Art Department

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Art

The Bachelor of Fine Arts provides a preprofessional introduction to the visual arts with a greater degree of concentration on courses in the studio area. For the BFA in studio art, the student must fulfill all general requirements as described in the liberal arts curriculum with the following exceptions: two courses required in the sciences and mathematics category instead of three; and two courses required in the social science category instead of three.

The BFA requires at least 60 art credits, of which a minimum of 51 must be in studio courses, including three courses from among six in the Foundations of Art series. (If two foundation courses are taken in two-dimensional areas, the third must be taken in a three-dimensional area or vice versa.) The studio requirements are 105 and 106; two drawing courses at the 200 level or higher; at least eight electives at the 200 level or higher, six of which must be in an area of concentration; and Major Project 501 and 502. Also, three courses in art history are required: Art History 101, 102, and one additional course. No more that half of required studio and art history courses can be transferred into the degree program. Transfer students wishing advanced standing in studio courses toward the B.F.A. are required to submit representative examples of the work done for which credit has been received at another institution.

Incoming freshmen who expect to be art majors are advised to take Art Studio 105 and three foundations courses during their freshman year. At the end of the sophomore year, the art department studio faculty will assign an advisor. Candidates for the BFA are allowed to take only one level of a studio course sequence in summer school.

Declaration of the BFA major is contingent on the acceptance by the faculty and must be done at least one year before graduation. Review of applications will take place once at the end of each semester. Applications must include: (1) major declaration form; (2) current degree audit sheet; (3) portfolio of 5-10 pieces of artwork in any medium. The faculty strongly suggests that the student meet with his/her major studio professor before initiating this process. Accepted candidates will then be reviewed and evaluated during the spring semester of their junior year and late in the fall semester of their senior year.

In the senior year, each candidate for the BFA develops a substantial body of studio work in Major Project 501 and 502. The art studio faculty will review each project at the end of the fall and spring semester. A grade of (B) or higher is mandatory for continuation in the BFA program. The studio faculty will review the completed BFA thesis show. If in the judgment of the faculty in the Art Department, the work demonstrates sufficient evidence of artistic accomplishment, the student will be recommended for graduation.