Art

College of Arts and Sciences

1000 Fine Arts Center, 419-372-2786

Bachelor of Arts

The School of Art offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art with specializations in Studio and Digital Arts. This program is designed for those wishing to study studio art within a broad liberal arts context. The degree does not require a portfolio review for admission. For University requirements related to admission to the B.A. degree in Art, please consult the Academic Policies section of this catalog. No classes used in the major may be counted toward the minor. Students should consult with an advisor for guidance in selecting courses.

The School of Art also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Art History degree. This program is designed for those wishing to study art history within a broad liberal and studio arts context. The requirements for the B.A. in Art History degree, in addition to the general requirements listed in the Academic Policies section of this catalog, are the completion of 45 semester hours. No classes used in the major may be counted toward the minor. Students should consult with an art history faculty advisor for guidance in selecting courses.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in art are expected to:

Demonstrate basic technical abilities within studio media and/or scholarly abilities within art;
Engage in and apply scholarly and/or creative research in visual, written, and oral context;
Apply knowledge of art history, criticism, and theory to chosen field of study;
Demonstrate the ability to contextualize art experience within chosen field of study.

The Bachelor of Arts in Art specialization in Studio requires completion of three First Year Program courses, three 2000-level Studio courses, and four 3000- and 4000-level Studio courses. The specialization in Digital Arts requires completion of the three art foundation courses, ARTC 2210, and five Digital Arts courses at the 3000 and 4000 level (with at least one being at the 4000 level). All BA students in a studio-based specialization must take four courses in Art History, the BA capstone class, necessary elective hours from within the School of Art and/or the College of Arts and Sciences, and must complete a minor (usually 21 hours).

Art, Specializations in (45 hours) - minor required

    Studio Specialization - Fall 2020 course requirements
    Digital Arts Specialization - Fall 2020 course requirements

Art History (45 hours) - Fall 2020 course requirements

The Bachelor of Arts in Art History requires the completion of ARTH 1450, 1460, 2700, and 2900, plus six courses selected from three of the four areas of ARTH 3000-level offerings, and three courses selected from a group of four ARTH 4000-level offerings. Students will also take ARTH 4900 as well as one ART 1000-level studio course or ARTS elective. Art history majors must complete a minor (usually 21 hours).

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The School of Art offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree major in Studio, Art Education, Digital Arts, and Graphic Design.

Studio - Fall 2020 course requirements

The 75 credit hour Studio major engages with Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional disciplines: ceramics, drawing/painting, glass, jewelry/metals, photography, printmaking and sculpture. The association of multiple studio environments to earn the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree reflects contemporary art practices and affords students the opportunity to experience a variety of studios while supporting students who wish to focus in one area. The required course work offers a selection of five core courses from the seven areas, followed by seven electives at the intermediate and advanced level and three capstone courses. Four required courses in Art History contextualize the various studio experiences. Students are also encouraged to enroll in Digital Arts, Graphic Design or additional Studio courses as they consider options for the four remaining electives required for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Studio Degree.

Learning Outcomes for the Studio BFA Degree:

BFA graduates from the Studio Division of the BGSU School of Art will:

Apply studio and scholarly skills, both technically and discursively, at a level to be competitive in their chosen field
Demonstrate breadth and complexity of thought through creative problem solving in the studio, involving art historical and contemporary solutions
Reflect on and communicate ideas and concepts coherently and convincingly
Engage with community activities, projects and exhibitions where art practices are central to content and expression
Invest in the practice of professional attitudes and behavior

Graphic Design - Fall 2020 course requirements

Students may become Pre-Graphic Design (Pre-GD) candidates at any time during their academic program. Following successful completion of the School of Art BFA Portfolio Review and Art Foundation (FYP) courses (ART 1020, 1030, and 1120), pre-majors will take ARTD 2010 and 2020. Required components of the degree include successful completion of an Internship and a Senior Thesis, the latter being a three-semester self-guided experience, initiated during one's Junior year in the program. All transfer students interested in the BFA in Graphic Design degree program will be designated as Pre-Graphic Design candidate by default, until such time that they have successfully completed the School of Art BFA Portfolio Review, and above coursework. Upper-level (3000- and 4000-level) ARTD courses are rarely accepted as transferred and equivalent program course credit, resulting in a minimum of four semesters (typically two years) in the program.

Learning Outcomes for the Graphic Design BFA Degree:

Identify and analyze social challenges through the study and application of design thinking, innovative problem solving and integrative design practices;
Demonstrate knowledge of visual literacy;
Demonstrate conceptual skills to inquire, interpret and illustrate an idea for an unknown audience via empathetic and iterative processes through visual thinking of sketching, prototyping, and implementation;
Exhibit skills in team building, collaboration, storytelling and intervention design as well as developing community partnerships along with a professional work ethic;
Demonstrate knowledge of graphic design related tools for application of practices and processes of the industry;
Apply both verbal and visual presentation skills; and
Research, debate and critique complex social problems.

Digital Arts - Fall 2020 course requirements

The Digital Arts division in the School of Art offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Digital Arts with specializations in several possible areas of focus. Students choosing the Digital Arts major can choose to focus on one or more of the following tracks, selecting the courses that best fit their academic goals. The Digital Arts Division offers coursework in 3D modeling and animation, video art, imaging and interactive media.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree in Digital Arts, students are expected to:

Approach digital art as a studio art discipline, within a broader understanding of popular culture and new media arts;
Develop the problem solving skills to succeed and move forward in a constantly evolving field;
Demonstrate an understanding of the history of new media and how to contextualize their practice within that field;
Demonstrate the ability to independently and pro-actively research and problem solve;
Through the senior capstone experience, demonstrate the ability to apply scholarly and/or creative research in visual, written, and oral context;
Create a body of work that shows their technical, artistic, and conceptual skills and is competitive with their peers in digital arts;
Develop the work ethic, creativity, curiosity, collaborative spirit, and critical self-reflection necessary for ongoing growth in a constantly evolving field of digital arts.

Art Education - Fall 2020 course requirements

As the integration of 2D and 3D media manifests within contemporary art and design making approaches, art education majors participate with multiple studio environments that contribute to building diverse knowledge and adaptable arts-related skills. Supporting the diverse needs of today's PK-12 visual arts learners which include providing a curriculum that aligns with State and National Visual Arts Teaching Standards, students in art education learn about child development, community arts education, and the various issues related to teaching art and visual culture. The Division of Art Education employs several teaching methods, engaging technologies, and numerous studio art media. The required coursework broadens the potential for art education majors' own multimedia studio art practices as well as those of their future students.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Art Education baccalaureate degree, students are expected to:

Examine the relationship and influence of the visual arts in social, historical, cultural, and aesthetic contexts;
Demonstrate proficiency in technical, conceptual, and critical abilities within studio media;
Plan and teach art curricula, based on theories of child development and first-hand experience with individual students, for pre-kindergarten through young adult learners;
Design art curricula that reflect the purposes of art education, the breadth of art, and the goals of a general education;
Demonstrate critical and reflective thinking, oral and written communication abilities, and management skills; and
Exhibit professional behavior when working with students, parents, other educators, and community members.

Minor, Art (21 hours)