BFA in Studio Art

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art

The Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) in Studio Art provides an extensive, well-rounded, performance-oriented course of study which prepares students for a professional life in the arts and post graduate study.

To obtain the BFA, students complete requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art (BASA), with a concentration in either Two Dimensional Arts, Three Dimensional Arts, or Graphic Design (the Media Arts concentration is not offered as part of the BFA degree).

Download the BFA Degree Worksheet

Students must then achieve candidacy in the BFA program, and complete the following:

  • 9 credit hours in upper division (3000 level and above) ART studio course work under the advisement of their thesis chair in addition to the BASA requirements

  • 3 credit hours in upper division (3000 level and above) ART history course work under the advisement of their thesis chair in addition to the BASA requirements

  • ART 4320 BFA Independent Study I

  • ART 4330 BFA Independent Study II

  • ART 4420 BFA Thesis

  • ART 4920 Art in Theory and Practice

  • 54 credit hours of BASA requirements

BFA DEGREE TOTAL: 78 credit hours (24 BFA + 54 BASA)

To achieve candidacy into the BFA program, students must start by meeting the following requirements:

  • Must have made significant progress toward completion of University General Education courses including completion of the English, Math and Oral Communication requirements.

  • Successfully complete Art History Core, Art Studio Core I and Art Studio Core II

  • Successfully complete three upper division (3000 level and above) courses in the Two Dimensional Arts concentration, the Three Dimensional Arts concentration, or the Graphic Design concentration. Students can apply before the three concentration courses are completed, but cannot be admitted until all three are completed with satisfactory grades.

  • Have a minimum 3.0 GPA in the major

  • Obtain the support of a full-time faculty member in their area of concentration who will serve as chair of their BFA committee.

After meeting these requirements students seeking candidacy must prepare the following:

1. Complete and submit a BFA application form.
The form must be complete and contain the student’s name, the student’s ID number, and the student’s chosen area of concentration: Two Dimensional Arts, Three Dimensional Arts, or Graphic Design. The form must contain the student’s signature and their BFA advisor's signature who will serve as their BFA committee chair.

2. Submit a portfolio of creative work
Submitted work is usually in the chosen area of concentration. Applicants may also submit any related work which demonstrates technical and conceptual abilities.The portfolio must be one or more of the following:

  • 10 digital images labeled with medium, size, and date of work

  • Video

  • Time-based and digital art

  • Representative samples of actual relevant work, e.g. drawings, paintings, photographs, book art examples, prints, etc.

3. Submit a written statement which addresses the following:

  • Technical and historical influences

  • The primary aesthetic and critical concerns of student’s work

  • The reason for pursuing the BFA degree

  • Student’s name and mailing address.

4. Submit a print out of a current DegreeWorks degree audit

The completed application must be received by the Department of Art & Art History Office before the end of the sixth week of the fall or spring semester for consideration of the applicant’s admission to the BFA program beginning in the following semester. After all academic requirements are confirmed and materials submitted, the Studio Art faculty will review each application and determine admittance into the BFA in Studio Art program. This process happens once each semester.