Visual Art, B.F.A.
The School of Art and Design offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Visual Art with areas of emphasis in studio art or graphic design. The B.F.A. is a pre-professional degree that prepares students to be studio artists, graphic designers, and dynamic creatives. Major requirements include a core of art foundations, history, and capstone, complemented by eleven studio courses in ceramics, fibers, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, and/or sculpture. Studio Art majors may choose to focus on one medium if desired.
Admissions Requirements
Prospective students who wish to apply for admission to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Visual Art must meet the general admission requirements for Marshall University.
Graduation Requirements
Minimum Grade Standard
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Visual Art are required to st complete all work in the major with a minimum grade of C. Course grades of D and F are not counted toward graduation requirements and must be replaced with a grade of C or better before graduation or before using that course as a prerequisite.
Candidates for graduation must have a Grade Point Average of 2.0 or higher in all work attempted at Marshall University.
Upper Division Credit Hours
A minimum of thirty-nine (39) credit hours must be earned in courses numbered 300-499.
Minimum Credit Hours
Students must earn at least 120 credit hours. No courses in the college and major requirements for graduation may be taken Credit/Non-Credit unless the course is so specified.
Course Requirements
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core I: Critical Thinking | ||
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Critical Thinking (MTH 121 Concepts & Applications (CT)) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Core II | ||
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| MTH 121 | Concepts and Applications (CT) | 3 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| Core II Natural/Physical Science | 4 | |
| Core II Social Science | 3 | |
| Additional University Requirements | ||
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Multicultural/International | 3 | |
| ART 498 | Senior Capstone Exhibition BFA | 3 |
BFA in Visual Art Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Art Core | ||
| ART 101 | Visual Culture and Research | 3 |
| ART 201 | History of Art I (CT) | 3 |
| ART 202 | History of Art II (CT) | 3 |
| ART 214 | Foundations: Grid/Chroma | 3 |
| ART 215 | Foundations: Form/Space | 3 |
| ART 217 | Foundations: Record/Layer | 3 |
| ART 218 | Foundations: Surface/Matrix | 3 |
| ART 219 | Foundations: Frame/Time | 3 |
| ART 298 | Foundations Review: BFA 1 | 1 |
| ART 389 | 20th Century Art | 3 |
| or ART 464 | History of Modern Design | |
| ART 390 | Professional Practice | 3 |
| ART 497 | Capstone Studio 2 | 3 |
| ART 498 | Senior Capstone Exhibition BFA | 3 |
| Total Art Core Credit Hours | 36 | |
| Area of Emphasis Requirements | 37–39 | |
| Electives Outside of Major | 13 | |
A minimum of 120 credit hours are required for this degree program.
- 1
After completing the required six foundation courses, students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts are required to present a portfolio of work for review by the Art and Design faculty. To do so, B.F.A. students must register for ART 298 Foundations Review: BFA before completing 21 credit hours in the Studio Art courses listed above. Successful completion of ART 298 Foundations Review: BFA is required and is a prerequisite for program advancement. Students who do not receive a passing grade of C in the Foundations Review and are within the studio art credit hour range listed above may apply for reconsideration. Students who have transferred within Marshall University will have two semesters to complete the courses listed above and participate in this review.
Foundations Courses
ART 101 Visual Culture and Research
ART 214 Foundations: Grid/Chroma
ART 215 Foundations: Form/Space
ART 217 Foundations: Record/Layer
ART 218 Foundations: Surface/Matrix
ART 219 Foundations: Frame/Time
- 2
A successful exhibition of creative work must be presented by all students during the senior year as a requirement for graduation. To do so, B.F.A. students must register for ART 497 Capstone Studio.
Semester Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| ART 101 | Visual Culture and Research | 3 |
| ART 214 | Foundations: Grid/Chroma | 3 |
| ART 217 | Foundations: Record/Layer | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| UNI 100 | Freshman First Class (Recommended) | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ART 215 | Foundations: Form/Space | 3 |
| ART 218 | Foundations: Surface/Matrix | 3 |
| ART 219 | Foundations: Frame/Time | 3 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| MTH 121 | Concepts and Applications (CT) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| ART 201 | History of Art I (CT) | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| Art Studio Elective | 3 | |
| Elective Outside of Major | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ART 202 | History of Art II (CT) | 3 |
| ART 298 | Foundations Review: BFA | 1 |
| Art Studio Elective | 3 | |
| Core II Humanities (WI) | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Elective Outside of Major | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Art Studio Elective | 3 | |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Elective Outside of Major | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ART 389 or ART 464 | 20th Century Art or History of Modern Design | 3 |
| ART 390 | Professional Practice | 3 |
| Core II Natural/Physical Science | 4 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| ART 498 | Senior Capstone Exhibition BFA | 3 |
| Art History Elective | 3 | |
| Art Studio Elective | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Core II Social Science (MC/I) | 3 | |
| Elective Outside of Major | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |