Fine Arts, BFA

This degree is a specialized degree in studio arts designed for students to become professional artists.

Admission to the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

Students seeking the BFA degree must apply to the Fine Arts department during their sophomore year. The declaration of major form will be submitted upon completion of ART 110 , ART 111 , ART 114 , ART 115 , and ART 351 or ART 352 by the end of the sophomore year, after being accepted into the program. BFA candidates must present a portfolio of their work from the above listed courses to the art faculty. The application can be submitted only after the completion of these courses and should occur before or at the end of the sophomore year. The students need a minimum GPA 3.0 in order to be considered for the BFA track. For unusual circumstances, a review can be granted on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the department faculty. Acceptance into the BFA program is based on an evaluation of the portfolio materials and the student’s performance in all Fine Arts Department courses. Those who are not admitted into the BFA program have one semester to develop work for a second submission.

All BFA majors are required to successfully exhibit their work in a senior thesis show to fulfill graduation requirements, the Course Connection experience. Each BFA student needs to produce a coherent body of work within the student’s medium concentration and other mediums, presenting 10 - 15 selected works for their thesis show.

Major Requirements

17 to 22 courses, studio and art history courses combined. These shall include 5 core foundation courses: ART 110 , ART 111 , and ART 114 , ART 115 , ART 351 or ART 352 .

Studio requirements, media courses: at least 9 courses - two 2D studio media courses from among ART 354 , ART 355 , ART 315 ; two 3D studio media courses from among ART 358 , ART 315 , ART 360 ; ART 315 can only be counted once, either as one of the 2D studio media or one of the 3D media required course. At least one additional drawing or figure drawing course is required. Two optional media courses or art history courses or art seminars are required. Each BFA student must take level II and level III courses of the same two-dimensional or three-dimensional studio course to complete a media concentration.

Art history requirement, upper level: 3 courses - ART 345 or ART 347 and two additional upper level art history courses or art history seminars.

Students must apply to the Fine Arts department for the BFA degree during their sophomore year. The declaration of major form will be submitted upon completion of 5 core foundation courses ART 110 , ART 111 , ART 114 , ART 115 , and ART 351 or ART 352 by the end of the sophomore year and after being accepted into the program. Those who are not admitted into the BFA program have one semester to develop work for a second submission. Courses taken credit/no entry may not be applied toward the major.

All candidates for the BFA degree must complete the following distribution requirements (see Requirements for All Degrees and Distribution Requirements): any three units from Group I, one unit from Group II, two units from Group III, and one unit from outside the fine arts department in Group IV. There is no language requirement for those in the BFA program.

Art education course, ART 302 and credits awarded for an apprenticeship/internship cannot be counted among the seventeen basic units required for the BFA degree.

Note(s):

To qualify as a candidate for Phi Beta Kappa, students choosing the BFA degree must complete all additional distribution requirements as stated under Requirements for All Degrees and Distribution Requirements.

Students working toward the combined degree can choose to fulfill the departmental and distribution requirements for either the BA degree in another department or the BFA degree.

The combined degree program is a four-year or five-year program that requires a minimum of 17 art courses, 7 distribution requirements and the completion of the major in another department.