Degree Outlines

Students desiring to enter the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program with a visual arts major are urged to contact the School of Art and Design prior to enrollment. A formal review of prior work in a portfolio is not required, but students are encouraged to bring examples of their work to the initial conference.

Candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (B.F.A.) with the major in visual arts are required to complete seventy-three (73) hours of credit in art courses, including the art core (52 hours) and a major area of emphasis (21 hours). Majors must also satisfy the following requirements:

1. After completing the required six foundation courses (ART 101 and ART 214, 215, 217, 218, 219) and a minimum of one 300-level studio course, students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts or content-area coursework for the Bachelor of Arts in Education Pre K-Adult are required to present a portfolio of work for review by the Art and Design faculty. To do so, B.F.A. students must register for ART 298 and art education students must register for ART 299, Portfolio Review, before completing 27 credit hours in studio art courses (includes ART 214, 215, 217, 218, and 219). Successful completion of ART 298 or 299 is required and is a prerequisite for program advancement. Students who do not receive a passing grade of C in the Portfolio Review, and are within the studio art credit hour range listed above, may apply for reconsideration. Students who have transferred within Marshall University will have two semesters to complete the courses listed above and participate in this review. However, transfers from art or art education departments at other universities are required to complete the review during the first semester they enroll in the MU School of Art and Design.
2. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts in Education degree programs must complete all work in the major with a minimum grade of C. A student who receives a D or F in an art course counted toward graduation must repeat it and earn at least a C before graduation or before using that course as a prerequisite for another required course.
3. Forty (40) credit hours must be earned in courses numbered 300-499.
4. No course in the major requirements for graduation in may be taken Credit/Non-Credit unless the course is so specified.
5. A successful exhibition of creative work must be presented by all students during the senior year as a requirement for graduation. To do so, B.F.A. students must register for ART 498, Senior Capstone Project – BFA; B.A. students must register for ART 499, Senior Capstone Project – BA.

Please see the Undergraduate Catalog for additional information.

Curriculum and Four year plans (PDF)