Two Degrees, One Studio Culture
The Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art develops a broad range of aesthetic, conceptual and technical approaches inside a liberal arts degree. It is built to pair with a second major or a set of minors.
The BFA with a concentration in General Fine Arts is the professional track for students who plan to practice as artists.
Degree Requirements
The B.A. in Studio Art totals 128 credits:
- 44 credits in the major
- 36 to 44 credits in the university core
- 40 to 48 credits of electives
Coursework spans art history, ceramics, digital art, drawing, museum studies, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. Minors in art history, museum studies and photography are also available.
Key Studio Art Courses
- ART 1050: Fundamentals of Design. Covers the principles and elements of design through two- and three-dimensional projects and color theory.
- ART 1060: Drawing. Builds observational drawing skills in charcoal, pencil, conte crayon and wet media, with attention to structure and composition.
- ART 2000: Art History Survey. Traces painting, sculpture and architecture from prehistory to the mid-20th century through religion, politics and culture.
- ART 2160: Painting I. Introduces oil painting, from blocking in and mixing color to color schemes, composition and a personal voice.
- ART 2350: Three-Dimensional Design. Explores volume, mass, space and texture through hands-on construction projects, group critique and a sketchbook practice.
- ART 3090: Sculpture I. Studies form through additive, subtractive and ephemeral methods in paper, stone and found objects.
- ART 3860: Contemporary Concepts in Art. Examines art since the 1960s, from new mediums and popular culture to non-Western influences and social concerns.
- ART 4040: Intermedia Studio. Students work across image making, objects, performance, installation, print and video to test the boundaries of their practice.
Read full course descriptions in the HPU Undergraduate Bulletin.
Studio Art Facilities
Facilities include fully equipped 2-D and 3-D studios, a darkroom for photography and a Mac digital art lab with current hardware. The student-to-faculty ratio averages 17 to 1.
The Sechrest Art Gallery holds a permanent collection of 18th through 21st century American and European art alongside rotating exhibitions of contemporary artists.
Gallery Travel and Study Abroad
Students travel to New York and Washington, D.C. each year to tour galleries and meet gallery directors. Study abroad in Italy and discipline-specific conferences are part of the program too.
Visiting Artists
Recent visiting artists include contemporary painter Monique Rollins and potter Ben Owen III, whose work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Smithsonian.
Undergraduate Research
At HPU’s 14th annual High-PURCS symposium in April 2026, more than 410 undergraduates worked with 88 faculty mentors to deliver 260 presentations across 40 disciplines.
Creative Arts Fellows
The Creative Arts Fellows Program runs a four-year, team-based experience with a dedicated director who provides mentoring, networking and travel and brings in scholars and practitioners.
The Princeton Review gives High Point University a 95 out of 99 rating for professor accessibility, based on its student surveys.
How Studio Art Students Describe the Coursework
Studio Art students and graduates describe the classes and mentors behind their work.
Lauren Henkel Engler
Studio Art and Theatre major · Lead Scenic Painter, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
“In conjunction with HPU’s scenic painting professor, Matthew Emerson, the art department gave me the skills and confidence in my abilities to seek out scenic painting opportunities.”
Gina Figliozzi
Studio Art major · Digital Comics Intern, Marvel Entertainment
“Professor Mark Brown always pushes me to go outside of my comfort zone and challenges me to think in the moment and not the distant future.”
Madeline Murray
Studio Art major · Creative Arts Therapy Counseling graduate program, Hofstra University
“My art classes helped me develop a professional portfolio and a distinct style of painting, and my psychology classes helped me confirm that I want to be a therapist.”
Studio Art in the News
Benita VanWinkle
Research and Innovation: October 2025
Benita VanWinkle, an associate professor of art, completed her first book, “America’s Hometown Movie Theaters: Please Remain Standing,” …
Explore Studio Art at High Point University
See how HPU studio art ranks and where its graduates go next.
Accreditation & Awards Careers & Student Organizations
Questions about the program? Email Mark Brown, chair of the Department of Art and Graphic Design, at [email protected].