The Art at The Ohio State University is a Bachelor program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the Columbus campus in United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on August 24, 2027.

About Bachelor of Art

Learn to realize ideas and create meaning through the production of images, objects, performances and experiences. Experiment with material and content by producing, examining and evaluating the visual arts.

Art

Degree: BA, BFA

Campus: Columbus

College: Arts and Sciences

Fine art as a discipline involves the realization of ideas and the creation of meaning through the production of images, objects, performances and experiences. The program at Ohio State is broad-based, both discipline-intensive and boundary-pushing, a modern laboratory in which students create and explore art and ideas.

Art students at Ohio State experiment with material and content through the production, examination and evaluation of the visual arts and gain skills in networking, persuasion and project management. They have numerous opportunities to work within the larger community to effect positive change.

Get started

Admitted students directly enroll as art students within the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is the professional major for students seeking careers in the studio arts. A first year Foundation Program is a studio based experience designed to give students breadth across a broad range of materials and concepts. Core studio courses allow for further experimentation and individual choice. The first two years leads to the development of a portfolio that the student submits for a review by a committee of faculty. Following this review, students may pursue one of seven rigorous and challenging studio endeavors: art and technology, ceramics, glass, painting and drawing, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.

Students may also apply to the Bachelor of Arts in art, a liberal arts major program, after successfully completing the departmentâ€™s foundation program. The BA in art is a liberal arts degree with a focus on creative problem solving and a broad understanding of how art works within the world to form and transform culture.

Curriculum

Freshman year

Encountering Contemporary Art
Drawing
Two-Dimensional Art
Three-Dimensional Art
Expanded Media
Digital Image
History of Art

Sophomore year

Core Art Studio
Aesthetics
History of Art
Portfolio Review

Junior year

Art Studio Concentration
History of Art

Senior year

Advanced Art Studio Concentration
Senior Seminar
Senior Exhibition

The BFA program concludes with the completion of a participation in a senior project and participation in a group exhibition, complemented by an artistâ€™s statement and contextual information describing their project.

Study abroad

Art students can benefit from art-focused study abroad programs specifically for art majors offered through the Department of Art. Students are supported by the department with individual counseling appointments that help plan study abroad experiences that keep them on track for timely graduation.

Internship

Internships allow students to apply what they know about practicing art in professional environments. Art students have worked with professional artists, nonprofit organizations, government institutions and businesses regionally and abroad to gain experience.

Students can find internship opportunities by attending annual internship and opportunity fairs, and through individual counseling and online career planning guides offered through the Arts and Sciences Career Services Office. Students can also use FutureLink to connect with employers and internship sites in the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors that are interested in recruiting Ohio State students.

Honors and Scholars

In their sophomore year, any art student with an overall GPA of 3.4 can apply to Arts Honors, a program separate from University Honors that allows for different accumulation of honors units that accommodates the specific curriculum in the arts professional programs. Students in Arts Honors participate in co-curricular experiences and complete honors course work. Honors students are also encouraged to pursue independent research and distinction.

Students who participate in the Arts Scholars Program live in the same residence hall and have experiences that complement their education, including lectures and workshops, group excursions and trips outside Columbus, and opportunities to exhibit and showcase art.

Learn more about the Honor and Scholars Programs at honors-scholars.osu.edu.

Research

Undergraduate art students can conduct an independent research thesis or assist faculty with their research.

Any student with a cumulative point-hour ratio (CPHR) of 3.0 or higher may apply to complete a research thesis and graduate â€œwith research distinction.â€ Student researchers also have the opportunity to participate in the annual Denman Undergraduate Research Forum.

Students planning to complete a research thesis can apply for funding through the Arts Undergraduate Research Scholarship competition. Learn more about funding for research and creative activity at artsandsciences.osu.edu/academics/current-students/scholarships-grants/research.

Student organizations

The Visual and Performing Arts Learning Community is for anyone who wishes to express creative ideas. Students will have an opportunity to literally "leave their mark" on their residence hall community through wall murals, t-shirts and logo designs and programming that caters to their artistic needs. The community is for students passionate about one or more dimensions of the arts (music, theater, art, design and dance) and engaging with them in a community setting.

Students may also join an active Undergraduate Art Student Council that programs visiting artists, runs bus trips to art venues in cities like New York and Chicago, and hosts the biannual student open house.

Additionally, each of the seven areas of emphasis in the art major has a corresponding student organization, and students frequently attend conferences through professional organizations within all areas of art.

Possible careers

Earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts is the gateway to a career as an artist and provides professional preparation for additional education at the graduate level. Many graduates work in arts administration positions with museums, galleries and public agencies. In addition to working as artists, graduates also find work in fields as varied as law, medicine, architecture and policy.

Salary estimates

While salaries vary greatly within the arts, the median salary for a graduate with a BFA is $45,000.

Program objectives

Students will think critically about a wide range of art, effectively and articulately making historical and contemporary connections within a broader cultural context.
Through the engagement of materials and ideas, students will work fearlessly, live creatively and impact the world around them.
Students will confidently understand the value of making and the ways in which art forms informs culture.
Students will view the world through the lens of an artist, allowing for change and malleability and creative problem solving and they will take this skill with them out into the world.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Art at The Ohio State University

Entry Requirements

Criteria of our holistic review, in no particular order.

Successful completion of university preparatory courses
High school performance (class rank or GPA), including participation in accelerated programs like Honors, AP and IB; Ohio State does not have minimum requirements for class rank or GPA
Standardized test score (ACT or SAT); Ohio State does not have minimum requirements for ACT or SAT scores
Ohio State has adopted a TEST-OPTIONAL policy for 2022 applicants. Learn more.
Ability and desire to contribute to and engage with a diverse campus community
Experiences that demonstrate leadership or engaged involvement (e.g., co-curricular activities, work experiences or military service)
Status as a first-generation university student
Demonstration of outstanding talent in a particular area
High school performance if adversely affected by physical, mental or learning environment factors
Eligibility for and likelihood of benefiting from organized support services at Ohio State

Enrollment in your intended major

Once it is determined that you are admissible, you will be considered for enrollment in the college of your intended major. Read about

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 79

English Program Requirements

we require evidence of English language proficiency, unless you have completed three full years of school at a U.S. regionally accredited high school or if you are a citizen of, or have received a bachelor’s degree from, Australia, Belize, British Caribbean, British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland, the United States or Wales.

Tuition and Fee Information for Bachelor of Art at The Ohio State University

How to Apply for Bachelor of Art at The Ohio State University

How do I submit scores?

Ohio State has adopted a TEST-OPTIONAL policy for 2022 applicants. Learn more.

Tips for sending scores to Ohio State

Scores must come directly from the testing agency. When you register for the ACT or SAT, indicate that you want your scores sent to Ohio State.
If you already took the test but didn't send your scores to Ohio State, you can order them for a fee. Order in advance to be sure scores reach us by the application deadline.
We must receive standardized test scores by your application deadline (either November 1 or February 1 for autumn semester applicants).
October 2 (SAT) and October 23 (ACT) are your last 2021 test dates if you want your scores to be considered for our November 1 early action deadline. Important! If you plan to test on those dates, you must request that Ohio State receive scores when you register for the test. And please note: If you choose to have your scores considered, you won’t be able to review scores from these dates prior to submitting your application by the November 1 deadline.
Applicants who will have been out of high school for two or more years by their term of enrollment are not required to submit scores.

Is the essay required?

The essay is not required for either the ACT or SAT.

Should I take a standardized test more than once?

Ohio State looks at the highest composite score from a single test date. Taking the test (and having scores sent to us) more than once, while not required, may work to your advantage.

How does Ohio State look at scores?

When considering students for admission or Honors and Scholars selection, we consider the best official composite / combined score from a single test administration. Ohio State does not mix sub-scores from multiple tests.

These items plus the Common Application (STEP 3) make up a complete application. We must receive all items by the deadline to consider your application on time.

Official transcripts

High school transcripts

Request that your high school or secondary school send transcripts / documents / official copies of examination certificates for coursework from the final four years (grades 9-12) to Ohio State.

How to send your transcripts to Ohio State:

Your high school counselor can upload the transcripts / documents / official copies of examination certificates using Common App, Naviance or other secure electronic delivery service.
Your high school counselor can email the transcripts to [email protected].
If electronic submission is not possible, please mail your official transcripts to our express mail address.
Faxed transcripts will not be accepted.

Foreign language documents must be translated into English by the issuing institution, an authorized translator or a teacher of the language. Any additional requirements will be posted to your Applicant Center, so be sure to check your application status regularly after you've applied.

Official ACT or SAT scores

Ohio State has adopted a TEST-OPTIONAL policy for 2022 applicants. Learn more.

How do I submit my scores?

We must receive your official ACT or SAT score sent electronically directly from the testing agency. Scores from transcripts will not be considered. Read more about score requirements in STEP 1.

Optional: Recommendation from a teacher or counselor

While not required, your counselor may send a maximum of two letters of recommendation electronically through the Common Application.

If an electronic option isn’t available, your counselor may email your letter(s) to [email protected]; the letter must include your first and last name and OSU ID number, found on the email we send acknowledging receipt of your application. Letters sent via email are subject to sender verification.

Official proof of English language skills

You must request that your testing agency send official scores electronically to Ohio State demonstrating the English proficiency level outlined below:

TOEFL (internet-based test or internet-based test Home Edition*): 79 or higher
IELTS or IELTS Indicator*: 6.5 or higher
ACT: 21 or higher on the English section
SAT: 27 or higher on the Reading Test
Duolingo*: 105 or higher

You are exempt from this requirement if you have completed three full years of school at a U.S. regionally accredited high school or if you are a citizen of, or have received a bachelor’s degree from, Australia, Belize, British Caribbean, British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland, the United States or Wales.

Ohio State has an intensive English program for students who wish to improve their language skills called the American Language Program. A separate application is required for this program. Ohio State does not offer conditional admission to students who enroll in the American Language Program.

*To accommodate applicants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Ohio State University will accept Duolingo, the IELTS Indicator and the TOEFL internet-based test Home Edition from any international student applying for spring 2022 or autumn 2022 admission. All Duolingo test takers are required to take an English placement exam upon arrival to campus. TOEFL Home Edition and IELTS Indicator test takers are required to take an English placement exam upon arrival unless they qualify for a TOEFL or IELTS score exemption.