The BFA degree requires 82 hours in art and is considered the professional degree in art. The BFA in Fine Arts is divided into areas of studio emphases, which provide the individual student’s focus for their program. The Art and Design Department offers emphases in Drawing and Painting; Graphic Design; Printmaking; Photography; and Ceramics. All emphases in the BFA programs share the same requirements in General Education Curriculum and Art Core but vary in the Major Courses requirements (see below).
All incoming students who wish to enter the BFA programs of study will begin with a PRE designation until they enroll in and successfully complete ART 200 the Portfolio Review. The designations (“PRE-Fine Arts-St-Graphic)” for those wishing to pursue Graphic Design, and “PRE-Fine Arts-Studio Art” for those wishing to pursue Studio Art) serve to aid in advising and denotes what area of study the student is interested in pursuing. Freshman art students will be eligible after completing or in the semester in which they will complete their foundation art courses (ART 103 , ART 104 , ART 105 , ART 106 , ART 107 , ART 195 ). Students who have transferred all equivalent foundation courses listed above from other institutions will complete one full semester of coursework at The W before their Portfolio Review.
Portfolio Review:
All PRE Art students are required to enroll in ART 200 The Portfolio Review Course as well as submit a portfolio of work from foundation art courses to be reviewed by the art faculty. This review is essential to gauge students’ potential for success, evaluate their mastery of fundamental skills, and provide an opportunity for reflection through self-assessment, all of which are necessary in order to face the challenges of upper-level coursework.
Students will be advised the semester before they are eligible for the Portfolio Review to enroll in ART 200 and will be given more complete instructions at that time. If deferred, students are allowed to reapply only once to pass the Portfolio Review, and this reapplication must be in the student’s next semester at The W.
Exhibition Seminar:
All freshman, sophomore, and junior art majors are required to enter artwork in the Annual MUW Juried Student Exhibition. ART 199 Exhibition Seminar Exhibition Seminar, a zero-credit course, serves as record of participation with students graded as Pass/Fail. A student that fails the Exhibition Seminar will be required to exhibit work at an alternate location in order to have the grade changed to pass.
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