The BA in Art and Visual Culture with a concentration in Studio Art integrates studio art practice with a broad-based, well-rounded liberal arts education that includes a minor as well as intermediate proficiency in a language other than English. This degree is designed for students who want a variety of studio art experiences but whose interests also encompass academic disciplines related to or outside the visual arts. BA Studio Art graduates are well prepared to work or continue their studies in a variety of arts-related fields, such as studio art, art therapy, expressive arts, media studies, arts management, and library science.
Studio Art offers two different degree programs: the BA in Art & Visual Culture with a concentration in Studio Art (no candidacy portfolio review) and the BFA in Studio Art (candidacy portfolio review required).
Studio Art Media Areas
Students in either degree program can take classes in any of our studio areas: Clay, Fibers, Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design, Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, and Sculpture.
Portfolio Review
The BA program does not require a portfolio review.
Studio Art Program Comparison
| BA in Art & Visual Culture with a concentration in Studio Art | BFA in Studio Art | |
|---|---|---|
| Declare studio area? | No | Yes (Clay, Fibers, Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design, Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, or Sculpture) |
| Minor required? | Yes | No |
| Language other than English required? | Yes | No |
| Portfolio candidacy review? | No | Yes, prior to enrolling in any 3000-level studio art courses or ART 3015 (Sophomore/Junior Seminar) |
| For transfer students: Recommend transfer after 30 hours? | Yes, ideally | Yes, definitely |
| For transfer students: Possible to graduate in two years after completing AA degree? | Yes, with strategic distribution of courses amongst major, minor, and language | Technically yes, but extremely difficult and with very heavy studio course loads |
Senior Capstone
ART 4310 – Advanced Studio Art
This course will serve as the capstone experience for Art and Visual Culture majors concentrating in Studio Art. Students will create a body of work of their own design which reflects the culmination of their creative practice as an undergraduate. Special attention will be given to refining the formal, technical and conceptual aspects of each student’s creative practice through relevant readings, oral presentations, class discussions, and critique.
Dissect, Dissent: The Art of Punk Feminism
Rachel Cecilia Merritt’s exhibition confronts themes of patriarchal control, period poverty, and sexual harassment through the lens of punk feminist empowerment. Using crochet, soft sculpture, basketry, and other multimedia forms, Merritt transforms rebellion into a healing, expressive force—inviting viewers to find catharsis, question conformity, and draw strength from creative resistance.