Degrees Offered
- Bachelor of Arts in Art
- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art
- Bachelor of Arts in Art History
Information Literacy and Writing in the Major Competency Requirements
Students must successfully complete at least one Art History W course
Note: Each Bachelor of Fine Arts Studio Art Major must own a personal portable computer that meets or exceeds posted departmental performance standards. Students are also responsible for purchasing the latest version of Adobe Creative Cloud for Education prior to the start of the second semester of their first year.
Minors
The Art and Art History Department offers minors in Art History and Studio Arts. They are described in the Minors section of this Catalog.
Art
Course descriptions
Bachelor of Arts in Art
The B.A. degree in Art serves those whose educational goals include a broader range of academic coursework in addition to a focus on studio art. The program enables students to gain basic competencies through foundational coursework, followed by intermediate and upper level classes in a range of studio art areas. Along with studio art study, B.A. students take courses that address historical and theoretical aspects of art. By combining experience in the Department of Art and Art History with coursework offered by other departments, students learn analytical, practical and critical thinking skills, preparing them for entry into careers that may include positions in museums, galleries, community arts centers, and non-profit arts organizations. Some students who complete the B.A. may plan to pursue post-baccalaureate or graduate degrees. The B.A. in Art may combine with other program degrees for students who wish to complete a double major.
Admission
Essay
Common Curriculum
All B.A. students share a common curriculum of 27 credits:
- Drawing: ART 1030
- Foundation: Studio Concepts: ART 1010
- Basic Studios*: Painting (ART 2310); Photography (ART 2410); Printmaking (ART 2510); Sculpture (ART 2610)
- Art History: Nine credits in Art History, one a 1000-level offering to be taken in the first two years of study. Not more than one 1000-level Art History course may be used toward the Art History requirement for the B.A. degree.
Note: Studio Art minimum requirement is 42 credits, a minimum of 15 of which must be at the 3000-level or higher. ART 1000 does not count toward major requirements.
Independent Study
Open to fifth semester students with a minimum departmental grade point average of 3.0 and no outstanding incompletes for any other ART 3999, for a maximum of six credits total.
Internships and Co-ops
Fifth semester students, with a minimum major GPA of 3.0, have an opportunity for a placement in art for credit, either a Studio Internship (ART 3991) or Co-operative Education in Art (ART 3990).
The Department of Art and Art History reserves the right to retain student work for exhibition purposes and classroom demonstrations.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is the professional degree in art and design. The program provides a rich educational environment for students to develop capabilities necessary for careers in the visual arts, or for further study at the graduate level. A solid program in general education supports intensive work in studio art, design and art history. Students gain requisite technical skills, experience in critical and creative problem solving, visual literacy, and a knowledge of historical modes of expression in the visual arts. After completing foundational studies, students choose from eight concentrations to focus their work through required and elective upper level courses. Internships, education abroad, and student exhibitions provide further educational opportunities. Studies culminate in the Senior Project course and an exhibition of work in the Senior Show.
Areas of Concentration
- Graphic Design
- Illustration/Animation
- Industrial Design
- Painting/Drawing
- Photography/Video
- Printmaking
- Sculpture/Ceramics
- Individualized
Admission
Portfolio Review
Common Curriculum
All B.F.A. students share a common curriculum of 39 credits:
- Drawing: ART 1030, 1040
- Foundation Courses: Studio Concepts: ART 1010
- Criticism and Interpretation: ART 1020
- Basic Studios*: Painting (ART 2310); Photography (ART 2410); Printmaking (ART 2510); Sculpture (ART 2610)
- Art History: Twelve credits in Art History, one a 1000-level offering to be taken in the first two years of study. Not more than two 1000-level Art History courses may be used toward the Art History requirement for the B.F.A. degree.
- Senior Project: ART 4901
*Note: All basic studios should be completed no later than the end of the fifth term. Studio Art minimum requirement is 66 credits, a minimum of 30 of which must be at the 3000-level or higher.
Areas of Concentration
All concentrations consist of a minimum of 18 credits of 2000-level or higher courses, with area requirements specified below.
- Graphic Design: ART 2011, 2110, 2120, 3110, 3120, 4110.
- Illustration/Animation: ART 2010, 2011, 2110, 2210, 2220, 3010, 3210 (repeated once), or 3270.
- Industrial Design: ART 2011, 3701, 3705, 3710, 3720, 3730.
- Painting/Drawing: ART 2010, 3310, 3330, 3901; and nine additional credits in the 3000-level courses in the painting/drawing area to be determined by student interest and faculty advisement.
- Photography/Video: ART 2420, 3420, and 4410 (may be repeated once); ARTH 3460, 3560 plus 12 additional credits of 3000-level studio courses in the photography/video area to be selected from the following list: ART 3410, 3430, 3440, 3450, 3455, 3460, 3465, and 3470. ART 1040 optional for photography/video concentration, substitution determined by student interest and faculty advisement.
- Printmaking: ART 2010, 3510, 3520, 3530 (repeated for a total of nine credits), and 3901.
- Sculpture/Ceramics: ART 2010 and 3901 plus 15 additional credits in any of the 3000-level courses in the three-dimensional area to be determined by student interest and faculty advisement, selected from the following list: ART 3605, 3610, 3615, 3620, 3625, 3630, 3640, 3650, 3655, 3660, and 3670.
- Individualized Studies: A program of at least 30 credits (including ART 4901) on the 3000-level or higher, drawn from two or more areas, in consultation with area faculty. Students must file an approved Individualized Studies proposal.
Remaining Credits
Any remaining credits of the required 78 in art and art history may be filled by repeating some courses where permitted, taking relevant concentration courses, or taking electives in studio art.
Independent Study
Open to fifth semester students with a minimum departmental grade point average of 3.0 and no outstanding incompletes for any other 3999. A maximum of six credits total.
Internships and Co-ops
Fifth semester students with a minimum major GPA of 3.0 have an opportunity for a placement in art for credit, either a Studio Internship (ART 3991) or Co-operative Education in Art (ART 3990).
Additional Graduation Requirements
- Senior Project (C or better)
- Exhibited work in annual BFA Exhibition
The Department of Art and Art History reserves the right to retain student work for exhibition purposes and classroom demonstrations.
Art History
Course descriptions
Bachelor of Arts in Art History
The Art History program’s special strengths include an interdisciplinary range of courses that address chronological breadth as well as issues of gender, identity formation, and theory and criticism in the visual arts. Members of the Art History faculty collaborate closely with colleagues in programs in Women’s Studies, Latin American Studies, Medieval Studies, American Studies, African American Studies, European Studies, Asian American Studies, and Human Rights. Graduates go on to graduate study as well as careers in museums, galleries, and a range of arts-related settings both in the U.S. and abroad. Majors are encouraged to participate in Education Abroad Programs and many have used internship opportunities at museums and galleries to build professional expertise and broaden their career options.
The undergraduate art history major requires the following Art History courses:
Six credits at the introductory, 1000-level: ARTH 1128, 1137, 1138, 1140, 1141, or 1162; and 24 credits of art history at the 2000-level and above to include:
- three to six credits of Art History at the 2000-level;
- one three-credit course from each of Groups A, B, and C listed below;
- a three-credit capstone seminar;
- and six to nine additional credits of art history at the 3000 level.
Group A: Ancient, Medieval, or Renaissance art
ARTH 3140, 3150, 3210, 3220, 3230, 3240, 3260, 3330, 3340, 3360, 3610*, 3620*
Group B: Art from the 19th century to the present
ARTH 3020, 3035, 3050*, 3430, 3440, 3445, 3450, 3460, 3510, 3530, 3560, 3630*, 3640*, 3645*
Group C: Art from global perspectives
ARTH 3015, 3050*, 3500, 3610*, 3620*, 3630*, 3640*, 3645*, 3715, 3720, 3730, 3740, 3745, 3760
* These courses may be used to fulfill just one requirement.
Additional Requirements
Art History students also take six credits of studio art at any level for which they meet the prerequisites and 12 credits at the 2000-level or above of related courses outside the major as approved by the major advisor.
Art history majors must complete at least 45 credits numbered 2000-level or higher as part of their total 120 credits required for graduation.
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