Department of Art Undergraduate Degrees:

Bachelor of Arts | Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts | Minor in Art  | Exhibition Studies Minor

The Department of Art promotes the study and practice of art as an essential aspect of a comprehensive educational experience. We provide curricula and research opportunities that challenge students to think and communicate in innovative and interdisciplinary ways. We encourage our students to approach problem-solving through multiple perspectives while embracing risk and uncertainty on the path to discovery. Students develop their personal voices in a variety of media through experimentation and reflection, while building the confidence and skills that enable them to be effective communicators.
For students pursuing careers where art, design, craft, and innovation are essential, the department offers two undergraduate degrees: the BA in Art, the BFA degree which allows for more in-depth study and practice. An Art History option for the BA degree provides students the skills to engage art and visual culture critically and imaginatively. The Minor in Fine Arts, focused on either art history, exhibitions studies or studio arts, is an excellent strategy for those seeking to deepen their critical engagement with another field of study.  The department’s offerings are supplemented by a robust Visiting Artist and Scholar Program, as well as access to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU’s seasonal programming and permanent collection. The faculty members of the Fine Arts are internationally recognized contemporary artists and scholars that consistently bring their professional experience into the classroom.

 

 

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Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

The BFA program provides intensive involvement in the Arts,  and greater interaction with the Art faculty, and visiting artists. It is suited to those who wish to pursue a professional career in the arts or prepare for specialized graduate study. Students with a desire to explore independent ideas in art, develop their portfolio, receive constructive feedback, and exhibit their work will find the program essential to their undergraduate experience.

Each semester, students in the BFA Program will have an opportunity to meet with several faculty in the department to discuss their work, coalesce ideas, provide critical feedback, and offer direction to the students.

The BFA degree culminates in a Thesis Exhibition held in one of three in-house galleries. Students will spend their final semester working towards their exhibition with two faculty advisors. The exhibit provides an important opportunity to showcase more ambitious projects as well as the range of work completed while in the program. Installing the work in the gallery, and seeing it on display provides an essential learning experience that can provide new insight and feedback as well as the opportunity to document the work for graduate school applications and future exhibitions.

For specific details on applying to the BFA Program, please see the BFA Application Form.

 

Learning Outcomes

1. Creative Process – Student displays range of innovative, challenging and creative approaches to art making through:

•  Rigor: Does the student demonstrate disciplined approach to his/her own working process in order to bring projects to resolution and meet deadlines?
• Skill: Does the student display technical skills appropriate for resolving particular projects or areas of concentration/interest?
• Exploration: Is the student challenging his or herself through trying new and undeveloped ideas and processes?

 

2. Depth of Thinking –Student pushes beyond obvious content and concepts to embrace complexity and depth through:  

• Historical Context: Is there a demonstration of a general knowledge of art history, artists/art movements on his/her work?
• Contemporary Art Understanding: Is the student able to convey that they are informed artists by understanding global contemporary art process and concerns and how these processes inform and influence their own work?
• Critical Evaluation: Is this student able to critique/analyze own works and the works of others by utilizing appropriate art vocabulary and concepts?
• Curiosity: Does the student demonstrate a willingness to explore multiple, diverse, divergent or even contradictory ideas as well as the ambiguous gray areas between

 

3. Professionalism – Student displays professionalism in the presentation of the art and him/herself through:

• Communication: Does the student exhibit an ability to articulate his/her own artistic production in written, spoken and visual forms?
• Presentation: Does the student demonstrates intentionality, thoughtfulness and awareness of conventional best practices with presentation of works?
• Receptivity: Does the student demonstrate an openness to applying suggestions from diverse viewpoints?

 

Curriculum (70 Credit Hours)

• ART102: 2D Art and Design
• ART103: 3D Art and Design
• ART110: Beginning Drawing
• ART201: Art History
• ART202: Art History
• ART303: Art History
• ART304: Art History
• 2-D Studio (one of: 111, 312, 320, 370)
• 3-D Studio (340 or 350)
• Media Arts (one of: 381, 332, 333)
• ART312: Advanced Drawing
• 1 Writing in the Major Course [M]
• ART498: Seminar [M]
• 27 Credits in ART 300–400 Level Electives
• ART493: Senior Exhibit

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Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts (BAFA)

The BAFA offers students 3 options:

• Studio
• Art History
• General

The BAFA degree program allows the flexibility to develop interdisciplinary combinations within a broad liberal arts degree. Students have opportunities to double major or earn a minor from another academic department. For the Bachelor of Arts, a total of at least 48 credit hours of fine arts courses are required; 30 of these credit hours must be in 300/400-level courses. Students must also complete University graduation and general education requirements.

 

Learning Outcomes

1. Creative Process – Student displays range of innovative, challenging and creative approaches to art making through:

•  Rigor: Does the student demonstrate disciplined approach to his/her own working process in order to bring projects to resolution and meet deadlines?
• Skill: Does the student display technical skills appropriate for resolving particular projects or areas of concentration/interest?
• Exploration: Is the student challenging his or herself through trying new and undeveloped ideas and processes?

2. Depth of Thinking –Student pushes beyond obvious content and concepts to embrace complexity and depth through:  

• Historical Context: Is there a demonstration of a general knowledge of art history, artists/art movements on his/her work?
• Contemporary Art Understanding: Is the student able to convey that they are informed artists by understanding global contemporary art process and concerns and how these processes inform and influence their own work?
• Critical Evaluation: Is this student able to critique/analyze own works and the works of others by utilizing appropriate art vocabulary and concepts?
• Curiosity: Does the student demonstrate a willingness to explore multiple, diverse, divergent or even contradictory ideas as well as the ambiguous gray areas between

3. Professionalism – Student displays professionalism in the presentation of the art and him/herself through:

• Communication: Does the student exhibit an ability to articulate his/her own artistic production in written, spoken and visual forms?
• Presentation: Does the student demonstrates intentionality, thoughtfulness and awareness of conventional best practices with presentation of works?
• Receptivity: Does the student demonstrate an openness to applying suggestions from diverse viewpoints?

 

 

Curriculum (48 Credit Hours)

• ART102: 2D Art and Design
• ART103: 3D Art and Design
• ART110: Beginning Drawing
• ART201: Art History
• ART202: Art History
• ART303: Art History
• ART304: Art History
• 2-D Studio (one of: 111, 312, 320, 370)
• 3-D Studio (340 or 350)
• Media Arts (one of: 381, 332, 333)
• 2 Writing in the Major Courses [M]
• 12 Credits in ART 300–400 Level Electives

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BAFA with Art History option

Art history is an integral part of the Art program. In general terms, the art history curriculum provides a strong outreach to the wider WSU student body because many of the art history courses fulfill WSU humanities and intercultural general education requirements (GERs). Any WSU student may complete an 18 credit art history minor. Within the studio program, studio Art majors receive a solid background in the history of art, art criticism, and contemporary theory. There is now an art history option within the BA in Art. This offers students a broad exposure to the history of the visual arts. Art history majors begin with foundation survey courses, the History of World Art (ART 201 and ART 202), and then take upper-division courses to consider art from specific cultures and historical time periods. In these specialized courses, students gain familiarity with contextual issues concerning the production and consumption of art. They develop research and writing skills necessary to think critically about art and visual culture. Students are also introduced to basic aspects of studio production to enhance their visual skills and knowledge of material practices. Students complete their studies by writing a thesis paper and developing knowledge of one foreign language.

 

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of major artistic traditions.
• Critical reasoning skills, analysis of visual objects through use of art historical tools.
• Conduct disciplined and systematic art historical research. Evaluate critically information and sources.
• Ability to move between visual and verbal forms of communication (both oral and written) when analyzing and discussing works of art.
• Ways of thinking about themselves and the world, as they recognize, explore, and challenge cultural attitudes and stereotypes, enabling greater appreciation and respect for the variety and range of art and learn to appreciate cultural differences.
• An historical understanding of art works and artists’ practices within their social, cultural, political and economic contexts, with an appreciation for the ways that artists mediate issues within these contexts.

 

Curriculum (48 Credit Hours)

• Core Requirements:
• Studio Courses (9 Credit Hours Total): FA102, FA103, Studio Elective (3 Credit Hours)
• ART201: World Art History I
• ART202: World Art History II
• ART303: Modern Art 19th Century
• ART304: Modern Art 20th Century
• Non-Western Art History (3 Credit Hours): ART301 or ART302 [M] or ART404 [M]
• ART408: Art History Thesis (3 Credit Hours)
• 2 – Writing in the Major Courses [M] Selected From: ART302 [M], ART308 [M], ART310 [M], ART403 [M], ART404 [M], ART405 [M].

Art History Electives (5 Courses form the following list):

• Non-Western: ART 301, ART302 [M], or ART404 [M]
• Modern Western: ART403 [M], and ART405 [M]
• ART305: Arts of Ancient Greece and Rome
• ART307: Arts of Renaissance Europe
• ART331: Art and New Technology
• ART380: History of Photography
• ART308 [M]: Women in Art I
• ART310 [M]: Women in Art II
• ART498 [M} Contemporary Issues
• PHIL431: Philosophy of Art
• ARCH442: Theory of Urban Development
• ANTH301: Art and Media in a Global Perspective
• AMST473: Art in American Cultures
• ART490: Gallery Internship

Foreign Language Requirement:
Equivalent of two years at the college level in the same language, or demonstrated competency at that level.

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Minor in Art, Art History, or Exhibition Studies

 

Minor in Art (18 Credit Hours)

• ART102 Art I Two Dimensional Art or ART103 Art II Three Dimensional Art
• ART110 Beginning Drawing
• ART201 (World Art History to 1450) or ART202 (World Art History 1450-present) or ART304 (Modern Art-20th century)
• Upper division ART Electives – 9 credits

 

Minor in Art History (18 Credit Hours)

• ART201: World Art History to 1450
• ART202: World Art history 1450 – Present
• 12 Credit Hours from the following:
• ART301, ART302, ART303, ART304, ART305, ART307, ART308, ART310, ART400, ART403, ART404, ART405

 

Minor in Exhibition Studies (18 Credit Hours)

• Core electives – 2 Courses (6 credit hours) from the following: ART103, ART201, ART490, HIST427
• Electives I – 2 Courses (6 credit hours) from the following: ANTH201, ANTH430, ID205, SOC373
• Electives II – 2 Courses (6 credit hours) from the following:
• AMDT308, AMERST475, ANTH201, ANTH350, ANTH430, ANTH498, ARCH456, COM101, COM105, COM471, DTC/ENGL336, DTC/AMST/ENGL475
• ART102, ART103, ART201, ART301, ART303, ART304, ART307, ART333, ART381, ART385, ART405, ART434, ART435, ART490, ART495
• FORLANG350, HIST400, HIST427, HIST498, ID205, ID305, ID312, LNDARCH327, MGMT401, SDC250, SDC350, SOC373, SOC430, SOILSCI201, SOILSCI202, SOILSCI498, TCHLRN480

 

Transfer Students

Students majoring in Art will be allowed to transfer a maximum of 18 semester hours and apply them towards the completion of their Art requirements. Students transferring credits must present a portfolio to the coordinator of that area (ceramics, painting, etc.)