Earn your BFA in Art
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) with a major in art requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 62 semester hours of coursework for the major. The program provides a foundation in art history as well as an understanding of the formal traditions and contemporary practices in studio art. BFA students will complete the requirements of the BA art degree, as well as completing additional art hours and studio art coursework requirements.
BFA students select a studio art discipline from the following areas of focus. They may not select bookbinding, calligraphy, or papermaking as their BFA studio art discipline.
Although students may choose only one BFA discipline, they gain exposure to other studio areas through the BFA program of study.
Bachelor of Fine Arts students majoring in art may count a maximum of 62 semester hours earned in art and art history courses toward the degree; they must earn at least 58 semester hours of credit in courses outside the School of Art & Art History in order to graduate.
BFA students with a double major in the school (e.g., a major in art and a major in art history) or a major and a minor in the school (e.g., a major in art and a minor in art history) must earn at least 56 semester hours of credit in courses outside the School of Art & Art History in order to graduate.
All students must complete the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences General Education Program.
Areas of focus
Clearance
Students majoring in art begin their study in the Bachelor of Arts program. Students who are considering pursuing a BFA degree track should consult with the faculty in the pertinent studio art discipline about their readiness. They should also meet with an academic advisor to review the additional requirements of the BFA Students are admitted to the BFA degree track through a process called "clearance." This is a portfolio review that is conducted by each discipline once per semester. Students must be cleared for the BFA degree track at least one semester before they graduate.
Program requirements
Students must have completed the following to sit for the BFA clearance:
- Studio Art Foundation Courses: Basic Drawing and Design Fundamentals
- One introductory level course in the BFA discipline
- Two upper level courses in the BFA discipline (students may also be enrolled in two upper level courses at the time of clearance if they are not already completed)
Exception:
- Painting students may use either Painting II taken twice OR Painting II and Concepts of Drawing as the 2 upper level courses required to sit for BFA clearance
- Drawing students may use either Concepts of Drawing taken twice OR Concepts of Drawing and Painting II as the 2 upper level courses required to sit for BFA clearance.
All the course requirements for the BA in art degree as well as:
- The introductory level and three advanced courses in the student’s studio art discipline
- One introductory course and one advanced course in a second studio art discipline
- One introductory course and one advanced course in a third studio art discipline
BFA students must present a show of their work the semester they are graduating. Any variations to this need to be approved by the BFA faculty advisor and academic advisors. This show must be advertised with flyers and other media. Students graduating with Honors in the Studio Art major may combine the Honors and BFA show. Students need to meet with faculty and academic advisors prior to their show for required paperwork.
The following galleries are available for BFA shows:
- E148 Visual Arts Building
- E450 Visual Arts Building
- W540 Visual Arts Building
- 3rd Floor ABW Atrium
- Art Library
Gallery bookings for the fall semester will begin in early April and gallery bookings for the spring semester will begin in early October. Information regarding bookings will be sent to all students via email.
Students need to fill out a gallery agreement and turn in a completed copy at least two weeks prior to the BFA show. BFA students also need to fill out the gallery agreement with their BFA faculty advisor during the week of their show.
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