Program Description

The B.F.A. is for the student who seeks a professional degree that can lead to continued study on the graduate level or for the student who plans to make a career in Fine Arts. Acceptance into the B.F.A. program requires a formal application and portfolio review of artwork consistent with the intended concentration. A component of the BFA program requires students to participate and present in oral critiques of artwork completed and in progress.  Studio Areas/concentrations include Ceramics, Digital Art, Drawing, Graphic Design, Painting, and Printmaking.

Common Requirements/Core Program:  All B.F.A. students are required to take a core set of classes in the program.

• FINA-F 100 Fundamental Studio - Drawing    
• FINA-F 101 Fundamental Studio - 3D   
• FINA-F 102 Fundamental Studio - 2D   
• FINA-D 210 Digital Art: Survey and Practice    
• FINA-S 200 Drawing I   
• FINA-S 230 Painting I   
• FINA-S 240 Printmaking I   
• FINA-S 260 Ceramics I   
• FINA-S 217 Video Art   
• FINA-S 250 Graphic Design I   

General Education Component

 Note: This is not a re-statement of the University's General Education Requirement but a list of specific General Education courses, which are also requirements or pre-requisites for course work in the school/major.

General Education Core Requirements (24 cr.)

• COAS-S 104 First Year Seminar
• COAS-S 154 Pathways {1 cr.)

Written Communications I (3 cr.)

• ENG-W 131
• HON-H 215

Written Communications II (3 cr.)

• ENG-W 290 Writing for the Arts & Sci.

Oral Communication (3 cr.)

• SPCH-S 121
• HON-H 215

Quantitative Reasoning (3 cr.)

• MATH-M 110 or higher

Reasoning about Ethical Questions or Diversity (3 cr.)

• Any approved course

Natural & Physical Sciences (5 cr.)

• Any approved course

Arts & Humanities (O cr.)

• FINA-F 100 
• FINA-F 101

Additional Course in Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 cr.)

• Any approved course

Bachelor of Fine Art with Studio Concentrations (B.F.A.)

To be eligible to apply to the B.F.A., students must also have completed a minimum of two of the required 200-level studio courses with concurrent enrollment in the third. Once accepted into the B.F.A program, all students must take an additional 21 credits of 300 and 400-level required courses in their studio concentration area.

Permission required for all studio courses beyond the foundation level.  The School of Arts and Letters advisor must approve any exceptions.

Advanced Studio or Art History Courses 

Each student will be required to take 15 credit hours from a select group of courses. * 

• FINA-A 200-400 level Art History
• FINA-A 477 History of Photography
• FINA-S 270 Sculpture 1
• FINA-D 312 Intermediate Multimedia
• FINA-P 323 Introduction to Web Design
• FINA-S 301 Drawing 2
• FINA-S 305 Design Center
• FINA-S 306 Digital Illustration
• FINA-S 310 Photography
• FINA-S 291 Fundamentals of Photography
• FINA-S 331 Painting 2
• FINA-S 345 Life Drawing
• FINA-S 341 Printmaking 2: Intaglio
• FINA-S 343 Printmaking 2: Lithography
• FINA-S 344 Printmaking 2: Silkscreen
• FINA-S 348 Printmaking 2: Relief
• FINA-S 351 Typography I
• FINA-S 352 Production for the Graphic Designer
• FINA-S 361 Ceramics 2
• FINA-S 371 Sculpture 2
• FINA-S 392 Intermediate Photography
• FINA-D 410 Advanced Multimedia
• FINA-S 401 Drawing 3
• FINA-S 417 Hand Papermaking
• FINA-S 431 Painting 3
• FINA-S 441 Printmaking 3
• FINA-S 443 Printmaking 3: Lithography
• FINA-S 444 Printmaking III Silkscreen
• FINA-S 445 Relief Printmaking Media
• FINA-S 451 Graphic Design Problem Solving
• FINA-S 461 Ceramics 3
• FINA-S 463 Topics in Studio Ceramics
• FINA-S 490 Advanced Photography I
• FINA-S 491 Advanced Photography 2
• FINA-S 497 Independent Study in Studio Art
• FINA-U 401 Special Topics in Studio Art
• COAS-S 399 INTERNSHIP

Open Electives

Each student will be required to complete 15 credit hours of any level that go towards their degree. 

B.F.A. Capstone

All B.F.A. studio majors must take FINA-U 400 (B.F.A. Seminar) in the fall semester before their graduation.  In addition, in spring semester before graduation all B.F.A. studio majors are required to take FINA-G 400 (B.F.A. Final Review), which includes a formal written explanation of their artwork and a gallery exhibition or oral presentation of their work. B.F.A. seniors will also prepare a digital portfolio of their work that will be kept on file in the Fine Arts program.

• FINA-U 400 Sources and Resources: Professional Skills in Fine Arts

• FINA-G 400 BFA Final Review

BFA-level Course Policy in each Fine Art Area

The only students permitted to enroll in each area’s BFA-level course are those that have already been accepted into the BFA Program in that concentration. BFA-level courses include: FINA-S462 (Ceramics), FINA-S412 (Digital Art), FINA-S405 (Drawing), FINA-S452 (Graphic Design), FINA-S432 (Painting), and FINA-S442 (Printmaking).

Special Requirements for Concentrations:

Ceramics Concentration

Major Studio Courses (21 cr.)

• FINA-S 361 Ceramics 2 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 461 Ceramics 3 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 462 BFA Ceramics (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 462 BFA Ceramics (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 462 BFA Ceramics (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 462 BFA Ceramics (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 463 Topics in Studio Ceramics or repeat FINA-S 461 or 462 (3 cr.)

Advanced Studio or Art History Courses (15 cr.)

• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*

Open Electives (15 cr.)

• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)

Digital Art Concentration

Major Studio Courses (21cr.)

• FINA-S 310 Photography or FINA-S 291 Fundamentals of Photography (3 cr.)
• FINA-D 312 Intermediate Multimedia (3 cr.)
• FINA-D 410 Advanced Multimedia or FINA-P 323 Introduction to Web Design (3 cr.)
• FINA-D 412 BFA Digital Art (3 cr.)
• FINA-D 412 BFA Digital Art (3 cr.)
• FINA-D 412 BFA Digital Art (3 cr.)
• FINA-D 412 BFA Digital Art (3 cr.)

Advanced Studio or Art History Courses (15 cr.)

• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*

• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)

Drawing Concentration

Major Studio Courses (21 cr.)

• FINA-S 301 Drawing 2 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 401 Drawing 3 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 345 Life Drawing 1 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 405 BFA Drawing (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 405 BFA Drawing (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 405 BFA Drawing (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 405 BFA Drawing (3 cr.)

Advanced Studio or Art History Courses (15 cr.)

• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*

Open Electives (15 cr.)

• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)

Graphic Design Concentration

Major Studio Courses (21 cr.)

• FINA-S 351 Typography I (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 352 Production for the Graphic Designer (3 cr.)
• FINA-P 323 Introduction to Web Design (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 452 BFA Graphic Design (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 452 BFA Graphic Design (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 305 Graphic Design Internship (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 305 Graphic Design Internship (3 cr.)

Advanced Studio or Art History Courses (15 cr.)

• FINA-S 305 Graphic Design Internship (3 cr.) *Suggested
• FINA-S 310 Photography or FINA-S 291 Fundamentals of Photography (3 cr.) *Suggested
• FINA-S 344 Printmaking II Silkscreen (3 cr.) *Suggested
• FINA-S 302 Drawing 2 (3 cr.) *Suggested
• FINA-S 306 Digital Illustration (3 cr.) *Suggested

Open Electives (15 cr.)

• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)

Painting Concentration

• FINA-S 331 Painting 2 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 431 Painting 3 (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 345 Life Drawing 1 or FINA-S 310 Photography/FINA-S 291 Fundamentals of Photography (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 432 BFA Painting (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 432 BFA Painting (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 432 BFA Painting (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 432 BFA Painting (3 cr.)

Advanced Studio or Art History Courses (15 cr.)

• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*

Open Electives (15 cr.)

• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)

Printmaking Concentration

• FINA-S Intermediate Printmaking (S 341 or S 348) (3 cr.)
• FINA-S Intermediate Printmaking (S 343 or S 344) (3 cr.)
• FINA-S Intermediate Printmaking (S 341 or S 445 in fall, S 443 in spring) (3 cr.)
• FINA-S Advanced Printmaking (S 341 or S 348) (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 442 BFA Printmaking (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 442 BFA Printmaking (3 cr.)
• FINA-S 442 BFA Printmaking (3 cr.)

• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)*
• Select from (3 cr.)* 

• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)
• Any Level (3 cr.)