Visual Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts (514P, 514)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/art
Program Coordinator
Kristina E. Arnold, kristina.arnold@wku.edu, (270) 745-3944
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is the initial professional degree sought for careers in visual arts and design. The Department of Art & Design offers four concentrations. The BFA in Studio concentration prepares students for a professional studio practice through rigorous artistic and academic experience. It is also the standard requirement for entrance into Masters of Fine Arts degree programs, the most common route to teaching studio art at the college level. The BFA Graphic Design concentration prepares students for careers in the visual communications field, including web design, print design, illustration, and new media. The Animation concentration prepares students for careers in fields such as animation and game design, and for professional arts practices in time-based media. The UX Design concentration prepares students for fields that incorporate interactive platform design and function.
Concentrations begin with a foundation of drawing, 2-D design, 3-D design, and art history surveys. Students then focus on a specific curricular sequence of interest to them: animation, graphic design, studio art (ceramics, printmaking, painting, sculpture, weaving), or UX design. Portfolio and seminar classes serve as the capstone experiences for BFA students in each concentration, where personal concepts and technical proficiency typically yield a cohesive body of work or competitive professional portfolio. In each concentration, the goal for the BFA student is to forge a professional practice in their chosen area.
Concentrations
- Graphic Design (ARGD)
- Studio (ARST)
- Animation (ARAN)
- User Experience Design (ARUX)
Program Requirements (79 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The major requires 79 semester hours of study. Entry into the BFA in Visual Arts program may be accomplished in one of two ways: have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in art and art history courses to include: ART 105 or ART 106, ART 130, ART 131, ART 140, a basic studio course at the 200-level, and an upper-level 300 studio course, or have a minimum GPA of 2.5 for these same courses and pass a department portfolio review conducted by a faculty committee. Transfer students will be required to meet the second of these two options. Any student denied entrance in their initial portfolio review and having less than 36 hours in art and art history, while maintaining a 2.5 GPA in the continuing art courses, may reapply once. Prior to meeting these standards, students pursuing the BFA will be designated as reference number 514P.
The major offers four concentrations, Animation, Graphic Design, Studio, and UX Design. All concentrations require the following Art & Design Foundations courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ART 105 | History of Art to 1300 1 | 3 |
| ART 106 | History of Art Since 1300 1 | 3 |
| ART 130 | Two-Dimensional Design 1 | 3 |
| ART 131 | Three-Dimensional Design 1 | 3 |
| ART 140 | Drawing 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
- 1
Students may have no more than one "D" for a final grade.
Additionally, students must take the following courses for each concentration:
Studio Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Beginning-Level Studio Courses | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Computer Animation | ||
or ANIM 220 | 3D Modeling I: Environment | |
| Ceramics | ||
| Graphic Design I: Typography | ||
| Digital Media | ||
| Printmaking | ||
| Painting | ||
| Sculpture Survey I | ||
| Weaving | ||
| Required Drawing Courses | ||
| ART 240 | Drawing | 3 |
| ART 340 | Drawing | 3 |
| ART 341 | Drawing | 3 |
| Studio Area of Focus | ||
| Choose seven upper-level studio focus courses | 21 | |
| Studio Upper-Level Electives | ||
| Choose three upper-level elective studio courses | 9 | |
| Art History Upper-Level Electives | ||
| Select three of the following (either ART 405 or ART 390 is required): | 9 | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Art of the United States to 1865 | ||
| Art of the United States Since 1865 | ||
| Southern Baroque Art | ||
| Northern Baroque Art | ||
| Medieval Art & Architecture | ||
| Art and Power | ||
| Art and Landscape | ||
| Art of Asia, Africa, and the Americas | ||
| Survey of Graphic Design | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art of the Italian Renaissance | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Art Theory and Criticism | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
| European Art, 1700-1848 | ||
| European Art, 1848-1900 | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| American Architectural History | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| Portfolio and Capstone Requirement: | ||
| ART 432 | Portfolio | 3 |
| ART 434 | Capstone Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Animation Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Studio Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Ceramics | ||
| Printmaking | ||
| Painting | ||
| Sculpture Survey I | ||
| Weaving | ||
| Required Basic Course | 3 | |
| Digital Media | ||
| Required Drawing/Illustration Courses (select two of the following): | 6 | |
| Drawing | ||
| Drawing | ||
| Illustration | ||
| Select 2 upper-level elective studio courses | 6 | |
| Animation Concentration Focus: | ||
| Basic Animation Courses | 12 | |
| Film Industry and Aesthetics | ||
| Basic Film Production | ||
| Introduction to Computer Animation | ||
| 3D Modeling I: Environment | ||
| Advanced Animation Requirements | 18 | |
| Computer Animation I | ||
| 3D Modeling II: Character Design and Development | ||
| Computer Animation II | ||
| Computer Animation III | ||
| Sound and Image | ||
| Special Topics in Animation | ||
| Animation Restricted Electives (select 2 of the following) | 6 | |
| Drawing | ||
| Drawing | ||
| Illustration | ||
| Digital Illustration | ||
| Special Topics in Animation | ||
| User Interface Design | ||
| Film Animation | ||
| Game Programming | ||
| Film Sound | ||
| Final Semester | ||
| ART 434 | Capstone Seminar | 1 |
| Upper-Level Art History Requirements | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Art of the United States to 1865 | ||
| Art of the United States Since 1865 | ||
| Southern Baroque Art | ||
| Northern Baroque Art | ||
| Medieval Art & Architecture | ||
| Art and Power | ||
| Art and Landscape | ||
| Art of Asia, Africa, and the Americas | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art of the Italian Renaissance | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Art Theory and Criticism | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
| European Art, 1700-1848 | ||
| European Art, 1848-1900 | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| American Architectural History | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Graphic Design Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Studio Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Computer Animation | ||
or ANIM 220 | 3D Modeling I: Environment | |
| Ceramics | ||
| Printmaking | ||
| Painting | ||
| Sculpture Survey I | ||
| Weaving | ||
| Required Basic Course | 3 | |
| UX 300 | User Experience Strategy & Content Creation | 3 |
| Required Drawing/Illustration Courses (select two of the following) | 6 | |
| Drawing | ||
| Drawing | ||
| Illustration | ||
| Select 2 upper-level elective studio courses | 6 | |
| Graphic Design Concentration Focus: | ||
| Basic Graphic Design Courses | 6 | |
| Digital Media | ||
| Graphic Design I: Typography | ||
| Intermediate Graphic Design Courses | 9 | |
| User Interface Design | ||
| Graphic Design II: Layout & Information Design | ||
| Visual Thinking | ||
| Advanced Graphic Design Requirements | 6 | |
| Graphic Design III: Advanced Graphic Design | ||
| Advanced Media Design | ||
| Final Semester | 4 | |
| Portfolio | ||
| Capstone Seminar | ||
| Restricted Electives (select three of the following) | 9 | |
| Drawing | ||
| Digital Media: Time-Based | ||
| Design to Prototype I | ||
| Professional Work | ||
| Illustration | ||
| Package Design | ||
| Digital Illustration | ||
| Special Topics in Graphic Design | ||
| Career Experience in Art | ||
| Introduction to Developing and Prototyping for Interactive Design | ||
| Upper-Level Art History Requirements | ||
| ART 334 | Survey of Graphic Design | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Art of the United States to 1865 | ||
| Art of the United States Since 1865 | ||
| Southern Baroque Art | ||
| Northern Baroque Art | ||
| Medieval Art & Architecture | ||
| Art and Power | ||
| Art and Landscape | ||
| Art of Asia, Africa, and the Americas | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art of the Italian Renaissance | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Art Theory and Criticism | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
| European Art, 1700-1848 | ||
| European Art, 1848-1900 | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| American Architectural History | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| Total Hours | 67 | |
UX Design Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Studio Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Computer Animation | ||
or ANIM 220 | 3D Modeling I: Environment | |
| Ceramics | ||
| Printmaking | ||
| Painting | ||
| Sculpture Survey I | ||
| Weaving | ||
| Required Basic Course | 3 | |
| Digital Media | ||
| Required Drawing/Illustration Courses | 9 | |
| Drawing | ||
| Digital Illustration | ||
| Drawing | ||
or ART 431 | Illustration | |
| Select 2 upper-level elective studio courses | 6 | |
| UX Design Concentration Focus: | ||
| Basic UX Design Courses | 6 | |
| Introduction to User Experience Design | ||
| User Experience Strategy & Content Creation | ||
| Intermediate UX Design Courses | 9 | |
| User Interface Design | ||
| Introduction to Developing and Prototyping for Interactive Design | ||
| Visual Thinking | ||
| Advanced UX Design Requirements | 12 | |
| User Experience Advanced Studio I | ||
| Advanced User Interface Design | ||
| Advanced Developing and Testing for Interactive Design | ||
| User Experience Advanced Studio II | ||
| Final Semester | ||
| ART 434 | Capstone Seminar | 1 |
| Restricted Electives (select two of the following) | 6 | |
| Drawing | ||
| Design to Prototype I | ||
| Professional Work | ||
| Illustration | ||
| Portfolio | ||
| Career Experience in Art | ||
| Special Topics in Graphic Design | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Sensory and Perceptual Systems | ||
| Judgment and Decision Making | ||
| Upper-Level Art History Requirements | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Survey of Graphic Design | ||
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | ||
| Art of the United States to 1865 | ||
| Art of the United States Since 1865 | ||
| Southern Baroque Art | ||
| Northern Baroque Art | ||
| Medieval Art & Architecture | ||
| Art and Power | ||
| Art and Landscape | ||
| Art of Asia, Africa, and the Americas | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art of the Italian Renaissance | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Art Theory and Criticism | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
| European Art, 1700-1848 | ||
| European Art, 1848-1900 | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| American Architectural History | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Finish in Four Plan
Studio
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 105 | 3 | ART 106 | 3 |
| ART 130 | 3 | ART 131 | 3 |
| ART 140 | 3 | Basic Studio #1 (200 level) | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Basic Studio #2 (200 level) | 3 | Basic Studio #4 (200 level) | 3 |
| Basic Studio #3 (200 level) | 3 | ART 317 (or other Connections: Systems Course or ART 318 or other Connections: Local to Global) | 3 |
| ART 240 | 3 | ART 340 | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Upper Level Studio in Concentration #1 (300-400 Level) | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Behavioral | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 341 | 3 | Upper Level Studio in Concentration #3 (300-400 Level) | 3 |
| Upper Level Studio in Concentration #2 (300-400 Level) | 3 | Upper Level Studio Elective #2 (300-400 Level) | 3 |
| Upper Level Studio Elective #1 (300-400 Level) | 3 | Upper Level Art History | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 | ART 432 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Upper Level Studio in Concentration #4 (300-400 Level) | 3 | ART 434 | 1 |
| Upper Level Studio in Concentration #5 (300-400 Level) | 3 | Upper Level Studio in Concentration #6 (300-400 Level) | 3 |
| ART 317 ( or other Connections: Systems Course or ART 318 or Connections: Local to Global) | 3 | Upper Level Studio in Concentration #7 (300-400 Level) | 3 |
| World Language Requirement or General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours 121 | |||
Graphic Design
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 105 | 3 | ART 106 | 3 |
| ART 130 | 3 | ART 131 | 3 |
| ART 140 | 3 | ART 243 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 240 | 3 | Major Elective (ART 340 or ART 431 recommended) | 3 |
| ART 231 | 3 | UX 300 | 3 |
| Basic (200 Level) Studio #1 | 3 | ART 330 | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Upper Level Art History #1 | 3 |
| PSY 100 or PSYS 100 | 3 | ASTR 104 or PHYS 103 (recommended (Colonnade - Natural and Physical Sciences w/ lab)) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 331 | 3 | Upper Level Art History #2 | 3 |
| ART 334 | 3 | ART 430 | 3 |
| Basic (200 Level) Studio #3 | 3 | Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | Upper Level Studio #1 | 3 |
| UX 330 | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 433 | 3 | ART 434 | 1 |
| Upper Level Studio #2 | 3 | ART 432 | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | Colonnade - Systems | 3 |
| ART 438 | 3 | Major Elective | 3 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours 121 | |||
UX Design
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 105 | 3 | ART 106 | 3 |
| ART 130 | 3 | ART 131 | 3 |
| ART 140 | 3 | ART 243 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| UX 220 | 3 | ART 340 or ART 431 (Illustration) | 3 |
| ART 240 | 3 | UX 300 | 3 |
| Basic (200 Level) Studio #1 | 3 | UX 330 | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Upper Level Art History #1 | 3 |
| PSY 100 or PSYS 100 | 3 | ASTR 104 or PHYS 103 (recommended (Colonnade - Natural and Physical Sciences w/ lab)) | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 331 | 3 | UX 400 | 3 |
| UX 340 | 3 | UX 430 | 3 |
| Basic (200 Level) Studio #3 | 3 | ART 436 | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 |
| Upper Level Studio #1 | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Upper Level Studio #2 | 3 | UX 450 | 3 |
| UX 440 | 3 | ART 434 | 1 |
| Upper Level Art History #2 | 3 | Colonnade - Systems | 3 |
| Major Elective | 3 | Major Elective | 3 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours 121 | |||
ANIMATION
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 105 | 3 | ART 106 | 3 |
| ART 130 | 3 | ART 131 | 3 |
| ART 140 | 3 | ART 243 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| FILM 100 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ANIM 210 | 3 | ANIM 310 | 3 |
| ANIM 220 | 3 | ANIM 320 | 3 |
| FILM 202 | 3 | ART 240 | 3 |
| HIST 101 | 3 | Upper Level Art History #1 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Behavioral | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Science with Lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Basic Studio #1 | 3 | Basic Studio #2 | 3 |
| ART 340 or ART 431 | 3 | ANIM 330 | 3 |
| ANIM 344 | 3 | ANIM Elective | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Upper Level Studio #1 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Science | 3 | Colonnade - Social & Behavioral | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 497 | 3 | ART 444 | 3 |
| Upper Level Studio #2 | 3 | Upper Level Art History #2 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | Colonnade - Systems | 3 |
| Animation Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| ART 434 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours 121 | |||