Studio Art (B.A.)

The BA in Studio Art (44 credits) is a four-year liberal arts degree accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The curriculum provides students the opportunity to investigate and develop a broad range of aesthetic, conceptual, and technical approaches as a means toward enhancing their visual literacy skills.

Students who major in Studio Art take an array of courses including: 2D and 3D design, drawing, painting, and sculpture to name a few. The program culminates with the Intermedia Studio, where students test boundaries and introduce new vocabularies into their artistic dialogue. Each class allows the student an opportunity to develop their unique creative voice.

The BA is an excellent complement for careers that would benefit from an understanding of visual communication skills and creative thinking. Consequently, students are encouraged to consider double-majoring or selecting a minor that will help them meet their personal or professional career goals. Students aspiring to become professional artists should consider the BFA in Studio (General Fine Arts), which specifically prepares them for professional careers as artists.

Admissions Requirements

Students wishing to pursue a BA in Studio Art or a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in General Fine Arts will submit a portfolio after completion of the freshman level foundation courses. Both groups will require content from Design Fundamentals (ART 1050) and Drawing (ART 1060). Students in the BFA program will also submit content from Digital Art and Design (ART 1150) and 3D Design (ART 2350). Upon successful completion of both courses and faculty review of the portfolio, students will be officially accepted into the major.

For Portfolio Review, students submit a portfolio of work that consists of selected projects from the freshman-level foundation courses. Faculty will evaluate the quality of the portfolio of work along with the student’s professional behavior (attendance, work ethic, ability to accept constructive criticism) and overall GPA. The program does not have a quota and can accept all students that meet the department’s standards. It is, however, unlikely that students will pass Portfolio Review if the student has below a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or a grade of C- or below is received in either of the two foundational courses. Students must pass both courses to be eligible to apply for admission into the major. Students may retake the course and reapply at the end of that semester; however, students may not apply to the program more than twice.

To graduate with a B.A. in Studio Art or a B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in General Fine Arts, students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher per the University’s requirements.

Students who are enrolled in the Design Studies with the Graphic Design concentration are required to have a laptop by the fall semester of their junior year. The laptop must follow the hardware and software requirements (updated annually) on the department website.

B.A. Studio Art

Upon completing the B.A. Studio Art Program at High Point University, students will be able to:

1. apply principles of visual organization to effectively communicate and express ideas in one or more visual media;
2. explain conceptualization, ideation, and artistic risk-taking in reference to the works of major artists, designers, and movements;
3. apply creative solutions that integrate form, meaning, and personal voice to original works; and
4. create visually engaging compositions with materials, media, and technologies across a range of artistic fields.

BA Studio Art Class Statistics: Job Placement and Continuing Education

The chart below reveals information about each graduating class. The class is evaluated at the end of the calendar year in which they graduated. (Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole or half percent.)