B.A. Studio Art

In Studio Art we foster independent and creative thought, emphasizing artmaking as not only a means of personal self-expression, but a way of thinking about our relationship to culture, humanity and the world of ideas. Our programs offer you the opportunity to work one on one with faculty in a highly creative studio environment taking courses that will emphasize individuality, interdisciplinary work, collaboration and community.

The Department offers two degrees focused on fine arts. The BFA, concentration in Studio Art is a professional degree and recommended for those seeking careers in the field of graphic design, while the BA in Studio Art, exposes students to essential core courses, but offers flexibility to those students seeking to combine a minor or other major to help them reach their individual career goals.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), concentration in Studio Art degree is a professional degree and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD). From painting and drawing, photography and printmaking, to sculpture and ceramics, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art emphasizes the development of skills, concepts, and creative sensitivities essential to the professional artist. Students work closely with faculty to develop their expressive voice and expand their proficiency across media. Our majors have 24-hour access to our various art studios during the four years of their degree.

Students will learn best practices in navigating the art world as they develop the skills needed to be a professional artist. The degree culminates in a distinctive senior capstone program involving the creation of a series of original works produced by each Bachelor of Fine Arts degree candidate that will be displayed in our Sechrest Gallery.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Studio Art provides a major for students who wish to develop and investigate a broad range of aesthetic, conceptual and technical approaches within the spectrum of a liberal arts degree. This degree is offered to those students wanting to expand their knowledge of Art and possibly to combine a minor or major program of study outside of the discipline. B.A. students acquire a foundation in design techniques, aesthetics, and history, while maintaining the flexibility to explore additional disciplines across the University. The B.A. degree’s flexibility makes it a particularly good choice for students who are considering a double major.

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.

Opportunities for experiential learning in studio art

The art department within the School of Art and Design has many opportunities for experiential learning as well as studios, exhibition spaces and labs, including:

The annual art trip to NYC and Washington D.C. allowing students to tour world famous art galleries and meet with gallery directors
Study abroad opportunities in France and Italy
The HPU Sechrest Art Gallery houses a renowned permanent collection of 18th through 21st century American and European Art as well as rotating exhibitions of various contemporary artists
Frequent exhibitions of student work around campus
The Mac digital art lab with industry-leading hardware and equipment
A fully-equipped darkroom for photography
Fully-equipped 2-D and 3-D studios

Opportunities unique to studio art

Fully equipped Sculpture and Ceramics Studio
Faculty focus on a one-on-one approach to develop each student’s artistic and expressive abilities
Students exposed to a wide variety of artistic mediums, ranging from sculpture, painting, ceramics and digital art to digital and darkroom photography
A program committed to developing conceptual skills and technical know-how through creative and critical analysis of practical, historical and theoretical knowledge crucial to the understanding of art

What can I do with this major?

In the spirit of the liberal arts tradition, the Art major encourages students to supplement their Art degree with a minor or even another major in order to create a trajectory that meets their individual professional goals. Students frequently pursue supplemental course work in strategic communications, business, entrepreneurship and computer science. Past students have crafted the following career paths: