BFA Studio Art Curriculum Updates

New Course Names

In fall 2024, some studio art (ARTS) courses will be changing names, some will be deleted, and some will be combined together. These changes are designed to streamline coursework for all students, and facilitate the launch of the revised BFA in Studio Art program (see information below).

Upcoming course changes will affect anyone who takes ARTS courses. The updated courses are designed to integrate with existing degree plans, and will not increase students' time to graduation. 

If your degree plan or degree audit calls for one of the studio art courses listed below, please use this chart to determine which renamed course you should enroll in instead. Any courses that do not appear in this list are not changing. 

Have questions about these changes? Make an appointment with CFAC Advising to discuss the next steps in your degree plan.

Course Crosswalk: Which Classes Do I Take Next?

Updated BFA Program

In fall 2024, the BFA in Studio Art will be updated to facilitate interdisciplinary study and a flexible degree plan. This update does not apply to students pursuing EC-12 Teacher Certification in Art or to any student graduating in spring or summer 2024. 

Students who are pursuing a BFA in Studio Art have the option to switch to the updated program if they decide it is the right fit. Current students will not be required to switch to this updated program, and can stay on their current degree plan for the duration of their studies.

Here are some ways in which the updated BFA in Studio Art is different from the existing BFA in Studio Art: 

Concentrations  

Currently, students declare an official concentration in one of the following areas: Ceramics, Drawing, Expanded Media, Metals, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture. In the updated BFA in Studio Art, students do not declare a concentration (area of specialization) as part of their degree. 

This change offers students greater flexibility to pursue coursework across multiple areas within studio art, and aligns our curriculum with the increasingly interdisciplinary professional landscape students encounter upon completing their degree.

Course Levels

Course levels within each area of study will be reduced from seven to three. This change contributes to greater flexibility within the program by creating space in the degree plan for coursework in other studio art areas, if desired. The areas of study themselves are not changing, and remain Ceramics, Drawing, Expanded Media, Metals, Painting, Printmaking and Sculpture.

Note: for students wishing to focus their coursework within a specific area of study, advanced level courses can be taken multiple times for credit.

Thesis

In the current program, students take four required courses in their senior year: Professional Practice and Thesis I, and Senior Exhibition and Thesis II. In the updated program, students take Professional Practice in the semester prior to taking Senior Exhibition, Thesis, and a final advanced studio class. There is only one thesis course in the updated program. 

Side-by-Side Comparison

Have questions about these changes? Make an appointment with CFAC Advising to discuss the next steps in your degree plan.

Get Personalized Guidance & Additional Resources

There are multiple ways to get more information and/or individualized support in planning the rest of your coursework in Studio Art. 

• Zoom information sessions: these have passed
  • Download info session recording (mp4)
  • Download info session slides (PDF)
• Make an appointment with CFAC Advising 
• If you are considering switching to the updated BFA in Studio Art, you may sign up for on-site advising appointments in the art building (JCM). 
  • Sign up here