Art and Design (BFA)

BFA in Art and Design

The BFA in Art and Design offers three options that students can choose from within the major: a Graphic Design Option, an Art Option, or an Art Education option. 

The BFA in Art and Design: Graphic Design Option includes a core of Art and Art History Foundation courses, core graphic design courses and a cumulative Art and Design Capstone course. This degree helps students develop visual understanding, critical thinking and problem solving that will help them for a career in Graphic Design. 

          Learning Outcomes:  

• Learn foundational art and design skills. 
• Students are able to demonstrate expertise as visual communicators.
• Students are able to approach design problems through the integration of conceptual and practical aspects of the design process with critical acumen and creative innovation.
• Students develop projects through a combination and balance of both: a) skills developed toward conceptual analyzation, and b) skills in technical proficiency with digital software media.
• Students are able to engage in sustained research necessary to develop comprehensive corporate identity projects involving logo applications, packaging design, promotional and sales displays, publications, market analysis, client need analysis, comparison of competitors in the market, and target audience analysis.

The BFA in Art and Design: Art Option includes a core of Foundation courses, Art History courses, Upper-Level Focus Area Art courses and a cumulative Art and Design Capstone course. Within this degree option students can select from a variety of Art courses in Studio Art, Graphic Design, Art History and Art Education to build their own degree based on student interest in order to prepare them for a career within the Arts. 

         Learning Outcomes:  

• Prepare students for professional careers relating to Art and Design and beyond incorporating problem solving, creative thinking, and peer discussion and review
• Learn foundational art skills
• Develop an historical framework of fields in Art through contemporary Art History knowledge
• Learn to work in multiple medias with potential to choose focus area
• Cumulative Capstone that brings together students to discuss contemporary issues, ideas, in a peer review environment
• Develop Professional Development Skills (Integrate social media, web design, and marketing to promote a vision) 

The BFA in Art and Design: Art Education option incudes a core of Foundation courses, Art History courses, Art Education courses, and Studio courses designed to help the Art Education candidate to develop a broad range of skills for their future classrooms. Additionally, multiple classroom observation opportunities will occur formally throughout each year and will culminate in a full semester teaching internship in a K-12 school (split into two opportunities, K8 and then 9-12.)  

¹

Directions should total 16 credits because CTDI is waived for BFA.

The BFA in Art and Design offers three options that students can choose from within the major: Graphic Design Option, Art Education Option, or an Art Option. 

Graphic Design Option of BFA

The Graphic Design Option includes a core of Foundation courses, Art History courses, Upper-Level Graphic Design Courses (Focus Area), an Integrated Projects course, and a cumulative Art and Design capstone course.  The intent and focus of the Graphic Design option is to graduate students who demonstrate expertise as visual communicators. This option prepares students with a solid visual/educational experience by developing their capacity for critical thinking toward problem-solving, stimulating their creativity and imagination, and preparing them for a wide variety of jobs in graphic design.   

Art Education Option of BFA

Art Option of BFA

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

To complete the bachelor’s degree in 4 years, you must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits each semester or have a plan to make up credits over the course of the 4 years.  For example, if you take 14 credits one semester, you need to take 16 credits in another semester.  Credits completed must count toward your program requirements (major, option, minor, certificate, general education or free electives).

Required Option in this Major:

Graphic Design

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

¹

Directions should total 16 credits because CTDI is waived for BFA Art & Design.

Art

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

¹

Directions should total 16 credits because CTDI is waived for BFA Art & Design. 

Art Education  

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

¹

Directions should total 16 because CDTI is waived for BFA Art & Design.

Learning Outcomes for the BFA in Art and Design, Graphic Design Option:  

• Learn foundational art and design skills. 
• Students are able to demonstrate expertise as visual communicators.
• Students are able to approach design problems through the integration of conceptual and practical aspects of the design process with critical acumen and creative innovation.
• Students develop projects through a combination and balance of both: a) skills developed toward conceptual analyzation, and b) skills in technical proficiency with digital software media.
• Students are able to engage in sustained research necessary to develop comprehensive corporate identity projects involving logo applications, packaging design, promotional and sales displays, publications, market analysis, client need analysis, comparison of competitors in the market, and target audience analysis.

Learning Outcomes for the BFA in Art and Design, Art Option:  

• Prepare students for professional careers relating to Art and Design and beyond incorporating problem solving, creative thinking, and peer discussion and review
• Learn foundational art skills
• Develop an historical framework of fields in Art through contemporary Art History knowledge
• Learn to work in multiple medias with potential to choose focus area
• Cumulative Capstone that brings together students to discuss contemporary issues, ideas, in a peer review environment
• Develop Professional Development Skills (Integrate social media, web design, and marketing to promote a vision) 

1. Provide arts, pedagogical, curriculum, and assessment leadership and implement best practices in teaching, planning, and pedagogy in contemporary art education settings in a comprehensive art curriculum.
2. Analyze the developmental learning needs of students and class communities and address these needs in planning and pedagogical practice.
3. Participate in the school community, build on constructive criticism and self-reflection, advocate for arts education, develop team and community relationships, and work with curriculum and assessment at the program, school, district, and national levels.
4. Develop confidence, a distinct teaching voice, professional identity as an artist-educator and the active engagement in lifelong learning and ongoing professional development in the arts and education.
5. Demonstrate knowledge and ability in foundational to advanced studio processes, new media, tools, materials and safety, western and non-western art history, aesthetic theory, art criticism, the role of the arts in society and the development of a portfolio of personal artwork and recognition of exhibition/presentation opportunities.