices through a variety of exercises and projects using traditional and electronic media. A semester away from Texas A&M University is required during the Junior year. This is followed by a capstone proposal and studio during the Junior and Senior years. A broad range of directed electives allows the student to gain an in-depth understanding of an area of specialization.
Graduates of the program are prepared to be technically adept artists, designers and/or tool-makers capable of utilizing interactive and directed media. Employment may be found in such fields as user interface and web design, the entertainment industry (game design and development, animation and visual effects), as well as fields such as modeling and simulation, data analytics and other fields where visualization contributes to understanding. Alternatively, graduates may enter graduate programs that emphasize digital media in either computer science or art/design. Two such programs, the Master of Science (MS) in Visualization and the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visualization, are offered by the Department of Visualization at Texas A&M University.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Semester Credit Hours | |
| ARTS 115 | Drawing for Visualization | 3 |
| ENGL 104 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| MATH 151 | Engineering Mathematics I | 4 |
| VIST 105 | Principles of Design I | 3 |
| VIST 131 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| VIST 170 | Introduction to Visualization Computing Environments | 1 |
| VIST 282 or ARTS 104 | 2D Visualization Techniques or Introduction to Graphic Design | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH 152 | Engineering Mathematics II | 4 |
| VIST 106 | Principles of Design II | 3 |
| VIST 270 | Computing for Visualization I | 4 |
| VIST 283 | 3D Visualization Techniques | 1 |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Art History Survey I (Select one of the following) | ||
| Art History Survey II | ||
| Themes in Contemporary Art | ||
| The History of Modern Art | ||
| Government/Political science | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ARTS 212 | Life Drawing | 3 |
| PHYS 201 | College Physics | 4 |
| VIST 205 | Principles of Design III | 3 |
| Directed elective 2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| VIST 206 | Visual Studies Studio I | 3 |
| VIST 235 | Theory and Practice in Visualization | 2 |
| VIST 271 | Computing for Visualization II | 4 |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Art History Survey I | ||
| Art History Survey II (Select one of the following) 9 | ||
| Themes in Contemporary Art | ||
| The History of Modern Art | ||
| Traditional arts 3 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| VIST 305 | Visual Studies Studio II | 3 |
| VIST 339 | Research Techniques in Visualization | 3 |
| VIST 375 | Foundations of Visualization | 3 |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Art History Survey I | ||
| Art History Survey II | ||
| Themes in Contemporary Art | ||
| The History of Modern Art | ||
| Select one of the following: | 1 | |
| 2D Visualization Techniques | ||
| 3D Visualization Techniques | ||
| Visualization Techniques | ||
| Life and physical sciences | 4 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| CARC 301 or VIST 494 | Field Studies in Design Innovation 4 or Internship | 6 |
| Language, philosophy and culture 4 | 3 | |
| General elective 4,5 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 105 | History of the United States | 3 |
| VIST 405 | Visual Studies Studio III | 3 |
| VIST 432 or VIST 441 | Applied Perception or Scientific and Technological Developments in Visual Arts | 3 |
| VIST 439 | Capstone Proposal Development | 1 |
| Digital Media 6 | 3 | |
| Life and physical sciences | 1 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 106 | History of the United States | 3 |
| VIST 409 | Capstone Studio | 3 |
| Communication | 3 | |
| Government/Political science | 3 | |
| Social and behavioral sciences | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | Select three of the four ARTS courses for a total of 9 art hours. ARTS 149 or ARTS 150 will count toward the creative arts core curriculum requirement. |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Select from ARTS 305, ARTS 308, ARTS 311, ARTS 312, ARTS 315, ARTS 325, ARTS 328, ARTS 353, VIST 310, VIST 465. |
| 4 | Semester Away Semester: May be satisfied by study abroad, at another university, internship, or special arrangement by advisor or instructor. Electives may be taken during summer, online, distance education, at another university or college, or at study abroad university. |
| 5 | Select from any 300-499 course not used elsewhere. If you do not participate in study abroad, 3 hours will come from International and Cultural Diversity. |
| 6 | Select from ARTS 303, ARTS 304, ARTS 403, VIST 357, VIST 370, VIST 372, VIST 374, VIST 470, VIST 472, VIST 476/CSCE 447, VIST 477/CSCE 446, VIST 486, VIST 487/CSCE 443. |
A grade of C or better must be made in all College of Architecture courses (ARCH, ARTS, CARC, COSC, ENDS, LAND, LDEV, VIST, URPN, and VIZA). Students must also make a grade of C or better in any course used as an equivalent substitution for College of Architecture courses that satisfy degree requirements.