Course information contained within the Bulletin is accurate at the time of publication in June 2026 but is subject to change. For the most up-to-date course information, please refer to the Course Catalog.
FDPR 1501. Introduction to Art and Design. 1 Credit Hour.
This course, for all Tyler first year students in art, design, and architecture, investigates the context for emerging ideas and issues relevant to contemporary practice.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1502. Investigations of Art and Design. 1 Credit Hour.
This course helps first-year students navigate the pathways available within the Tyler School of Art and Architecture and reflect on how different disciplines intersect to form a well-rounded creative practice. Through presentations from degree programs, conversations with faculty and current majors, and short reflective assignments, students explore the diverse approaches that define art, design, and education at Tyler. The course emphasizes how the skills and concepts developed in Foundations connect to future study and professional goals. By the end of the course, students will have greater clarity about their academic options and a deeper understanding of how breadth, curiosity, and interdisciplinary learning contribute to becoming an adaptable artist or designer.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1503. Woodshop Fundamentals. 1 Credit Hour.
This intensive lab course empowers students to work safely and confidently in the woodshop while developing hands-on fabrication skills applicable across creative disciplines. Students gain experience using hand tools and stationary equipment to build small projects that emphasize craft, problem-solving, and material understanding. Digital documentation is embedded throughout the process, supporting reflective learning and portfolio development. Successful completion grants students certified access to the shop for future coursework and independent projects.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1511. Drawing as Seeing. 3 Credit Hours.
This course invites students to use drawing as a way of observing and understanding the world. Through exploration of materials such as graphite, charcoal, ink, and pastel, students develop their ability to perceive and translate form, light, and space. Projects cultivate visual awareness and precision while encouraging individual perception and creative response. Digital tools are used for documentation, research, and image development, reinforcing drawing as both an analog and digital practice. NOTE: Prior to Fall 2026, this course was titled "Foundation Drawing."
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1512. Drawing as Thinking. 3 Credit Hours.
This course approaches drawing as a means of visual inquiry and creative problem-solving. Students explore how drawing can generate ideas, communicate concepts, and express personal and imaginative responses. Through iterative sketching, experimentation, and mixed-media exploration, students engage both traditional and digital tools to develop images and ideas. The course emphasizes curiosity, process, and discovery as students learn to make inventive and meaningful work that connects observation, imagination, and expression. NOTE: Prior to Fall 2026, this course was titled "Foundation Drawing."
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1521. Visual Language: Design. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces students to the principles of design as a visual language through experimentation, research, revision, and presentation. Students investigate how basic visual elements such as line, shape and color inform how imagery and typography can be used to organize and activate space and communicate ideas across a range of analog and digital formats. Projects encourage students to develop confidence in composing dynamic and meaningful designs while cultivating their ability to think critically about visual communication in contemporary contexts. NOTE: Prior to Fall 2026, this course was titled "2D Foundation Principles."
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1522. Visual Language: Color and Narrative. 3 Credit Hours.
This course engages students in exploring how color, image, and sequence shape visual meaning and storytelling. Through hands-on projects, students examine how color's emotive properties influence design across media. Working between manual and digital tools, students develop expressive compositions, patterns, and sequences that connect idea, form, and audience. The course emphasizes experimentation, technical fluency, and visual coherence as students learn to communicate through narrative and design. NOTE: Prior to Fall 2026, this course was titled "2D Foundation Principles."
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1531. Space: Form and Material. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines how artists and designers use material, structure, and process to shape space and meaning. Students explore moldmaking, assemblage, 3D modeling, and time-based media such as sound and video. Digital and physical tools are paired throughout the course to support flexible idea development. Projects emphasize iteration, craft, and thoughtful decision-making, helping students understand how their material and process choices shape the experience of the work. The course is paired with a 1-credit woodshop essentials that occurs in the first half of the semester. NOTE: Prior to Fall 2026, this course was titled "3D Foundation Principles/W."
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Co-requisites: FDPR 1503.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1532. Space: Structure and Site. 3 Credit Hours.
This course investigates how form interacts with space, body, and environment through projects in planar and linear construction, textiles, and site-based installation. Students learn how materials such as cardboard, wire, and fabric can define structure, movement, and interaction. Digital tools are integrated into the design and making process to translate ideas across scale and media. Projects invite students to explore spatial relationships, audience engagement, and the expressive potential of materials while building technical skill and conceptual awareness. NOTE: Prior to Fall 2026, this course was titled "3D Foundation Principles/C."
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1541. Foundation Computer. 2 Credit Hours.
This course introduces Foundation students to the fundamentals of digital imaging and research, including research on the World Wide Web, imaging software (such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator), and concepts inherent in the digital image.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
FDPR 1542. Foundation Computer Lab. 0 Credit Hours.
This course introduces Foundation students to the fundamentals of digital imaging and research, including research on the World Wide Web, imaging software (such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator), and concepts inherent in the digital image.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
