The 30-unit M.A. in Art option in Visual Arts emphasizes the experience and value of visual thinking and creative problem solving in art, as well as recognizing the concurrent importance of critical thinking, experimentation, innovation and perception. Graduate students must understand the history and traditions of art and their cultural, political and social relevance. They are encouraged to utilize and interact with the services, facilities and technologies offered throughout the University, as well as those provided by the Department of Art and Design. The program has areas of concentration in Ceramics, Drawing, Illustration, Painting, PhotographyVideo, Printmaking, and Sculpture. The goals of the Department of Art and Design are to establish and develop for students an inclusive and balanced program in visual art, which encompass three areas of study: art education, art history and visual arts. Students are taught to experience and value visual thinking and creative problem solving in art, as well as to recognize the concurrent importance of perception, experimentation, innovation and critical thinking. Students will also understand the history and traditions of art, with their relevance to social and community concerns, as well as the art of different cultures.CSUN's location within the greater LA basin places our painting program in the heart of the international art world. Easy access to world class museums like LACMA, MOCA, the Hammer, the Getty, and the Norton Simon, as well as close proximity to major gallery districts like Culver City, Chinatown, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica ensure that our students are up to speed on both historical and contemporary aspects of painting, our students see the real thing, up close and personal. Guest artists, field trips, and required gallery excursions take full advantage of the Los Angeles market, and expose students to real world issues that they will face upon graduation. As such, all painting faculty at CSUN are working, exhibiting artists with national and international exhibition histories. As students begin the Painting program, they are introduced to the basic fundamentals of painting. As students progress, the curriculum focuses on historical and contemporary tropes in painting, while maintaining an emphasis on refining skills and critical thinkingproblem solving. In the upper division and graduate painting students are introduced critical theory and learn to contextualize their work within the larger context of contemporary discourse. Students explore diverse modes of creative practice while developing a mature portfolio of their own work, outside of assignments. Ultimately, each student will be guided in the development of hisher own individual artistic style.