Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art is a four-year, 120 credit hour degree program. The first year is spent in foundations courses where students focus on the development of their creative and technical skills. After the foundation year, students can pursue the BFA in Visual Art degree that encompasses Drawing/Painting, Expanded Media, Printmaking, and Sculpture or select to concentrate in several degree concentration areas listed below.
B.F.A. Ceramics
B.F.A. Metalsmithing/Jewelry
B.F.A. Textiles/Fibers
B.F.A. Visual Art Education
The intent is for students to explore a variety of mediums in order to determine how they would like to focus their advanced studies. In addition, fundamental concepts and strategies of artmaking are reinforced, even as new techniques and approaches from various disciplines are introduced.
First-Year Preparation
The first year foundations courses for the B.F.A., B.A., and B.A.E. degree include 10 hours of foundations studio, 6 hours of English, and 6 hours of Art History coursework.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| English | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Reading and Writing | 3 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval | 3 |
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary | 3 |
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of Admissions website.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art Degree Requirements
The Department of Visual Art offers the B.F.A. in Visual Art, including the areas of Ceramics, Drawing, Expanded Media, Metalsmithing/Jewelry, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textiles/Fibers, and Visual Art Education. A total of 120 hours is required for the degree, including 45 junior/senior hours (courses numbered 300 or higher). 30 of these 45 junior/senior hours must be taken in residence at the University of Kansas. In addition to the 10-hour foundations requirement, a minimum of 51 hours in departmental courses is required, including 2 semesters of Senior Seminar (except the Visual Art Education concentration).
The Department of Visual Art reserves the right to retain examples of student work and to use images of student work on internet websites and for university publication purposes.
B.F.A. Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations Studies | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 101 is a required course, BDS 103 accepted only for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 103 is a required course, BDS 101 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval Fall Only | 3 |
| or HA 100 | Introduction to Western Art History | |
| HA 150 is a required course, HA 100 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary Spring Only | 3 |
| Non-Western History of Art | 3 | |
| BFA General students must choose one of the following to cover Non-Western Art History. | ||
| The Visual Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| African Design | ||
| Art History 1900-1945 | 3 | |
| BFA General students must choose one of the following courses covering Art History from 1900-1945: | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| Modern Sculpture | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art History 1945 - Present | 3 | |
| BFA General students must choose one of the following courses covering Art History from 1945-present: | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| Modern Sculpture | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Art From 1945 to the 1980s: Modernism to Post-Modernism | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
Electives
- Additional credit hours of general electives are needed to meet the minimum total hours required for graduation.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Art Core Courses | 15 | |
| Select 5 courses from 5 of the following 7 listed options. The Fundamental (100 level) courses can be taken concurrently with other 200+ level courses in any studio area. | ||
| Painting | ||
| Fundamentals of Painting | ||
or any PNTG course | ||
| Printmaking | ||
| Fundamentals of Printmaking | ||
or any PRNT course | ||
| Sculpture | ||
| Fundamentals of Sculpture | ||
or any SCUL course | ||
| Expanded Media | ||
| Fundamentals of Expanded Media | ||
or any EXM course | ||
| Ceramics | ||
| Fundamentals of Ceramics | ||
or any CER course | ||
| Metalsmithing / Jewelry | ||
| Fundamentals of Metalsmithing/Jewelry | ||
or any METL course | ||
| Textiles / Fibers | ||
| Fundamentals of Fibers | ||
or any TD course | ||
| Visual Art Required Electives | ||
| Satisfied by 18 hours selected from the Visual Art Department (ART, CER, DRWG, EXM, METL, PNTG, PRNT, SCUL, TD, VAE) | 18 | |
| Studio Electives | ||
| Satisfied by 9 hours of studio coursework selected from any course with the following subject code - ART, CER, EXM, METL, PNTG, PRNT, SCUL, TD | 9 | |
| Senior Studio Requirements | ||
| Prerequisite: 30 hours of studio art courses. | ||
| ART 540 | Professional Activities Seminar (this course is recommended in the third year) | 3 |
| ART 650 | Senior Seminar I | 3 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| ART 660 | Senior Seminar II | 3 |
Ceramics Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations Studies | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 101 is a required course, BDS 103 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 103 is a required course, BDS 101 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval Fall Only | 3 |
| or HA 100 | Introduction to Western Art History | |
| HA 150 is a required course, HA 100 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary Spring Only | 3 |
| Non-Western History of Art | 3 | |
| The Visual Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture in Africa | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| African Design | ||
| History of Ceramics | ||
| Art History Elective (Upper Level) | 3 | |
| Select any 300+ level HA course | ||
Electives Additional credit hours of general electives are needed to meet the minimum total hours required for graduation.
Major Requirements - Ceramics Concentration
The ceramics concentration requires 51 major hours, including a minimum of 24 junior/senior hours in the major, a minimum of 15 major hours in residence, and a minimum 2.0 KU junior/senior grade-point average in the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramics | ||
| ART 131 | Fundamentals of Ceramics | 3 |
| or CER 208 | Ceramics I | |
| CER 301 | Concepts and Methods: Wheel Throwing | 3 |
| CER 302 | Concepts & Methods: Hand Building | 3 |
| CER 402 | Mold Making and Slip Casting | 3 |
| CER 403 | Advanced Topics in Ceramics | 3 |
| CER 504 | Kilns | 3 |
| CER 505 | Clay and Glaze Formulation | 3 |
| CER 515 | Advanced Ceramics I | 3 |
| CER 520 | Advanced Ceramics II | 3 |
| Studio Electives | ||
| Satisfied by 15 hours of studio coursework selected from any course with the following subject code - ART, CER, EXM, METL, PNTG, PRNT, SCUL, TD | 15 | |
| Senior Studio Requirements | ||
| ART 540 | Professional Activities Seminar | 3 |
| ART 650 | Senior Seminar I | 3 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| ART 660 | Senior Seminar II | 3 |
Metalsmithing/Jewelry Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Studies | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 101 is a required course, BDS 103 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 103 is a required course, BDS 101 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval Fall Only | 3 |
| or HA 100 | Introduction to Western Art History | |
| HA 150 is a required course, HA 100 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary Spring Only | 3 |
| Non-Western History of Art | 3 | |
| The Visual Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture in Africa | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| African Design | ||
| Art History Electives (Upper Level) | 6 | |
| Select 6 hours of 300+ HA coursework (excluding HA 300) . Metalsmithing/Jewelry students may take METL 504: A History of Jewlery for 3 hours credit. | ||
Electives Additional credit hours of general electives are needed to meet the minimum total hours required for graduation.
Major Requirements - Metalsmithing/Jewelry Concentration
The metalsmithing/jewelry concentration requires 51 major hours, including a minimum of 30 junior/senior hours in the major, a minimum of 15 major hours in residence, and a minimum 2.0 KU junior/senior grade-point average in the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Metalsmithing/Jewelry | ||
| ART 132 | Fundamentals of Metalsmithing/Jewelry | 3 |
| METL 301 | Introduction to Casting for Jewelry | 3 |
| METL 360 | Holloware | 3 |
| METL 362 | Metalsmithing | 3 |
| METL 363 | Intermediate Jewelry | 3 |
| METL 364 | Enameling | 3 |
| METL 515 | Advanced Metals I | 3 |
| METL 520 | Advanced Metals II | 3 |
| Studio Electives | ||
| Satisfied by completing 18 hours of studio coursework selected from any course with the following subject code - ART, CER, EXM, METL, PNTG, PRNT, SCUL, TD | 18 | |
| Senior Studio Requirements | ||
| ART 540 | Professional Activities Seminar | 3 |
| ART 650 | Senior Seminar I | 3 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| ART 660 | Senior Seminar II | 3 |
Textiles/Fibers Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations Studies | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 101 is a required course, BDS 103 is only accepted for students transferring into the depatment | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 103 is a required course, BDS 101 is only accepted for students transferring into the depatment | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval Fall Only | 3 |
| or HA 100 | Introduction to Western Art History | |
| HA 150 is a required course, HA 100 is only accepted for students transferring into the depatment | ||
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary Spring Only | 3 |
| Non-Western History of Art | 3 | |
| The Visual Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture in Africa | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| African Design | ||
| Art History Elective (Upper Level) | 3 | |
| Select from any 300+ HA course | ||
Major Requirements - Textiles/Fibers Concentration
The textiles/fibers concentration requires 51 major hours, including a minimum of 30 junior/senior hours in the major, a minimum of 15 major hours in residence, and a minimum 2.0 KU junior/senior grade-point average in the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Textiles/Fibers Courses | ||
| ART 133 | Fundamentals of Fibers | 3 |
| TD 313 | Fiber Forms | 3 |
| TD 314 | Introduction to Weaving | 3 |
| TD 315 | Textile Handprinting and Resist Processes | 3 |
| TD 316 | Screenprinting Textiles | 3 |
| TD 515 | Advanced Textiles/Fibers I | 3 |
| TD 520 | Advanced Textiles/Fibers II | 3 |
| Intermediate / Advanced Textiles Electives | 6 | |
| Weave Structures | ||
| Techniques in Weaving | ||
| Intermediate Textile Printing | ||
| Surface Design | ||
| Advanced Fiber Forms | ||
| Advanced Techniques in Weaving | ||
| Studio Electives | ||
| Satisfied by 15 hours of studio coursework selected from any course with the following subject code - ART, CER, EXM, METL, PNTG, PRNT, SCUL, TD | 15 | |
| Senior Studio Requirements | ||
| ART 540 | Professional Activities Seminar | 3 |
| ART 650 | Senior Seminar I | 3 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| ART 660 | Senior Seminar II | 3 |
Visual Art Education Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Studies | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 101 is a required course, BDS 103 accepted only for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 103 is a required course, BDS 101 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar (May be waived with advisor recommendation for transfer students or students who have completed 30 credits in residence at KU) | 1 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval Fall Only | 3 |
| HA 150 is a required course, HA 100 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary Spring Only | 3 |
| Non-Western History of Art | 3 | |
| BFA students must choose one of the following to cover Non-Western Art History. | ||
| The Visual Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| African Design | ||
| Art History 1900-1945 | 3 | |
| BFA students must choose one of the following courses covering Art History from 1900-1945: | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| Modern Sculpture | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art History 1945 - present | 3 | |
| BFA students must choose one of the following courses covering Art History from 1945-present: | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| Modern Sculpture | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Art From 1945 to the 1980s: Modernism to Post-Modernism | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
Major Requirements - Visual Art Education Concentration
The Visual Art Education concentration requires 43 studio hours and 42 art education hours, including a minimum of 30 junior/senior hours in the major, a minimum of 15 major hours in residence, and a minimum 2.75 KU junior/senior grade-point average in the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Coursework | 15 | |
| 15 credits taken at the 100-200 level | ||
| Six credits of PNTG, PRNT, or TD courses | ||
| Six credits of CER, METL, or SCUL courses | ||
| Three credits of EXM or PHTO courses (Photography based EXM courses may be used with approval of the department) | ||
| Jr/Sr Studio Coursework | 18 | |
| 18 credits of ART, DRWG, PNTG, PRNT, CER, SCUL, METL, TD, EXM, or PHTO courses taken at the 300 level and above | ||
| Professional Preparation in Art Education | ||
| VAE 320 | Instruction and Curriculum I | 3 |
| VAE 395 | Community Collaborations in Art Education | 3 |
| VAE 430 | Curriculum and Teaching Processes in Art Education | 5 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| VAE 500 | Student Teaching | 9 |
| or VAE 599 | Community Based Project in Art Education | |
| Licensure Coursework | ||
| ELPS 250 | Education and Society | 3 |
| C&T 235 | Cultural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in K-12 Schools | 3 |
| C&T 301 | Educational Technology in Elementary-Middle Education | 3 |
| or C&T 302 | Educational Technology in Middle/Secondary Education | |
| EPSY 306 | Development and Learning of the Adolescent | 3 |
| or ABSC 160 | Introduction to Child Behavior and Development | |
| SPED 326 | Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth in General Education | 3 |
| C&T 359 | Literacy in the Content Areas | 1 |
| ELPS 537 | The Governance and Organization of Schools | 3 |
| EPSY 320 | Basics of Classroom Assessment | 1 |
| EPSY 520 | Classroom Assessment | 2 |
Sample 4-year plans for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art can be found here: BFA in Visual Art, concentration in Ceramics, concentration in Metalsmithing/Jewelry, concentration in Textile/Fibers, concentration in Visual Art Education or by using the left-side navigation.