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 School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University.
Plan of Study Grid First Year |
Fall |
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
| 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 |
1 | 3 |
| Art History Survey I () | |
| Art History Survey II | |
| Themes in Contemporary Art | |
| The History of Modern Art | |
| 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 |
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 |
1 | 3 |
| Art History Survey I | |
| Art History Survey II () 9 | |
| Themes in Contemporary Art | |
| The History of Modern Art | |
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 |
1 | 3 |
| Art History Survey I | |
| Art History Survey II | |
| Themes in Contemporary Art | |
| The History of Modern Art | |
| 1 |
| 2D Visualization Techniques | |
| 3D Visualization Techniques | |
| Visualization Techniques | |
| 4 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 17 |
Spring |
CARC 301
| Field Studies in Design Innovation 4
or Internship | 6 |
4 | 3 |
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
| Applied Perception
or Scientific and Technological Developments in Visual Arts | 3 |
VIST 439 | Capstone Proposal Development | 1 |
6 | 3 |
| 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 |
Spring |
HIST 106 | History of the United States | 3 |
VIST 409 | Capstone Studio | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 |
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.