Employ the elements and principles of art and design in this competitive program at 麻豆直播.

Visual Arts (B.F.A.)

Employ the elements and principles of art and design in this competitive program through a multitude of design disciplines that will help you grow personally and professionally.

Degrees & Offerings
  • B.F.A.
Location
  • Bloomsburg
Department
College
Program Contact
Chair of the Department of Visual Arts
Illustration of Mountain

Showcase Day

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our program during the Arts Exploration Day on in Bloomsburg. Space is limited, register today!

 

Notice: The Visual Arts (B.F.A.) is offered only at the Bloomsburg campus. 

麻豆直播鈥檚 Visual Arts program provides you flexibility within your preferred studio discipline. Focused rigorous study, and the instruction from talented faculty who are also practicing artists and scholars makes 麻豆直播 the ideal place to pursue your art education.

Instruction is highly individualized, and students are required to pursue research intended to help enhance the content and to help contextualize their work. Students are asked to write and speak coherently about their work within this broader context. These skills enable the student to prepare and present their portfolio in a professional manner. 

鈥淭he professional undergraduate degree in a visual art specialization is structured to provide in-depth, formal education that will prepare students for entry into professional practice or advanced professionally oriented study upon graduation.鈥 鈥 National Association of Schools of Art and Design

Course Delivery Format

  Bloomsburg

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

  Lock Haven

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

  Mansfield

  Face-to-Face
  Online
  Hybrid

Courses and Curriculum

Art history involves understanding works of creativity through the ages and across diverse cultures. Such an understanding entails not only developing a basic visual vocabulary of great works of art and architecture past and present, but also the capacity to articulate their appearance, to describe and discuss the cultures they evidence, and to explore the ideals and practices of their times. The museum and the library are the studio of the art historian.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

In the Drawing concentration, students move from an introductory experience that emphasizes perceptual skills to an advanced experience that privileges a nuanced and complex understanding of the implications of style and materials, as well as a specific and personal content. 

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

In the Fabric Design concentration, students focus on media specific courses for in depth investigation of processes. Students will explore the meaning, purpose, and significance of fiber art and textile design. Students begin with conceptual prompts and introductory sample works which hone their skills in the medium. This leads to self-directed research, development of their own theme and results in a strong portfolio of professional level works for exhibition.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

The Graphic Design concentration provides students with a broad set of skills and processes within the discipline, as well as applicable experience within a variety of digital media. Students investigate critical thinking and visual problem-solving, along with current trends in technology, to address formal, conceptual, and applied projects. Courses present a wide array of design-related material, focusing on typography, print design, image manipulation, time-based sequencing, narrative structures, environmental graphics, and interactive design. Students work toward developing a cohesive body of work that represents a personal vision relevant to current design culture. Advanced course options in Graphic Design offer students the opportunity to develop a portfolio, design statement, and prepare their work for professional practice. At the conclusion of their degree, each student will complete a cohesive body of work for a professional designer鈥檚 portfolio, write a designer鈥檚 statement, present a designer鈥檚 talk, and prepare an exit exhibition.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

At the introductory level, painting students are introduced to a variety of technical, historical, and conceptual approaches to the medium. Students are encouraged to work independently pursuing their personal vision and encouraged to work through a variety of directed exercises to explore different approaches to form. At the intermediate and advanced levels, students work more independently to develop a unique body of work.

Instruction is highly individualized, and students are required to pursue research intended to help enhance the content and contextualize their work. Students are asked to write and speak coherently about their work within this broader context. These skills enable the student to prepare and present their portfolio in a professional manner.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

The photography program offers a comprehensive experience for the interested student. Courses offered include darkroom, digital, portraiture, experimental, landscape, and street photography. Facilities include a complete chemical darkroom, fully equipped Mac lab with 24鈥 and 44鈥 wide Epson printers, and a dedicated lighting studio. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered through the department such as internships, independent study projects, and study abroad along with the regular course offerings. These opportunities enable photographers to develop their portfolios and gain professional experience before graduating. With close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, photography majors have many opportunities to view and study the work of artists relevant to their own photographic interests.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

Our printmaking concentration offers the student a contemporary approach to non-toxic printmaking. At the introductory level, students may take three individual courses including Intaglio (etching and collagraph techniques), Silkscreen, and Waterless Lithography and Relief printmaking. In each class, the student will learn in-depth technical skills while exploring conceptual ideas.

After the student has completed at least two of the introductory level print courses they may enroll in Advanced Printmaking. In this class, students work more independently, concentrating on their focused body of work.

Experimentation is highly encouraged, including multiple techniques/layers, the use of alternative surfaces/materials, print installations, and sculptural works. The advanced class is preparation for the real world. Each student will complete a cohesive body of prints, write an artist statement, and give a professional artist lecture to a group outside of their own class.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

The Sculpture program provides a balance of craft and concept development. Students can model, manipulate, cast, fabricate, and construct sculptural environments. The courses in sculpture introduce students to a variety of concepts, materials, and processes aimed at providing a knowledge base that students can rely upon as they continue to develop. Upper-level classes continue to build skills while providing the students with an understanding of how their practice fits into the larger discussions within the contemporary art world.

Degree Requirements

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, .

ART BFA Visual Arts Degree Program NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design - accrediting body for Visual Arts) Competencies required of Liberal Arts Degrees in Visual Arts.  The student learning outcomes apply to all concentrations or specializations and use assessments appropriate to student learning in each area for SLO#4: Presentation of Professional Level Work in the Visual Arts.

Upon successful completion of the BFA in Visual Arts, students will be able to:

  1. Essential Competencies: Apply knowledge of visual art media processes. (NASAD Handbook. H.IX.G.3.d)
  2. Context: Identify historical and cultural contexts in visual art. (NASAD Handbook. H.VIII.B.2.c.)
  3. Creative Work: Incorporate self-directed concepts in personal work. (NASAD Handbook. H.VIII.B.1.b.)
  4. Presentation of Professional Level Work in the Visual Arts: Demonstrate professional-level presentation in a specialty area. (NASAD Handbook. H.VII.C.1. (Results))
Illustration of Mountain

Practical Learning

Careers

A Bachelor of Fine Arts prepares you for:

  • A post baccalaureate certificate in Art Education
  • A master's degree in information technology
  • A Master of Fine Arts degree (terminal degree for teaching at a college level)
  • Work in galleries and museums
  • Jobs in graphic, fashion, or interior design

And more! This degree offers ten areas of concentration 鈥 each supervised by a specific faculty member. 

Clubs and Organizations

  • Graphic Design Club 鈥 Bloomsburg
  • Photo Club 鈥  Bloomsburg
    Students from all majors are welcome to this inclusive, creative, photo-focused, creative space. 

The Commonwealth Difference

National Association of Schools of Art and Design Accreditation
Founded in 1944, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 363 accredited institutional members.
7
B.F.A. concentrations to choose from

Careers

A fine arts degree gives you skills that will set you up in a wide range of creative careers. As a fine arts grad, the world is yours!

Potential Job Opportunities

  • Commercial Art Gallery Manager
  • Exhibition Designer
  • Illustrator
  • Printmaker
  • Art Studio Technician
  • Fashion/Textile Designer
  • Photojournalist
  • Graphic Designer
  • Web Developer
  • Interior Design
  • Museum/Gallery Curator
  • Costume Designer
  • Multimedia Programmer
  • Art Director

Top Skills Employers are Looking For

  • Good visual and verbal communication skills
  • artistic talent
  • critical and creative thinking skills
  • determination and commitment good organizational skills
  • the ability to meet deadlines

Continue to Explore

Visual Arts Program Contacts

Dunlap

James Dunlap

  • Associate Professor of Graphic Design
  • Bloomsburg

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