Pictured | Joshua Schleer | Graphic Design | Mishawaka, Indiana (hometown)
Background art credit | Joshua Schleer
Photo credit | Leah Fick

Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree offers students a wide range of options, permitting them to combine their study in the fine arts with a well-rounded general education. Graduates of this degree program develop skills in three or more studio areas of their choice as well as a broad familiarity with the basic principles of several academic disciplines in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

Academic Advising

The Ernestine M Raclin School of the Arts policy on advising requires that students meet with their academic advisors each semester prior to registration. Advising holds are placed on all Fine Arts students prior to advance registration and are released following advising appointments. Students with a declared major in Fine Arts are advised by Fine Art faculty. Additionally, you may have a secondary adviser if you have also declared a minor, although a minor is not required for a degree in the Fine Arts department. Students can verify their assigned advisor in the student center in One.IU.

Degree Requirements (120 cr.)

Degree Map >>

Students receiving the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree must complete 125 total credit hours including:

• IU South Bend Campuswide General Education Curriculum (39 cr.)
• Major Requirements (48 cr.)
• Fine Arts Department Additional Requirements (17 cr.)
• Elective Requirements (16 cr.)

• A minimum of 30 credit hours at the 300- or 400-level.
• Courses required for the major must be completed with a grade of C– or higher.
• A minimum CGPA of 2.0 is required.

Major Requirements (48 cr.)

All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise designate.

Foundation Level (15 cr.)

It is recommended that students complete the following classes during the first two years of study:

• AHST-A 101 Ancient and Medieval Art
• AHST-A 102 Renaissance Through Modern Art
• FINA-F 100 Fundamental Studio–Drawing
• FINA-F 101 Fundamental Studio–3D
• FINA-F 102 Fundamental Studio–2D

Upper-level Requirements (33 cr.)

• Art History (9 cr.) | Select three courses (must be) at the 300- or 400-level (9 cr.)
• Studio (24 cr.) | Select eight courses (at least 24 credit hours) above the 100-level. Three courses must be at the 300- or 400-level. These courses must be distributed among at least three different studio areas; 300-level courses may be taken twice for credit and some 400-level studio courses may be taken three times for credit. No more than 45 studio credit hours above the 100-level are counted toward graduation.

Additional Requirements (17 cr.)

• World Languages (6 cr.) | Select two courses in one world language (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish)
• Natural Science (5 cr.) | Select from life sciences, chemistry, physics (must include a laboratory)
• Social Science (3 cr.) | Select from anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, or sociology
• Arts Outside of Major (3 cr.) | Select one course from communication studies, graphics, music, new media, or theatre

Electives (16 cr.)

• Three courses must be at the 300- or 400-level.