Technical Standards

Salisbury University has identified minimum physical and cognitive standards for students who enroll in studio art and design courses. Art instruction at Salisbury University is rooted in the mastery of traditional media and techniques requiring visual acuity and hand-eye coordination. Students must possess and maintain minimum levels of physical, cognitive and interpersonal readiness in order to successfully complete the required art core, and upper level studio art and design courses.

Studio Art Technical Standards

Classroom Attendance and Participation

Art students must be physically present, and participate fully in class meetings on a regular basis, with or without reasonable accommodations. Studio classes require sustained creative activity and person-to person mentoring, critiquing, discussion and group work, all of which are fundamental to the learning process in art classes. Accordingly, individual course attendance policies reflect the importance of presence and active participation, both to develop artistic ability and attendant professional skills.
Observational Powers
Manual Dexterity

Art students must be able to handle materials with dexterity and sensitivity. Skillful hand-eye coordination is the goal of perceptual, so-called ‘realistic’ drawing and painting education, and studio art students must possess fine motor skills to develop the necessary ability to observe and render images either two- or three-dimensionally.
Intellectual-Cognitive Capacity

Art students must be able to integrate layers of meaning related to both form and content in art and design. Formal elements, including material processes, spatial and other visual dynamics such as color, shape, line and format, are uniquely interrelated with aspects of meaning, including the artist’s goals or intentions, and references to other art and design, whether current or historical.
Communication and Social Skills

Because instructor-to-student and student-to-student critiques are integral to the educational experience in studio art classes, students must develop the ability to critique their own work and the work of others articulately and constructively, as well as to accept the constructive criticism of their peers and mentors.