The four-year B.S. Visual Communication Design and Digital Media Design programs incorporate the timeless principles of art and design with the changes in technology. Both programs consists of an integrated, inter-disciplinary sequence that is designed to stimulate creativity, strengthen communication skills, promote teamwork and individuality, and provide both traditional and technological skills for the artistic student. A track in Illustration was added to the VCD program in the fall of 2019

Art teacher candidates are guided into leading personal and professional lives that are involved in and enriched by the visual arts. The qualities of a successful art education student are a commitment to art and art education, open minded, hard working, organized, ability to work with, and honestly care about children and young people.  Art teacher candidates recognize that learners of all ages, preschool to the elderly, can benefit from learning about the visual arts in a comprehensive way.

The Visual Art program engages students in a variety of ways outside the classroom. This takes the form of field trips, workshops, gallery events, and the West Virginia Media Arts and Design Festival.  These experiences introduce students to professional artists, designers, and new ways of thinking that help students experience the creative lifestyle out in the real world.