Program Overview

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art is designed for students discovering, exploring and developing their own creative talents while preparing them for graduate school or arts-related careers. The degree is a well-rounded general fine arts degree with approximately 60% of the total program in studio courses, art history and supportive courses in art and design. Students must choose to focus in one of several media concentrations and may investigate in a broad interdisciplinary manner. The focus is on the progressive nature of the learning experience combined with a rigorous review and culminates in a professionally mounted final exhibition.

The BFA program is dedicated to preparing students for futures as professional artists and providing them with the resources necessary for success in the fields of art and design. The curriculum is designed to develop individual artistic vision, technical skills, visual literacy, aesthetic inquiry, and proficiency in verbal and written communication. Our faculty continually fosters a challenging environment where research, creativity, critical thinking, and experimentation are promoted. Students are required to select one of the areas of focus below. By providing a strong curriculum and personal contact with faculty and visiting artists, our BFA program produces a positive environment of diverse artistic philosophies that contribute to our students' knowledge, studio practice, and individual artistic vision.

Areas of Focus for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art include:

3-D, Expanded Media, & Sculpture
3-D, Expanded Media, and Sculpture fosters a broad historical and contemporary understanding of three-dimensional art production. The faculty embrace an interdisciplinary approach to object-based creation and cultivate an environment for students to explore installation, new media, and performance.

Animation
The Animation focus is designed to provide students with the necessary skills needed to migrate into the professional market after graduation. While studying animation at CSU, students are presented with a framework of industry standard animation practices and given the opportunity to explore the traditional, experimental and interactive aspects of digital animation.

Ceramics  
The Ceramics program provides students with a foundation in the technical and aesthetic aspects of the ceramic medium. Students develop skills in the construction of ceramics works and an understanding of firing techniques and relevant chemistry.

Graphic Design 
Graphic Design is a creative and inspiring process that combines art and technology to develop visual solutions to communication problems. Building upon traditional art foundations, we focus on design fundamentals such as typography, information hierarchy, concept development and visual exploration. Through their studio work, Graphic Design focused students will address a variety of graphic design issues, develop abilities in collaboration, and build an understanding of research-based design all while being prepared to enter into an evolving creative industry. 

Painting & Drawing  
In the Painting and Drawing program, students develop their skills in liquid and dry media. Teaching the traditional techniques, the faculty enhances their students understanding of art history and visual production while preparing them to explore other media through independent research. The Narrative Illustration curriculum supports and supplements the drawing and painting program.

Photography
Photography foster a historical and pragmatic understanding of lens-based art making.  Photography develops skills in multiple photographic formats using analog and digital processes to investigate contemporary approaches to art making.

Printmaking 
In the Printmaking program, students learn to apply print processes to both historical paradigms and contemporary problems. Students establish skills with traditional print techniques such as monotype, intaglio, lithography, and relief printing. Book arts and paper making courses supplement the printmaking curriculum.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program prepares students to work as professional studio artists, and to pursue a wide variety of careers and leadership opportunities in the arts including employment in museums and galleries, arts related for-profit and non-profit organizations, and various design professions. The program also prepares students for application to graduate programs in the arts.

Program of Study

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core IMPACTS Area : Institutional Priorities 1		4-5
Choose one of the following communication options		3
COMM 1110	Public Speaking
Foreign Language Course Options
AMSL, ARAB, CHIN, FREN, GERM, GREK, ITAL, JAPN, KREN, LATIN, PORT, SPAN - 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002; SWAH - 1001, 1002.
Take one of the following courses		1-2
ITDS 1779	Scholarship Across the Disciplines
LEAD 1705	Introduction to Servant Leadership
PERS 1506	Perspectives 1-hour
PERS 1507	Perspectives 2-hour
Core IMPACTS Area : Mathematics & Quantitative Skills 1		3-7
DATA 1501	Introduction to Data Science	3
MATH 1001	Quantitative Skills and Reasoning	3
MATH 1101	Introduction to Mathematical Modeling	3
MATH 1111	College Algebra	3
MATH 1113	Pre-Calculus	4
MATH 1125	Applied Calculus	3
MATH 1131	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I	4
MATH 1132	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
MATH 1165	Computer-Assisted Problem Solving	3
MATH 1401	Introduction to Statistics	3
MATH 1501	Calculus I	4
MATH 2125	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics	3
STAT 1401	Elementary Statistics	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Political Science and U.S. History		6
HIST 2111	U. S. History to 1865	3
or HIST 2112	U. S. History since 1865
POLS 1101	American Government	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Arts, Humanities, and Ethics		6
Select one Fine Arts course		3
ARTH 1100	Art Appreciation
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
MUSC 1100	Music Appreciation
THEA 1100	Theatre Appreciation
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts 2
Select one Humanities course		3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
ITDS 1155	The Western Intellectual Tradition
ITDS 1774	Introduction to Digital Humanities
PHIL 2010	Introduction to Philosophy
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts 2
Core IMPACTS Area : Communicating in Writing		6
ENGL 1101	English Composition I	3
ENGL 1102	English Composition II	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences 1,3		7-11
ANTH 1145	Human Origins	3
ASTR 1105	Descriptive Astronomy: The Solar System	3
ASTR 1106	Descriptive Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies	3
ASTR 1305	Descriptive Astronomy Lab	1
ATSC 1112	Understanding the Weather	3
ATSC 1112L	Understanding the Weather Lab	1
BIOL 1125	Contemporary Issues in Biology Non-Lab	3
BIOL 1215K	Introductory Biology	4
BIOL 1225K	Contemporary Issues in Biology with Lab	4
CHEM 1151 & 1151L	Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1152 & 1152L	Survey of Chemistry II and Survey of Chemistry II Lab	4
CHEM 1211 & 1211L	Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1212 & 1212L	Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry II Lab	4
CPSC 1105	Introduction to Computing Principles and Technology	3
CPSC 1301K	Computer Science I	4
ENVS 1105	Environmental Studies	3
ENVS 1105L	Environmental Studies Laboratory	1
ENVS 1205K	Sustainability and the Environment	4
GEOG 2215	Introduction to the Geographic Information Systems	3
GEOL 1110	Natural Disasters: Our Hazardous Environment	3
GEOL 1121	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology	3
GEOL 1121L	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 1122	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology	3
GEOL 1322	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 2225	The Fossil Record	4
PHYS 1111 & PHYS 1311	Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 1112 & PHYS 1312	Introductory Physics II and Introductory Physics II Lab	4
PHYS 1125	Physics of Color and Sound	3
PHYS 1325	Physics of Color and Sound Lab	1
PHYS 2211 & PHYS 2311	Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 2212 & PHYS 2312	Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics II Lab	4
Core IMPACTS Area : Social Sciences		6
Select one Behavioral Science course
ECON 2105	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 2106	Principles of Microeconomics
PHIL 2030	Moral Philosophy
PSYC 1101	Introduction to General Psychology
SOCI 1101	Introduction to Sociology
Select one World Cultures course		3
ANTH 1107	Discovering Archaeology
ANTH 1105	Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 2105	Ancient World Civilizations
ANTH 2136	Language and Culture
ENGL 2136	Language and Culture
GEOG 1101	World Regional Geography
HIST 1111	World History to 1500
HIST 1112	World History since 1500
ITDS 1156	Understanding Non-Western Cultures
Core IMPACTS Total Hours		42
Health and Wellness		3
KINS 1106	Lifetime Wellness	2
or PHED 1205	Concepts of Fitness
Select one of the following		1
Any PEDS course
MUSC 1206	Body Mapping (Music Majors Only)

¹

The hours applied in the Institutional Priorities; Mathematics & Quantitative Skills; and Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences areas must add to 18 credit hours. 

²

ITDS 1145 Comparative Arts, though listed under both Fine Arts and Humanities, may be taken only once. 

³

At least 4 of the credit hours in this area must be in a lab science course.

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Requirements
Complete the core requirements for this program		45
Core Total		45
Field of Study Requirements
Minimum grade of C is required
ARTS 1000	Art Convocation (4 times)	0
ARTS 1010	Art Foundation: Explorations of Drawing	3
ARTS 1020	Art Foundation: 2D and Digital	3
ARTS 1030	Art Foundation: 3D and Site	3
ARTS 2000	Art Foundation: Portfolio Review	0
ARTS 1705	Art Foundation: Seminar	3
Select one of the following: 1		3
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
ARTS 2705	Art Seminar: Professional Practice	3
Field of Study Requirements Total		18
Required for the Major
Minimum grade of C is required
ARTH 3127	Modernist Art	3
ARTH 3128	Post-Modern and Contemporary Art	3
ARTS 3000	Pre-Exhibit Review	0
ARTS 3305	Art Seminar: Contemporary Theory & Practice	3
ARTS 4796	Art Seminar: Thesis Exhibition	3
Select one of the following 3D Exploratory Studio courses:		3
ARTS 2248	Ceramics I
ARTS 3288	Techniques of Sculpture
ARTS 3311	Materials Studies
ARTS 4288	Explorations in Metal Fabrication
Select one of the following 2D Exploratory Studio courses:		3
ARTS 2010	Figure Drawing
ARTS 2011	Drawing: Perspective & Synthesis
ARTS 3265	Photography I
ARTS 3278	Printmaking: Traditional Media
Select one of the following Digital Exploratory Studio courses:		3
ARTS 3021	Graphic Design I
ARTS 3266	Digital Photography
ARTS 3309	Printmaking: Photo & Digital
ARTS 3315	Fundamentals of Animation (Required if choosing Animation Area of Focus in Major Electives )
Select one of the following options to fulfill the Integrative Exploratory Studio requirement (a total of 3 credit hours must be completed in this section):		3
ARTS 4278	Printmaking: Contemporary Approaches & Hybrid Prints
ARTS 3310	Expanded Media
ARTS 3311	Materials Studies
ARTS 3306	Interdisciplinary Methods
ARTS 3308	Visiting Artist: Studio Workshops and Investigations (Students choosing this course may have to repeat course to achieve three credit hours)
Required for the Major Total		24
Major Electives
Minimum grade of C is required in each course
Include at least 12 hours of coursework at the 3000-level or above to ensure satisfaction of the requirement for at least 39 hours of Upper Division Coursework in the Program of Study.
Select four courses in one Area of Focus (see below)		12
Select 3 hours of ARTH courses 2000 level or higher 2		3
Select 21 hours of ARTS courses 2000 level or higher		21
Major Electives Total		36
Total Credit Hours		123

¹

If one of these courses has been used in the Arts, Humanities, and Ethics Core IMPACTS area, take the other course.

²

Students who did not already take both ARTH 2125 Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic and ARTH 2126 Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern should take whichever of the two has not been taken for Field of Study Requirements. (One of these courses may be taken for the Fine Arts Requirement in the Humanities, Fine Arts, and Ethics Core IMPACTS Area, which results in an extra art history elective here.)

Areas of Focus

Area of Focus- Ceramics

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 2248	Ceramics I	3
ARTS 3348	Ceramics II Wheel-throwing	3
ARTS 3349	Ceramics II Slip Casting	3
ARTS 5248U	Ceramics: Advanced Methods (may be repeated)	3

Area of Focus - Drawing

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 2010	Figure Drawing	3
or ARTS 2011	Drawing: Perspective & Synthesis
ARTS 3307	Alternative Drawing Media	3
ARTS 4237	Narrative Illustration	3
ARTS 4236	Advanced Drawing (may be repeated)	3
ARTS 4357	Advanced Methods: Narrative Illustration (may be repeated)	3

Area of Focus- Animation

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 4315	Advanced Animation	3
ARTS 4316	Advanced modeling and surface Development	3
ARTS 5315U	Animation Studio I	3
ARTS 5316U	Animation Studio ll	3

Area of Focus - Graphic Design

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 3021	Graphic Design I	3
ARTS 4021	Graphic Design II	3
ARTS 4521	Graphic Design III	3
ARTS 4721	Graphic Design: Advanced Methods (may be repeated)	3

Area of Focus - Painting

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 3256	Painting I	3
ARTS 4256	Painting II	3
ARTS 5256U	Painting: Advanced Methods (may be repeated)	3

Area of Focus - Photography

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 3265	Photography I	3
ARTS 3266	Digital Photography	3
ARTS 4265	Photography II	3
ARTS 5265U	Photography: Advanced Methods (may be repeated)	3

Area of Focus - Printmaking

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 3309	Printmaking: Photo & Digital	3
ARTS 3278	Printmaking: Traditional Media	3
ARTS 4278	Printmaking: Contemporary Approaches & Hybrid Prints	3
ARTS 4307	Printmaking Internship (may be repeated)	3
ARTS 5278U	Advanced Printmaking (may be repeated)	3

Area of Focus - Sculpture

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ARTS 3288	Techniques of Sculpture	3
ARTS 3310	Expanded Media	3
ARTS 3311	Materials Studies	3
ARTS 4306	Site Specific Sculpture and Installation	3
ARTS 4288	Explorations in Metal Fabrication	3
ARTS 5288U	Sculpture: Advanced Methods (may be repeated)	3

Program Map

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
ARTS 1000	Art Convocation (S required)	0
ENGL 1101	English Composition I (minimum grade of C)	3
ARTS 1705	Art Foundation: Seminar (minimum grade of C)	3
Choose two of the following courses (minimum grade of C):		6
ARTS 1010	Art Foundation: Explorations of Drawing
ARTS 1020	Art Foundation: 2D and Digital
ARTS 1030	Art Foundation: 3D and Site
Area C	Fine Arts Elective. Art majors are encouraged to take either ARTH 2125 (minimum grade of C) or ARTH 2126 (minimum grade of C)	3
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
ENGL 1102	English Composition II (minimum grade of C)	3
MATH 1001	Quantitative Skills and Reasoning	3
Area B2	ITDS 1779 (2), LEAD 1705 (2), PERS 1506 (1; may be repeated with different topic), PERS 1507 (2)	2
ARTS 2000	Art Foundation: Portfolio Review (S required)	0
Choose remaining course (minimum grade of C):		3
ARTS 1010	Art Foundation: Explorations of Drawing
ARTS 1020	Art Foundation: 2D and Digital
ARTS 1030	Art Foundation: 3D and Site
Select one of the following 2D Exploratory Studio courses (minimum grade of C):		3
ARTS 2010	Figure Drawing
ARTS 2011	Drawing: Perspective & Synthesis
ARTS 3265	Photography I
ARTS 3278	Printmaking: Traditional Media
	Credit Hours	14
Second Year
Fall
ARTS 1000	Art Convocation (S required)	0
Area B1	COMM 1110 Public Speaking or foreign language 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002	3
Take remaining Art History class (minimum grade of C):		3
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
ARTH 3127	Modernist Art (minimum grade of C)	3
Select one of the following 3D Exploratory Studio courses (minimum grade of C):		3
ARTS 2248	Ceramics I
ARTS 3288	Techniques of Sculpture
ARTS 3311	Materials Studies
ARTS 4288	Explorations in Metal Fabrication
ARTS 2705	Art Seminar: Professional Practice (minimum grade of C)	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
AREA C	Humanities	3
AREA D	Lab Science	4
ARTH 3128	Post-Modern and Contemporary Art (minimum grade of C)	3
Select one of the following Digital Exploratory Studio courses (minimum grade of C):		3
ARTS 3021	Graphic Design I
ARTS 3266	Digital Photography
ARTS 3309	Printmaking: Photo & Digital
ARTS 3315	Fundamentals of Animation
Area H1	Area of Focus Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
	Credit Hours	16
Third Year
Fall
ARTS 1000	Art Convocation (S required)	0
AREA D	Science	3-4
HIST 2111 or HIST 2112	U. S. History to 1865 or U. S. History since 1865	3
ARTS 3305	Art Seminar: Contemporary Theory & Practice (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H1	Area of Focus Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
Select one of the following Integrative Exploratory Studio courses (minimum grade of C):		3
ARTS 4278	Printmaking: Contemporary Approaches & Hybrid Prints
ARTS 3310	Expanded Media
ARTS 3311	Materials Studies
ARTS 3306	Interdisciplinary Methods
ARTS 3308	Visiting Artist: Studio Workshops and Investigations
	Credit Hours	15-16
Spring
POLS 1101	American Government	3
AREA E	Behavior Science	3
AREA H1	Area of Focus Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H1	Area of Focus Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
ARTS 3000	Pre-Exhibit Review (S required)	0
	Credit Hours	18
Fourth Year
Fall
ARTS 1000	Art Convocation (S required)	0
AREA D	Science/Math/Technology	3
KINS 1106 or PHED 1205	Lifetime Wellness or Concepts of Fitness	2
AREA W	PEDS course	1
AREA H2	ARTH course 2000 level or higher (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
AREA E	World Cultures	3
ARTS 4796	Art Seminar: Thesis Exhibition (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
AREA H2	General Program Elective (minimum grade of C)	3
	Credit Hours	15
	Total Credit Hours	123

• All BFA Majors must earn a "C" or higher in all ARTS and ARTH courses.
• All BFA Majors must successfully pass milestone courses (ARTS 2000 Art Foundation: Portfolio Review and ARTS 3000 Pre-Exhibit Review).  Failure to complete either AR.

Admission Requirements

A portfolio of student work is required. Students may also enter the BA degree without this portfolio requirement and apply to the BFA later in their first year of study.

Additional Program Requirements

Students must maintain a C or better in all major courses

Students must successfully complete two milestone courses (ARTS 2000 Art Foundation: Portfolio Review and ARTS 3000 Pre-Exhibit Review). Failure to complete each of these within two attempts will result in the student being advised to choose another major.

Student must select and complete an Area of Focus in either: 3D, Expanded Media and Sculpture; Ceramics; Animation; Graphic Design; Painting; Drawing; Photography; or Printmaking.

Students must complete a professional capstone Thesis Exhibition (ARTS 4796 Art Seminar: Thesis Exhibition).

ARTS 2000 Art Foundation: Portfolio Review review requirement will be waived for incoming students when they transfer in a minimum of 24 credit hours of ARTS/ARTH classes and a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their art courses.