Fine Arts Bachelors Degree Programs BFA Pennsylvania

Join the ranks of the global creative class with a degree in fine arts.

Learn how to become a creative thinker at PennWest California. As an undergraduate fine arts major, you will learn the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in the changing workforce of the future.

Through studio art classes you will gain a mastery of various art forms, studio techniques, tools and materials, as well as training in post-studio practices. Seminar and lecture courses will a strengthen your visual literacy and art historical knowledge of contemporary themes and artists.

PennWest California's Bachelor of Fine Arts is a professional degree that prepares you for a wide range of art, art-related and creative careers. In this program, you will prepare a strong artist's portfolio in order to gain entry to top graduate schools, leading to more specific skills in the fine arts and design world.

Discover PennWest California's collaborative environment.

Participate in hands-on learning as you explore craft, technology and design in studio art courses led by professors who are active artists.

Take advanced-level courses in digital arts, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, drawing and jewelry/metals.

Thrive in a college degree program that fosters close collaboration and individual attention.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS

Top Accreditation: PennWest California's bachelor of fine arts degree aligns with top standards for undergraduate art programs and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Experiential Education: Visit galleries and museums, as well as major art venues in cities such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New York and Washington, D.C. PennWest California's art program hosts workshops and lectures by notable artists, as well as trips each semester for students to experience firsthand the art and architecture they are studying in class.

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Our professors are members of top regional, national and international art associations, including Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, College Arts Association (CAA), National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), and more.

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Our professors are members of top regional, national and international art associations, including Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, College Arts Association (CAA), National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), and more.

Learn the skills employers value most. In this program you will:

Develop a professional portfolio of artistic work. Strengthen critical thinking, problem solving, time management, communication and presentation skills. Learn to work independently and collaborate with others. Master an artistic medium of your choice with six advanced concentration courses. Gain competence in a second artistic area with four advanced minor courses. Participate in art-related internships that help you graduate career-ready.

Graduate Outcomes

Study at the New York Academy of Art. Teach in Pennsylvania schools and throughout the United States. Win full scholarships to M.F.A. programs. Work as freelance illustrators. Show and sell their artwork in galleries, jewelry stores and elsewhere. Open their own art-related businesses. Work in art outreach programs and various art-related arts organizations.

Art: Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

Vulcan Hall art studio at PennWest California.

Dedicated Facilities

PennWest California's bachelor of fine arts students work in dedicated facilities such as a two-story painting studio; fully equipped ceramic, jewelry/metals, drawing and printmaking studios; and state-of-the-art computer labs.

What Can I Do with A Fine Arts Degree?

Meet PennWest California fine arts alumnus Joe Mruk, '10. He's currently working as a freelance illustrator in Pittsburgh, creating illustrations for bands, music venues, record labels and small businesses. He's also worked at The Andy Warhol Museum and has led art courses for children and young adults.

On-Campus Student Arts Club

Show and promote your art with Associate Artists - PennWest California's student organization that collaborates with other independent and college-affiliated art groups in nearby Pennsylvania counties. The group provides networking opportunities, career development programs in the fine arts and art education, gallery management training, and club-sponsored trips.

Other clubs include:
Ceramics Club
Art Education Club
Vulcan Metals - Jewelry and metalsmithing club

Art - Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Courses

This 4-year bachelor's degree program prepares students for a career as an artist or art professional. Students hone technical expertise by completing18 credits in one advanced-level studio as an area of emphasis, as well as 12 credits in one advanced-level studio area as a minor area.

Curriculum

Course	Credits
General Education Courses	40 or 41
Building a Sense of Community UNI 100 First-Year Seminar	1
Composition ENG 101 English Composition I	3
Public Speaking Any Public Speaking Course	3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy Any Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy Course	3
Health and Wellness Any Health and Wellness Course	3
Technological Literacy Any Technological Literacy Course*	3
Humanities Any Humanities Course**	3
Fine Arts Any Fine Arts Course***	3
Natural Sciences Any Natural Sciences Course	3
Social Sciences Any Social Sciences Course	3
General Education Options Any Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis Course Additional General Education Courses (three courses)	12

Laboratory Course	3
Any Laboratory Course (ART 233 Natural Sciences Drawing OR ART 130 may be used here)	3

Required Major Courses	33
ART 110 Drawing I	3
ART 119 Design 2-D	3
ART 120 Design 3-D	3
ART 310 Advanced Drawing OR ART 438 Figure Drawing	3
ART 350 Printmaking: Relief OR ART 351 Printmaking: Intaglio OR ART 295 Surface Design OR ART 352 Printmaking Processes	3
ART 376 Jewelry/Metals: Casting OR ART 377 Jewelry/Metals: Fabrication	3
ART 382 Ceramics Studio	3
ART 383 Painting Studio	3
ART 385 Sculpture Studio	3
ART 388 Critical Writing in Art	3
ART 490 Senior Studio Thesis	3

Required Art History Courses	12
Select one of the following: ART 212 Art History I AND ART 214 Art History II ART 106 Art Appreciation	3 or 6
Select two to three courses from the following: ART 109 Landmarks of World Art ART 118 History of Making ART 212 Art History I ART 214 Art History II ARB 343 Images of Islam: From Spain to Iran ART 244 Seminar in Black Art ART 243 Introduction to Asian Art ART 323 Women in Art ART 324 Modern Art ART 326 Contemporary Art ART 345 Methods of Art History ART 420 Contemporary Issues in Art ART 422 Art History: The Art World After Modernism	6 or 9

Area of Emphasis (select one concentration)	18
Single Studio Area Concentration: Students complete 18 upper-level credits in any single ART studio area, including ART 329 and 490. Drawing Studio: ART 130, 233 310, 438, 458, 490 and 329 Painting Studio: ART 215, 383, 496, 490 and 329 Figure Studies Studio: ART 438, 448, 458, 490 and 329 Printmaking Studio: ART 295, 350, 351, 352, 490 and 329 Jewelry/Metals Studio: 376, 377, 490 and 329 Ceramics Studio: ART 382, 493, 490 and 329 Sculpture Studio: ART 385, 448, 458, 498, 490 and 329 Graphic Design Studio: ART 261, 262, 327, 427, 490, 329; and CDC 120, 150, 210, 220, 310, 350, 497	0 or 18
2 Dimensional Concentration: Students complete 18 credits in any combination of the following courses: ART 130 Biological Illustration: Form and Function ART 227 Graphic Design Studio I ART 233 Natural Science Drawing ART 262 Color Theory ART 266 Selected Topics ART 295 Surface Design ART 310 Advanced Drawing ART 312 Introduction to New and Emerging Art Media ART 315 Digital Immersive Worlds ART 329 Art Internship ART 350 Printmaking: Relief ART 351 Printmaking: Intaglio ART 352 Printmaking Processes ART 383 Painting Studio ART 438 Figure Drawing ART 458 Figure Drawing and Modeling ART 490 Senior Studio Thesis ART 496 Advanced Painting	0 or 18
3 Dimensional Concentration: Students complete 18 credits in any combination of the following courses: ART 118 History of Making ART 266 Selected Topics ART 329 Art Internship ART 376 Jewelry-Metals: Casting ART 377 Jewelry/Metals: Fabrication ART 382 Ceramics Studio ART 385 Sculpture Studio ART 448 Figure Modeling ART 458 Figure Drawing and Modeling ART 490 Senior Studio Thesis ART 493 Advanced Ceramics ART 498 Advanced Sculpture	0 or 18
Digital Media Concentration: Students complete 18 credits from the following courses: ART 127 Introduction to Graphic Design ART 315 Digital Immersive Worlds ART 261 Typography ART 262 Color Theory ART 266 Selected Topics ART 227 Graphic Design Studio 1+ ART 329 Art Internship ART 427 Graphic Design Studio 3 ART 428 Graphic Design Studio 4 ART 490 Senior Studio Thesis CDC 120 Visual Communication 1 CDC 252 The Art of Film CDC 150 Imagine, Design, Create CDC 210 Special Topics in Communication, Design and Culture CDC 220 Visual Culture CDC 310 Seminar in Communication, Design and Culture DMT 101 Time-Based Media DMT 180 Multimedia Foundations DMT 225 Digital Layout and Design DMT 240 Electronic Desktop Publishing DMT 300 Digital Photography DMT 320 Digital Video DMT 331 Web Publishing DMT 340 Computer Animation and 3-D Imaging DMT 365 Color Imaging DMT 410 Digital Portfolio DMT 945 Graphic Communications Internship GET 130 Introduction to Engineering Technology CIS 120 Application Programming I	0 or 18

Art Electives	9
Select any three ART courses	9

Free Electives	3 to 5

Total	120

Additional requirements, not counted toward the General Education requirements, include:

Special Experience Course (1 course required): ART 490 Senior Studio Thesis
Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): ART 388 Critical Writing in Art AND ART 490 Senior Studio Thesis
Laboratory Course (1 course required): Any Laboratory Course (ART 233 Natural Science Drawing OR ART 130 Biological Illustration may be used here.)

* DMT 180 is a pre-requisite for many digital media courses and is recommended for students who plan to take digital media courses.

** Students are encouraged to consider taking courses in art, music, theatre, philosophy or languages related to their interests.

*** ART courses may be used here.

+ Pre-requisites for ART 227 (Graphic Design Studio I) include ART 120, CDC 120, ART 261 and ART 262, and students must pass a Portfolio Review in February of their sophomore year, which admits only selected students to the two-year junior-and-senior-year cohort of Graphic Design Studios 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Program Notes:

35% (42 credits/14 courses) of the required 120 credits must include upper-division courses (300-400 level).
All art studio courses 300 level and above are repeatable.
Requirements in Major: Students must complete 18 credits in one of the four listed concentrations as an area of emphasis.
Students are eligible and advised to declare a Certificate in Studio Art. If planning to pursue an MFA in Art, they should complete four courses in a single studio area for their Certificate in Studio Art.
Students preferring additional free electives may make room to do so by meeting general education course requirements with courses listed on the general education menus from their major.
Graduation Requirements: Minimum GPA - 2.0; Minimum Credits - 120; all major and general educations courses completed.
Academic Advisement: Consult your adviser to discuss your appropriate schedule and all other issues relating to your major.
Graduation: Students must apply during the first month of their last semester with the College Office.
Additional Reminders: Developmental courses do not count toward the 120 credits necessary for graduation but are calculated in your overall GPA.

Art

Majors

Bachelor of Arts in Art Program
A bachelor's degree program for students who want to study art and art history in a wide range of artistic mediums.
Bachelor of Science in Art Education Program
A concentration for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in education who want to teach art in elementary middle or high schools.

Minors

Studio Art Minor in Drawing
Studio Art Minor in Ceramics
Studio Art Minor in Jewelry/Metals
Studio Art Minor in Painting
Studio Art Minor in Printmaking
Studio Art Minor in Sculpture
General Art Major

Art Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

About Bachelor of Fine Arts