Cairn’s Art Programs Offerings

Growth is no stranger to Cairn University. As academic programs increase in number, student enrollment continues to climb. The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences has grown significantly, introducing over a dozen new academic programs this 2017-2018 academic year.
In addition to criminal justice and mathematics, the school also offers new art programs, appealing to students interested in serving their community through artistic means. Students have begun to pursue degrees in Studio Art, Community Arts, and Pre-Art Therapy. Each of these programs focuses on building artistic knowledge on a biblical foundation.
“One of the comments I most often hear is ‘I wish Cairn had an art program when I was there,’” says arts instructor Matt Stemler. “This speaks to the overwhelming interest in starting an arts program at Cairn. Many have also commented on their joy of seeing artists on the campus grounds drawing or taking photographs.”
Building off of the courses offered in the Arts & Culture First Year Program, each of these uniquely designed programs delves deeper into a specific art field while still providing variety in study, practice, and presentation of art. The launch of these new programs brought “a host of new class offerings and an up-to-date Digital Design Studio to support them.”
Cairn’s Studio Art program features interactive course work and experienced professors. Students build an individual portfolio throughout their undergraduate courses, preparing themselves for vocational work or academic study beyond the undergraduate level.
Studio Art courses dive into artistic history and the foundations of art and design. Students are challenged to weld their artistic skills with biblical principles, resulting in creative and biblically sound individuals.
Rooted in fields of psychology and social studies, and a love for community, Cairn’s Community Arts program encourages students to develop a love for art and local people. The program looks to educate students on the importance and originality of community and how to best represent community through artistic pursuits.
Students will learn the social and political characteristics of communities while also exploring art history and the fundamentals of art and design. The Community Arts program strives to produce students passionate for community, and passionate to express the needs and uniqueness of community through artistic mediums.
Combining principles and knowledge of the Studio Art and Community Arts programs emerges the Pre-Art Therapy program. Unique to itself, this program shares disciplines with Studio Art and Community Arts, such as art history, art fundamentals, and the devotion to people and community.  
This program places an even greater focus on the student’s individual growth as an artist. Coupling a student’s own artistic venture with biblical growth, the Pre-Art Therapy program prepares students for further study at the graduate level, while also equipping them for future work as potential Creative Art Therapists, counselors, and even Nurse practitioners.
These programs have already begun to bear fruit. The Student Art Gallery has seen a tremendous participation growth in its four shows. Fall of 2018 will also produce the University’s first arts graduate, Maggie Wilson, who is studying studio art.
Whichever program a student chooses, an arts degree at Cairn prepares them to enter the world of professional art and exploration with artistic knowledge, technical competence, and a biblical worldview.
You can learn more about submitting your arts portfolio for admission here.