Bachelor of Arts in Art

The Department of Art supports the creative, aesthetic and cultural development of students within the university community and serves the cultural and educational needs of the state. The department is dedicated to preparing its graduates to assume leadership positions in their professional lives while maintaining an inner commitment to the aesthetic standards of their chosen discipline. The department fosters a unique combination of innovation, tradition, aestheticism and practicality, by providing a professional visual arts education built on a strong University Studies Program (USP) foundation. Based on their goals and career plans, students in consultation with a faculty adviser select the appropriate degree plan. Students major in art and declare an emphasis in one or more of the following areas: Drawing; Painting; Photography; Printmaking; Ceramics; Sculpture; Metalsmithing. Students may also declare an art major with a concentration in graphic design. The B.A. degree is available to students who are preparing for further studies or careers in the arts and arts-related fields, such as graphic design, art therapy, medical illustration, botanical illustration and forensic illustration. Students work with their academic advisers to select courses from the USP and elective offerings to complement art studies in their areas of interest. Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses taken to satisfy department requirements. Courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition to the university requirement that degree candidates hold a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00, degree candidates for the B.A. degree in the Art Department also must have a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average and a 2.50 grade point average in Art Department courses at the time of graduation. Art/Art Education Concurrent Major. Through a cooperative agreement between the Art Department and the program of Art Education, all Art Education students will concurrently complete a major in Art. The Art degree requirements are essentially the same as for all other Art majors; however, specialized advising is available to ensure that students select programs that are both efficient and beneficial to their ultimate career goals.