Foundation Studies

All art & design students majoring in graphic design, interior design, or studio art take first-year courses in foundation studies. Non-majors can take foundation studies courses either as electives or towards a foundation studies minor.

In the foundation studies program, you will:

• Develop skills in a variety of traditional and digital media
• Learn how to approach both open-ended and targeted problems
• Communicate ideas, feelings, and meaning to your audience
• Join a community of established and emerging artists and designers
• Surpass the boundaries of what you had thought possible

You’ll also participate in group critiques—an essential part of the learning process in every Art & Design program. During a group crit, all students’ work is displayed, assessed, and discussed by the instructor and your peers. This helps you learn how to give and receive straightforward, constructive feedback while refining your own analytical skills and artistic vision.

Program Overview

Foundation Studies

The Foundation Studies curriculum ranges from established models of observational drawing, 2D composition, and 3D construction to digital software and collaborative problem-solving.

In your first year at Suffolk, you’ll take courses in drawing, two-dimensional design/color theory, three-dimensional design, and integrated studio practice. Additionally, you’ll benefit from close collaboration with your instructors and classmates, developing a creative community that will last throughout your time at Suffolk.

Foundation Studies Minor

Suffolk's comprehensive minor in Foundation Studies is for non-art majors—by design. You'll take a multifaceted approach to art and design, with coursework in drawing, three-dimensional design, two-dimensional design/color theory, and integrated studio practice. To complete the minor, you’ll choose either a second integrated studio or a spatial graphics course.
View the Foundations Studies Minor curriculum