BFA in Art - Studio Art: Painting Concentration

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in art — studio art emphasis develops students’ perceptual skills, technical making skills, creativity, and ability to think critically and independently. Students are encouraged to explore ideas between fine and applied arts methodologies and gain experiences in developing and applying skills and creativity outside the classroom. Instruction in use of art materials and specific art processes enables students to create original work reflecting their evolving vision. The degree program also facilitates broad cultural awareness of the visual arts in society through art history and criticism, the expectation of travel, and applied, real-world experiences required within the curriculum. Graduating majors are able to clearly express ideas through artworks via historical and contemporary aesthetic and technical models, along with developing a substantial vision for their own careers and/or creative possibilities in the 21st century art world.

The painting concentration offers intensive studio work within courses designed to develop a wide range of technical and conceptual skills, including traditional media, mixed media, digital media, and painting’s influence and expression in contemporary visual culture. This approach requires a foundation in the fundamental aspects of painting media, as well as an understanding of the historical and social context in which painting is encountered.

Program Requirements

A minimum total of 120 credit hours is required for the BFA in studio art and includes 86 credit hours of art and art history courses. Students must also meet the university’s scholastic, residence and General Education Program requirements for graduation.

A grade of C (2.000 grade points) or better is required in all major courses. A minimum GPA of 2.000 is required within the major.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the WSU General Education Program, students in the BFA in studio art must take the following courses. (One ARTH 125_ course may count as a general education course.)

Course Title Hours
General Education
Select courses to meet General Education requirements 134-35
Foundation Curriculum
ARTF 102Introduction to Art and Design 23
ARTF 136Foundation 2-D Design 23
ARTF 145Foundation Drawing 23
ARTF 189Foundation 3-D Design 23
ARTF 202Mid-Program Review0
Art History
Select two ARTH 125_ courses6
ARTH 347Themes in Contemporary Art and Design I3
Select 3 credit hours in ARTH 300 + (300-level or above)3
Select 3 credit hours in ARTH 500 + (500-level or above)3
Introductory Studies
ARTS 232Introduction to Photography3
ARTS 240Introduction to Life Drawing3
ARTS 252Introduction to Painting Media3
ARTS 261Introduction to Printmaking3
ARTS 270Introduction to Ceramics3
ARTS 282Introduction to Sculpture and Extended Media3
Select one of the following3
Digital Studio
Digital 3-D Tools in Sculpture
Studio Art Program Studies
ARTS 305Studio Tools and Presentation3
ARTS 398Interdisciplinary Studio2
Select one course in ARTE/ARTG/ARTS 200-level or 300-level (excludes ARTS 375_, ARTS 390_)3
Select two courses in ARTE/ARTG/ARTS 300-level (excludes ARTS 375_, ARTS 390_)6
Select one course in ARTE/ARTG/ARTS 300-level or above (excludes ARTS 375_, ARTS 390_, ARTS 590_, ARTS 591_)3
Select one course in ARTE/ARTS 300-level or above or three 1-credit courses from the following3
ARTH/ARTS 390_
QuickFire Topics
ARTS 375_
Special Topics in Ceramics
Painting Concentration
Select one course in ARTS 300+ 300-level or above (excludes ARTS 375_ and ARTS 390_)3
Select two of the following6
Painting Materials and Processes
Painting with Narrative and Sequence
Painting in the Expanded Field
ARTS 554Advanced Painting3
ARTS 598Studio Art Senior Project3
ARTS 599Senior Exhibition3
Total Credit Hours120

Note: 45+ upper-division credit hours are required for graduation. Model programs of study are available in the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries office and ADCI website3.

1

Required major courses may also count towards General Education requirements. Students will need to select additional electives to reach 120 credit hours required for graduation with assistance from an advisor.

2

Must be completed prior to enrolling in ARTF 202.

3

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Applied Learning

Students in the BFA in studio art program are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirement can be met by completing ARTS 599 Senior Exhibition.