Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Art

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in Art is awarded in recognition of successful completion of prolonged and intensive studio coursework with supportive studies in art history and criticism. The final two years of study include a specialized area of study in one of the following: ceramics, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture. The University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Transfer students who wish to receive credit for upper-division art courses taken at another institution should present a portfolio of work to the department before the registration period. This portfolio should consist of 10 original examples or two-inch by two-inch slides or a CD/DVD digital portfolio of work from upper-division studio courses taken at other institutions.

Most students will fulfill the requirements for this degree with 120 semester credit hours, of which 42 hours are Core Curriculum requirements. Due to the large number of major courses in the B.F.A. degree, full-time art students should enroll in two studio art courses, one art history and criticism course, and one or two Core Curriculum courses each semester. Art majors in the B.F.A. program should request an appointment with the undergraduate advisor for art programs before all enrollment periods. In order to complete all B.F.A. degree requirements in a timely fashion, both full-time and part-time art students should register every term for twice as many credits in their major course requirements as in Core Curriculum courses. Students seeking teacher certification should consult the College of Education and Human Development Advising and Certification Center.

All candidates for the degree must complete 63 semester credit hours of art (ART) and 18 semester credit hours of art history and criticism (AHC).

Core Curriculum Requirements (42 semester credit hours)
Students seeking the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner as other students. The courses listed below satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements; however, if these courses are taken to satisfy both requirements, then students may need to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree. For a complete listing of courses that satisfy the Core Curriculum requirements, see pages 3-5 of this catalog.

AHC  1113, AHC  1123, or AHC  1133 may be used to satisfy the core requirement in Visual and Performing Arts as well as a major requirement.

Major Requirements

1. 39 semester credit hours of specifically required lower-division studio art and art history foundation courses completed as part of the first 60 hours of the curriculum:
   
   AHC  1113  Survey of Art and Architecture from Prehistoric Times to 1350*
   AHC  1123  Survey of Art and Architecture in Europe and the New World from 1350 to 1750*
   AHC  1133  Survey of Modern Art*
   ART  1003  Two Dimensional Foundations*
   ART  1013  Three Dimensional Foundations*
   ART  1213  Drawing I*
   ART  1223  Drawing II*
   ART  2113  Painting: Basic
   ART  2223  New Media: Basic
   ART  2313  Photography: Basic
   ART  2413  Printmaking: Basic
   ART  2613  Sculpture: Basic
   ART  2713  Ceramics: Basic
   
   *A grade of “C-” or better must be earned in these courses to satisfy the prerequisites for subsequent courses in the Art major.
   
   
2. 21 semester credit hours of upper-division art courses, including:
   
   ART  3033  Contemporary Studio: Concepts and Practice
   ART  4983  Senior Seminar and Exhibition
   
   15 semester credit hours of upper-division art courses in one of the following specialized areas of study: ceramics, drawing, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture.
   
   
3. 9 additional semester credit hours of upper-division art history and criticism courses:
   
   AHC  3113  Contemporary Art
   
   AND
   
   6 elective hours of upper-division art history and criticism courses. The AHC course prefix must precede course numbers for all classes used to fulfill these degree requirements with the exception that students may substitute a specific course in the philosophy of art or a humanities course with a strong art history component for one (3 semester credit hours) upper-division art history course with consent of the undergraduate advisor for art programs.
   
   
4. 12 additional semester credit hours of art course electives are required, at least 9 hours of which must be upper-division (the ART course prefix must precede course numbers for all classes used to fulfill these degree requirements).

Note: For the B.F.A. degree in Art, the major grade point average is calculated using only ART and AHC courses.

Course Sequence Guide for B.F.A. Degree in Art

This course sequence guide is designed to assist students in completing their UTSA undergraduate Art degree requirements. This is merely a guide and students must satisfy other requirements of this catalog and meet with advisors in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Advising Center for individualized degree plans. Progress within this guide depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation, student time management, work obligations, and individual financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during Summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art – Four-Year Academic Plan

FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall		Spring
AHC 1113* (core and major)	3	AHC 1123*	3
ART 1003*	3	ART 1013*	3
ART 1213*	3	ART 1223*	3
WRC 1013 (core)	3	WRC 1023 (core)	3
Mathematics core	3	Natural Sciences Level I core	3
Total semester hours	15	Total semester hours	15
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall		Spring
AHC 1133*	3	ART 2223	3
ART 2113	3	ART 2313	3
ART 2413	3	HIS 1043, 1053, or 2053 (core)	3
ECO 2003, 2013, or 2023 (core)	3	Social & Behavioral Science core	3
Natural Sciences Level II core	3	Upper-division ART specialization	3
Total semester hours	15	Total semester hours	15
JUNIOR YEAR
Fall		Spring
AHC 3113	3	ART 2713	3
ART 2613	3	POL 1133 or 1213 (core)	3
HIS 1043, 1053, or 2053 (core)	3	Upper-division AHC elective	3
POL 1013 (core)	3	Upper-division ART elective	3
Upper-division ART specialization	3	Upper-division ART specialization	3
Total semester hours	15	Total semester hours	15
SENIOR YEAR
Fall		Spring
ART 3033	3	ART 4893	3
Literature core	3	ART Elective	3
Upper-division AHC elective	3	Upper-division ART elective	3
Upper-division ART elective	3	Upper-division ART specialization	3
Upper-division ART specialization	3	World Society & Issues core	3
Total semester hours	15	Total semester hours	15

* Must be completed with a grade of “C-” or better.

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