Plan ahead for courses where students have earned lower grades.
Lowest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.
31 courses
Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.
Intro to light as a sculptural medium, focusing on techniques for creating art with luminous tubes and neon glass.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Examines current artists' motivations, intentions, and processes and their relationship to general developments in contemporary art.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Michael Jay McClure
Past reviews described exams as hard and emphasized that success required reading material and thinking out of the box, though following instructions helped.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Covers aesthetic grammar, history, and techniques of photography as an art form, emphasizing personal expression and B&W film processes.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Advanced graphic design focusing on corporate brand identity, including mark development, packaging, web branding, and broadcast advertising, applying semiotics and communication theory.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Dennis Miller
The course required significant effort, with students reporting they had to pull all-nighters to manage the heavy workload.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Basic Graphic Design introduces fundamental principles, covering formal, conceptual, and technical aspects with emphasis on process, presentation, and craftsmanship.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Henrique Nardi
The course featured lots of quick turn-around assignments with unclear rubrics, which some students found challenging to manage.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026ART METAL I covers basic jewelry techniques and metal fabrication, including piercing, soldering, forming, and stone setting, while developing creative concepts and understanding studio tools.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Lucas Pointon
The class required significant outside work, with one student averaging 4-6 hours per week and another noting a big chunk of time needed weekly to finish projects.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Examines major developments in graphic design and typography across the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, focusing on field emergence and self-definition.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Claire Tomkiw
Students completed approximately 200-300 words of writing and reading per week, along with occasional discussion posts and a 6-page final essay.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Sculpture I introduces basic sculpture concepts and provides a survey of studio practices, including woodworking, metalworking, casting, and textiles.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to making comics as a subject and means of academic inquiry, learning various ways to make pictures and stories using class materials.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Lynda Barry
The course was rated as easy, with the reviewer noting they were able to explore art in the way they wanted.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 20263D Digital Studio I introduces computer-based 3D modeling for creating images and objects, covering polygonal modeling, shaders, rendering, and contemporary practices in art, design, and entertainment.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Stephen Hilyard
Students described the lectures as grueling and excruciatingly dull, noting that the instructor spoke in a monotone voice during long sessions.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to basic drawing for non-art majors covering line, shape, composition, space, perspective, value, and texture to build foundational drawing skills.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Matthew Mauk
Instructors expected significant effort on every assignment, which some students found difficult at first but ultimately rewarding.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Graphic Design for Publications covers theory and practice in designing newspapers, magazines, books, and narrative forms with emphasis on advanced typographic theory and production skills.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to digital forms covering digital imaging, vector graphics, web design, and 3D modeling with emphasis on creative development and technical skills.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Meg Mitchell
Projects were spaced out well, and TAs graded work generously. One student described the exams as easy and noted the class was otherwise manageable.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 20262D Foundations applies 2D design principles for image creation and graphic arrangement, building analog and digital skills for photography, graphic design, drawing, painting, and printmaking.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Annmarie Suglio
Expect a commitment of roughly four hours per week to create art, as the syllabus requires consistent studio time despite the class being considered an easy A.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 20263D Foundations uses hands-on problem solving to teach creating objects in three dimensions, providing foundational skills for sculpture, ceramics, wood, glass, and metals.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Sarah Deppe
While assignments were described as fun, students noted that significant time was required for work outside of class to complete them.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Prominent artists, curators critics present their work through lectures and visual presentations.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Elaine Scheer
In Elaine Scheer’s past class, a student reported that attending artist talks and writing reflections were the main tasks, and that make-up assignments existed if a talk was missed.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Project-based introduction to user experience for graphic design, focusing on practical methods, user research, conceptual design, sketching, and validation.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Wood Working explores wood as a medium for constructing creative and functional three-dimensional forms.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Drawing Foundations explores exploratory drawing methods and concepts in Modern and Contemporary Art, providing foundational skills for drawing, painting, printmaking, and book art.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Derrick Buisch
Derrick Buisch was reported to be lenient regarding due dates and project ideas, suggesting a flexible workload structure.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Art explores the definition of art through historical, theoretical, and practical lenses, developing visual literacy and a survey of global art movements and media.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Matthew Mauk
Weekly workload consisted of 2–3 short writing assignments and one art project, which was manageable if spaced out.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Painting covers technical processes, studio practice, lectures, discussions, and critiques to build foundational skills in painting materials, color, and composition.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Carol Pylant
Carol Pylant expected a lot from students, requiring significant time spent on paintings to achieve strong grades.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026A studio course focused on 2D digital animation, teaching students to use software tools to create narrative or fine art videos while exploring the history and current practice of the field.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Stephen Hilyard
The workload included approximately six hours of weekly video tutorials, intense critiques, and long lectures that some students felt reduced time for in-class work.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introductory digital photography course for non-art majors covering camera fundamentals, digital workflow from capture to publication, and manipulation using Adobe tools.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · FATEMEH FANI
Assignments included mandated editing on school computers and tasks not listed in the syllabus, with due dates often unclear to students.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Explores color phenomena and visual perception in art through lectures and readings on design theory, philosophy, and history.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Derrick Buisch
The course featured loose project guidelines and minimal outside work, making the workload manageable for students.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026CERAMICS I covers clay properties and forming fundamentals like hand-building and throwing, plus glazing and firing techniques including reduction and oxidation.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Gerit Grimm
One student reported completing 32 works, ranging from cylinders to teapots, by the end of the semester, noting that the instructor pushed them through many skills.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Special Topics covers various elementary topics courses in Art.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Lynda Barry
Assignments were time-consuming and required consistent effort; students reported that showing up and doing the work led to good grades.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Graphic Design for Posters examines poster design as communication, focusing on combining words and images using principles of composition, perception, and rhetoric.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Advanced undergraduate painting workshop focusing on technical processes, personal expression, and hybrid painting practices.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Service Learning in Art explores community-based practices where students work with a community partner in an art-related capacity to foster civic responsibility.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Gail Simpson
The course involved sitting in chairs for two hours with a break in between, which one student felt was a bit long.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Independent Study: Independent graduate work in advanced area of study under direction of art faculty.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Faisal Abdu'Allah
Faisal Abdu'Allah's teaching style involved constantly playing devil's advocate to challenge work, which one student found frustrating but effective for sparking growth.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026