Critical Studies

History, Theory, Criticism

The Critical Studies area provides you with a historical and critical framework through which you’ll understand the important theories and practices of art, design and general visual culture, focusing on the twentieth- and twenty-first century. 

You will gain an advanced understanding of the dominant cultural, political and aesthetic concerns of primarily contemporary Euro-American art, design and visual culture, with attention given to global trends in art and design, and to globalization and its effects. 

A key emphasis of all Critical Studies courses is learning to read, write and think critically, and you will develop a historical understanding of what it means to be an artist or designer. These skills will in turn serve to empower you as a creative agent, giving you a broad sense of what artists and designers can do with the range of skills developed in Roski’s programs.