The mission of the Department of Art and Design relates to the broader mission statements of the College of Fine Arts, IUP, and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

The degree and cooperative programs within the Department of Art and Design support programs within three of IUP's five major long-range goals:

  1. Developing and refining quality academic programs
  2. Increasing the university's role in research and public service
  3. Attracting and retaining quality students

The Department of Art and Design places a primary emphasis upon that goal of the university aimed toward the development of distinctive undergraduate programs reflecting high academic and creative standards, and innovative methodologies.

The Department of Art and Design is committed to a mission of public service through offerings to the community and region that ensure a wide range of artistic exhibitions, artist-in-residence, and other creative or cultural events and initiatives. A primary strategic direction in this respect is the servicing of a contiguous seven county area.

Through its mission, the Department of Art and Design is committed to providing high-quality baccalaureate programs that assure both a professional and comprehensive education.

The BA in Studio Art relates to this strategic mission direction by enabling an individual to engage in scholarly and artistic inquiry across a broad array of studio, art history, and liberal education electives.

Additionally, the department has been committed to an historical mission that provides for the professional and comprehensive training of art educators.

The artistic and professional education of teachers within the visual arts continues to be compatible with the primary direction and mission of the department.

Artistic, scholarly, and pedagogic excellence continues to be a fundamental strategic direction with respect to the development of art educators.

The BFA degree is directly related to the department's ongoing mission of a quest toward excellence in specifically defined competencies related to major and minor areas of studio inquiry.

And, a mission objective that assumes overriding importance within this department is the expectation that both faculty and students maintain an active and ongoing commitment to artistic production and exhibition, scholarly and creative research, and adhere to those professional standards that are enunciated and recognized by the appropriate governing bodies and organizations representing the visual arts.