Columbus State University’s Bachelor of Arts in Art degree program has been fully approved for accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, making all six Department of Art degrees accredited under the highest national standard.

“Achieving this [accreditation] milestone for our newest degree enhances our department’s standing within a peer group of the top art and design programs nationally,” said Joe Sanders, CSU’s Alan F. Rothschild Distinguished Chair of Art.

CSU’s B.A. in Art degree track, which will begin enrolling students this fall, is designed to provide students a balance of studio art and liberal arts study. An important benefit of the program will be a high quality, flexible path to graduation for incoming freshman, non-traditional students, students who change majors and students who transfer from two-year degree programs, Sanders said.

By prioritizing an inclusive and broad educational approach emphasizing college completion, CSU’s B.A. in Arts degree program will support the University System of Georgia’s initiative to increase student success by boosting retention, progression and graduation rates across the state.

CSU’s B.A. in Art will complement and support the art department's current undergraduate curriculum, which includes three degree tracks: a B.F.A. in Art, a B.S.Ed. in Art Education and a B.A. in Art History. CSU’s new B.A. track will emphasize the liberal arts while preparing students for a wide variety of arts-related and other career fields. The Bachelor of Fine Arts track is CSU’s professional arts degree program that prepares students for graduate study and careers requiring more specialization.

“The inclusion of a B.A. in Art will create a more fully comprehensive Department of Art,” Sanders said.

A new Visual Communication Certificate is also launching this summer as a collaboration between CSU’s Departments of Art and Communication.