Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program is designed for students who‚ after having experienced a range of media, wish to concentrate their efforts in individualized studies pursuing specialized concepts with defined media parameters. In this more sharply focused degree, you develop a strong portfolio and greater independence. It is an excellent prepara­tion for continued study beyond the bachelor’s degree. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program requires 60 studio hours in art including the completion of the following components: You must have no lower than a 3.0 average in all stu­dio art classes at the time you make application for the B.F.A. program. And you must maintain at least a 3.0 average in studio classes after being accepted into the program.

A. General Education Requirements.

B. Core Requirements (23 credit hours)
ART 111   Two-Dimensional Design and Color
ART 115   Drawing: Skills and Concepts
ART 215   Life Drawing
ART 210   Three-Dimensional Design
ART 211   Introduction to Computer Graphics: Computer Imaging
ART 221   Introduction to Computer Graphics: Graphic Design
ART 496   Senior Workshop

C. Major Interview with Portfolio should take place after the completion of three of the core requirement courses.

D. 37 Additional Credit Hours in Studio Art (37 credits)
These courses should include in scope the areas of painting, graphic arts, three-dimensional design or sculpture, printmaking, drawing and design, and an in-depth concentration of at least 12 hours in one of these areas beyond the core courses. See Section C under Bachelor of Arts, Art Major.

E. B.F.A. Interview (See B.F.A. procedures)

F. Nine Credits of Art History (from among)
AH 370    20th/21st Century Art (Highly recommended)
AH 200       Wonders of World Art: Ancient to Gothic
AH 201       Wonders of Western Art: Renaissance to Modern
AH 350       Black Art
AH 355       History of Women Artists

G. Graduation Thesis Project and Accompanying Essay

H. One-Person Degree Exhibition

B.F.A. CANDIDACY APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Degree applicants should first complete the major interview process and gain acceptance as an art ma­jor. After further studio course work, the student may apply for admission to the B.F.A. Program. Application, including an interview and a written thesis proposal declaration, must be completed no later than the beginning of the junior year. If accepted, the first term of the junior year will be a probationary period and upon successful completion, the student will be officially accepted into the BFA program. Guidance in the preparation of the written declaration must be provided by a department faculty member who, at the request of the applicant, has agreed to serve as thesis director.

The Department of Art faculty meets to determine the merits of the thesis proposal and determine the candidate’s admissibility to the program. Faculty recommendations may include provisional admission to the program pending further review.

Thesis project/essay

The thesis project is composed of a work or group of works in the candidate’s area of concentration, dem­onstrating a mature level of technical competency and aesthetic awareness. The project is accompanied by an essay indicating the candidate’s own view of con­cepts and working processes. A photographic record (slides or CD-ROM format ) of works is also required.

Additional interviews

After being accepted into the B.F.A. program, the candidate must meet once every semester with the department faculty. The purpose of this meeting is to review thesis work and monitor progress. If at any time, the student fails to show progress the faculty reserves the right to withdraw the BFA acceptance and the student may then reapply when sufficiently prepare