Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Art (B.A.)


Program: B.A.
Department of Art and Design  
College of Visual and Performing Arts

Visual Arts Building 117 ~ 260-481-6709


The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree with a major in Art is based on the humanist tradition of developing an artistic awareness through visual expression. It is designed to enable students to see, formulate, and articulate concepts through the manipulation of form and materials in traditional and digital media. The creative practice is through a breadth of art and design disciplines offered in the Department of Art and Design, which include ceramics, drawing, graphic design, imaging and photography, metalsmithing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and web design. The B.A. program is a broad-based liberal arts degree that allows students to explore a wide-ranging interest in and out of the art and design curriculum, without a concentration in any specific area.   

The first- and second-year foundational curriculum provides a solid and diverse experience for students to develop fundamental technical and conceptual skills in 2D and 3D art media. In the third- and fourth-year students complete 18 credits of Advanced Studio Electives based on individual interests. This degree also provides room for students to combine their art and design study with other areas of interest such as anthropology, business, computer science, English, or marketing, or to complete a minor in an area that supports their unique interests and career goals. 

The first- and second-year foundational curriculum also serves as the foundational curriculum for the department’s other degree offerings - Bachelor of Arts in Art Education (B.A.), Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art (B.F.A.) (Ceramics, Drawing, Imaging and Photography, Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture), Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design (B.F.A.) (Graphic Design), and the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Web Design with Elective Studies in Information Technology (B.F.A.). Students who wish to pursue a B.A. degree in Art Education or a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree program will apply as part of the first-year portfolio review process. Students who wish to pursue a B.F.A. in Art (Ceramics, Drawing, Imaging and Photography, Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture), B.F.A. in Design (Graphic Design), or a B.F.A. in Web Design with Elective Studies in Information Technology degree program will apply for an area of concentration as part of the second-year portfolio review process.


Student Learning Outcomes - Upon completion of their degrees, all B.A. students will be able to:

  • Utilize perceptual and conceptual skills to solve programs creatively in art/design media.
  • Implement 2D and 3D design principles to create compelling and effective works of art and design in a variety of traditional and digital media.
  • Demonstrate an understanding and competency of technical skills in traditional and digital art/design media to effectively communicate and express ideas.
  • Effectively analyze and critique works of art/design in verbal and written forms, using visual vocabulary and familiarity with the works and intentions of major artists/designers and movements of the past and present.
  • Demonstrate effective visual, verbal, and written communication skills and an aptitude to apply those skills.
  • Apply functional knowledge of basic art and design practical experiences and opportunities, as well as professional ethics.
  • Exhibit artistic ability in portfolio review submissions and senior gallery exhibitions.

Accreditation: 

  • Purdue University Fort Wayne is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Program Delivery:

  • Department of Art and Design courses are offered on campus, with some distance and hybrid course offerings.

Admission to B.A. Program with a Major in Art 

To earn the B.A. degree, you must fulfill the requirements of Purdue University Fort Wayne (Regulations) and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (Colleges). Students completing the Art major must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA within the Content Field (see below). Students who wish to pursue the B.A. degree in the Art and Design department can declare this major during the admissions process or inquire within the Department of Art and Design if they wish to declare or change to this major after admission. All students are admitted to the program as B.A. degree candidates and must successfully submit a first-, second-, and third-year portfolio for faculty review. 

The Bachelor of Arts degree is divided into three parts; 33 credit hours of General Studies, 66 credit hours of Content Field (First-Year Foundation Studio (18 CR), Second-Year Foundation Studio (18 CR), Advanced Art and Design Studio (18 CR), and Art History (12 CR), also 21 credit hours of General Liberal Arts classes. A total of 120 credit hours of study is required for graduation. Students in the Department of Art and Design B.A. program must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.

Components Credits
I. General Education       33
II. Content Field       66
III. General Liberal Arts       21
    Total   120

Program Requirements:


A student may elect the Pass/Not-Pass grading option for non-degree elective courses only. The Pass/Not-Pass grading option is not available for General Education or any electives required for the minor.

Art (B.A.) 4-Year Plan   

Art (B.A.) Articulation with Ivy Tech, Requirements & 2-Yr Plan   

General Education Requirements: Credits 33


General Education Requirements  

A grade of C- or better is required in each course used to satisfy the Purdue Fort Wayne General Education requirements.

Bachelor of Arts in Art students may not take the following Art and Design courses for General Education credits; this includes AD 11100, AD 11201, AD 10101, AD10301, AD 10801, AD11001, AD 13300, AD 16500,  AD 19600, AD 23900

Content Area: Credits 66


Students must complete four (4) classes in Art History (12 cr.) plus 54 credit hours of studio work to fulfill the Content Area.

Art History Requirements: Credits 12


Art and Design B.A. students are required to take 12 credit hours of Art History courses, including AD 11100 History of Art I and AD 11201 History of Art II. This is followed by two additional advanced Art History electives, or 6 credits. AD 11100 and AD 11201 are prerequisites for advanced Art History courses.

First-Year Studio Foundation Requirements: Credits 18


First-Year Foundation Portfolio Review Checkpoint


Once a student is enrolled in or has completed their first-year foundations courses, usually in the spring semester, they are required to submit a portfolio of first-year foundations-level studio work to be reviewed by the Department of Art and Design faculty. Work from outside of the foundation-level courses will not be accepted for consideration; therefore, careful documentation and storage of one’s work is essential for success. The review is a checkpoint to assure that students have met the competency level in the first-year foundations program. For candidates for the B.A. in Art Education, this will also be an application for formal acceptance into the program. Students wishing to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree may declare their intention to complete the B.F.A. in Art, B.F.A. in Design, or the B.F.A. in Web Design with Elective Studies in Information Technology in the 100-level portfolio review.

The first-year portfolio review is a mandatory evaluative review for all students and is meant to provide feedback to students regarding their status in meeting learning outcomes set for the foundational courses. Upon a satisfactory portfolio review, students will continue in the second-year foundation courses. The Department of Art and Design will send out detailed information regarding the portfolio review process.

Second-Year Foundation Studio Requirements: Credits 18


Second-Year Foundation Portfolio Review Checkpoint


Once a student is enrolled in or has completed their second-year foundations courses, usually in the spring semester, they are required to submit a portfolio of second-year level foundations studio work to be reviewed by the Department of Art and Design faculty. Work from outside of second-year foundation-level classes will not be accepted for consideration; therefore, careful documentation and storage of one’s work is essential for success. The review is a checkpoint to assure that students have met the competency level in the second-year foundations program. For students who want to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), this will also serve as an application for formal acceptance into the B.F.A. in Art (Ceramics, Drawing, Imaging and Photography, Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture), B.F.A. in Design (Graphic Design), or the B.F.A. in Web Design with Elective Studies in Information Technology degree program.

The second-year review is a mandatory evaluative review for all students and is meant to provide feedback to students regarding their status in meeting the learning outcomes set for these foundational courses.

Upon a satisfactory portfolio review, students may continue in their courses toward completing the degree. The Department of Art and Design will send out detailed information regarding the portfolio review process.

Advanced Studio Courses: Credits 18


Studio Electives

Six studio classes can be taken at the Advanced Studio level. Advanced Studio classes have prerequisites, therefore students should work with their advisors on course progression.

Third-Year Portfolio Review Checkpoint


Students at the end of their junior year, or upon completion of 84 credit hours, of which 48 credit hours must be studio courses, will submit a third-year portfolio for review. The portfolio must contain 12 pieces from 300- and 400-level studio courses. The department will send out detailed information regarding this review to students prior to the review. Successful students will be allowed to enroll in their remaining advanced studio coursework.

Art BA Exhibition Requirement


Art Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) students must submit work during their final year of coursework for the Art B.A./B.A. Art Education Exhibition. The exhibition is curated by the Department Chair and consists of artwork produced by B.A. students in Art and Design junior and senior year studio classes, or at the discretion of the chair of the department.

Liberal Arts Elective Courses: Credits 21


Twenty-one (21) credits of liberal arts courses in addition to General Education requirements are needed to fulfill the B.A. requirements. Liberal Arts classes are defined as any Purdue Fort Wayne class counted towards a degree (does not include remedial courses). The option of pursuing a minor in an outside field is encouraged within these credits.

First-Year GPA Requirements


Students must maintain good academic standing. Successful students will progress with the second-year courses.

GPA Requirements


Students in the Department of Art B.A. program must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.

Minimum Grade Requirements


A grade of C- or higher is required in all Art and Design art history and studio courses for the Bachelor of Arts in Art. Courses may be re-taken in order to fulfill this requirement.

Credit by Self-Accquired Competency


Credit by Self-Acquired Competency is at the discretion of the department and evaluated on an individual basis.

Repeat Limits


Some advanced-level studio courses may be repeated up to a maximum of 18 credits, however, financial aid may not cover the cost of a class beyond two enrollments.

No Graphic Design or Imaging/Photography courses may be repeated.

Self-Paced Courses:

Independent Study classes are sometimes available and at the discretion of both the course instructor and chair of the department.

Recommendations, Requirements, Transfers, and Policies


Recommendations

Students should schedule classes within the B.A. program under the guidance of the official departmental advisor.

Residence Requirements

For a bachelor’s degree, registration in and completion of at least 33 credits of resident course credit at the Second-Year Studio Foundation level or above, including at least 15 credits at the Junior level or above, in courses applicable to the major.

Transfer and Returning Student Credit

All studio and art history courses transferred from another institution or former Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne art programs must be evaluated by appropriate faculty in the Department of Art and Design program before they may be applied to a student’s degree requirements. See Transfer and Returning Student Credit Review.

Transfer and Returning Student Credit Review

Courses in studio art that have been transferred to Purdue Fort Wayne from another institution or former Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne art programs are not counted as part of the Art and Design major unless they have been reviewed by the Art and Design faculty. For a review of transferred studio credit, the student should provide the viewer with a portfolio consisting of representative work in each area (e.g. painting, sculpture, etc.) for which the transfer credit is desired. The portfolio should include both studies and finished work and be as encompassing as possible.

Academic Probation/Dismissal Policies

If a student does not meet the university’s GPA standard, they will be notified that they have been placed on academic probation and will be asked to make progress towards meeting campus standards. Department of Art and Design programs have their own academic standards as stated above. If a student is not meeting these standards, they will be notified and placed on departmental academic probation. If a student does not make positive progress towards meeting the academic standards of the department within twelve (12) credit hours of study, they will be subject to dismissal from the Department of Art and Design program.

Total Credits: 120


Student Responsibility


You are responsible for ensuring that you satisfy all graduation requirements specified for each selected program.  Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies, and procedures governing your academic career.  If you cannot complete all program requirements by your stated graduation date but fail to remove those from your plan of study, the Registrar’s Office in consultation with your academic advisor will remove unmet pursuits from your plan of study. Changing curricular records during the graduation term of application may affect state or federal financial aid awards. All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the appropriate chair or dean.