Art Major (BFA)

Description

The BFA Art program is an intensive 78 credit degree program in studio art, intended for students who plan to pursue a professional career in art or to prepare for graduate study. BFA students work closely with a faculty mentor in their area of concentration, as well as interact with the entire art faculty and other students in the program through the required courses and semester BFA Reviews.

What can I do with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art?

Admission to the Program

Students are admitted into the program through a selective application process that includes a portfolio review. Those who do not have a portfolio may enroll in the BA/BS program in art, and then use work from foundation courses to assemble a portfolio. If advised to discontinue the BFA program, a student may continue as a studio art major in the BA/BS program.

Program Requirements

General Education Requirements (25-34 credits)

Major Department Requirements (78 credits)

Required Courses

• ARH 201 Survey of World Art I [YR 1]**
• ARH 202 Survey of World Art II [YR 1]**
• ART 210 2-D Design [YR 1]
• ART 212 3-D Design [YR 1]
• ART 215 Digital Foundations [YR 1]
• ART 221 Drawing I [YR 1]**
• ART 301 BFA Review (3 1-credit courses)
• ART 332 Digital Photo or ART 331 Photography 1
• ART 341 Painting I
• ART 351 Printmaking I
• EITHER of the following courses:
  • ART 361 Sculpture: Mixed Media
  • ART 362 Sculpture: Metals
• EITHER of the following courses:
  • ART 371 Beginning Handbuilding
  • ART 372 Beginning Wheelthrowing
• ART 401 Senior Seminar
• ART 402 BFA Senior Exhibition
• ARH 410 Contemporary Art Criticism**
• ARH 420 20th-Century Art
• BFA electives (12 credits). Through advisement, students should choose 4 courses that expand or inform the focus of their work, or a series of art studio courses in an area outside of the concentration.
• Concentration consisting of 18 credits by advisement in one of the following areas (excludes the beginning level course in the concentration area):
  • Ceramics
  • Drawing
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Photography

Electives (8-17) credits)

Total Credits (120 credits)

Additional Degree Requirements

1. A minimum grade of “C” must be attained in all courses in the major.
2. Completion of all university-wide degree requirements

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Apply technical skills, elements of art and principles of design to achieve basic visual communication and expression in one or more media.
2. Identify and holistically discuss major works of art through formal and conceptual analysis, socio-historical contextualization, and interpretation.
3. Identify and demonstrate ways to utilize and apply their skills and abilities to postgraduate professional practices.
4. Make viable connections between concept and form/media.
5. Create works of art and/or design that respond to contemporary, relevant issues inside and/or outside of the discipline.
6. Employ professional competence in the major area of specialization, including significant technical mastery; produce work and solve problems independently; and develop a coherent body of work.