By Victoria Phetmisy
vphetm20@student.scad.edu
The Savannah College of Art and Design offers a variety of studies ranging from media and performing arts to advertising design, professional writing, sequential art and fibers. In order to further meet the various interests of students, specific minors were created that range from marine design to ceramic arts, dance and business management and entrepreneurship.
With a growing interest in the school, and the college’s mission statement to prepare students for the workplace, SCAD is adding more areas of study. While accessory design is only a minor now, in fall 2008 it will become a major exclusive to the Savannah campus. Second-year metals and jewelry student Matthew Rath is one of the students considering taking this up as a new major. Rath said, “Accessory design is exactly what I wanted to do. It’s more versatile than just metals and jewelry.”
In addition to accessory design, another new major is fashion and luxury management, which will be exclusive to the Atlanta campus. Though the name of the major is still pending, the major itself will focus on the marketing and financing side of the fashion industry. Another major exclusive to the Atlanta campus will be television producing, in which students can earn a B.A. This course will be more liberal arts-based than in the studio. Kevin Conlon, dean of undergraduate students, explained why these two majors are exclusive to Atlanta. “The industry in Atlanta will allow students to have more internship opportunities in the area of television production and even fashion.”
Along with the new majors, SCAD has been working on creating new minors as well. Though some are still being planned, a few were already approved for the fall 2008 quarter. One of these new minors is scientific illustration.
According to SCAD’s Web site, scientific illustration is a combination of art and science. This program will teach students how to approach all different sides of the artistic process, using mediums such as clay, pencil and computer graphics. The minor was created to incorporate the illustration, photography, sequential art, interactive and game development and animation departments. Third-year animation student Sandy Bomkhu is considering changing her minor from illustration to scientific illustration. “I think, in the long run, scientific illustration will help me become more versatile in getting a job.”
Other minors being added include arts administrations, cinema studies, menswear, concept art for games and equestrian studies. These new minors will be seen in the next catalogue year, along with the new majors. As for how programs like these become official, Conlon added, “Sometimes we lead and sometimes we follow. We look to the interests of the students, the job industry and what is in high demand before we decide what can become a major or a minor, and sometimes we merge ideas together.”
