Visual Arts and Design About us

Vision:

To be a Department of Visual Arts, within an African University, that leads in quality teaching and learning of Visual Arts, informed by research and driven by innovation and technology.  

Mission:

To produce employable and entrepreneurial graduates who can make an impact in society through Visual Arts in the fields of Fashion, Fine Art, Graphic Design and Photography.

Brief History of the Department of Visual Arts and Design 

The first courses in the School of Art and Design started at the Vaal Triangle College for Advanced Technological Education (VTCATE) in 1978, with the introduction of the National Diploma in Graphic Design. In that year 13 students were enrolled and 3 graduated at the end of 1980. In 1979 a part-time two-year Certificate in Studio Pottery was also started; this was not a national certificate, but locally tailored to meet the needs of a large, active group of local ceramicists. A National Diploma in Ceramics was also introduced in later years, together with the National Diplomas in Photography and Fashion Design. In 1983 students could enrol for the National Diploma in Fine Arts, by enrolling for the Basic Course offered in the first year of studies. For the first 12 years of the School of Art and Design’s history, all students, irrespective of which Diploma they were studying for, had to enrol for all Basic Course subjects (for the first year), where the emphasis was on drawing and design, including such subjects as Object, Constructional and Life Drawing, Form and Colour Studies, Lettering, History of Art, Perceptual Studies and Space and Volume Studies. In 2004, South African higher education was restructured, Technikons were converted into Universities of Technology, while some traditional Universities merged with other institutions. The then Vaal Triangle Technikon did not merge with any institution, however inherited Vista Campus in Sebokeng. In the past 16 years (2004 to 2020) we have developed new courses for example a three-year Diploma in Fine Art, a three-year Diploma in Fashion, a three-year Diploma in Photography and a three-year Diploma in Graphic design. This Diploma may then articulate into the one-year Advanced Diploma:  in either Fine Art, Fashion, Photography or Graphic design; and thereafter into the Postgraduate Diploma: in either Fine Art, Fashion, Photography or Graphic design. Further postgraduate qualifications may be undertaken in the MA in Visual Arts with a specialisation in either Fine Art, Fashion, Photography or Graphic design (two years) and a PhD in Visual Arts (three years) or a Doctorate in Photography (three years). The old Fine Art, Fashion, Photography and Graphic design courses namely, National Diploma, B Tech, M Tech and D Tech qualifications have been phased out as from 2017.