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2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog
Art (B.A.)
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 Return to: Program Descriptions
Visual Arts Building 117 ~ 260-481-6709 ~ Art and Design
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 6 credits of Additional Studio Electives and 15 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 - Art Education (B.A.) , Art (B.F.A.) (with concentrations in Ceramics, Drawing, Imaging and Photography, Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture), Graphic Design (B.F.A.) , and Web Design With Elective Studies in Information Technology (B.F.A.) . Students who wish to pursue a B.A. degree Art Education or one of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree programs will apply as part of the second-year portfolio review process.
Student Learning Outcomes - Upon completion of their degrees, all B.A. Art students will be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- 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 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; 30 credit hours of General Education, 69 credit hours of Content Field (First-Year Foundation Studio (18 CR), Second-Year Foundation Studio (18 CR), Additional Studio Electives (6 CR) Advanced Art and Design Studio (15 CR), and Art History (12 CR)), also 21 credit hours of Liberal Arts Electives. A total of 120 minimum 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.
| I. General Education |
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30 |
| II. Content Field |
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69 |
| III. General Liberal Arts |
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21 |
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Total |
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120 |
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College Scorecard
The U.S. Department of Education has created a scorecard for each university and its programs. The scorecard shows data for the university such as graduation rate, average annual cost, and median earnings. Then, when certain minimum standards have been met, data are available for a specific program. That data could include median earnings, median total debt, and number of graduates. The link below will help you learn more: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?151102-Purdue-University-Fort-Wayne&fos_code=5007&fos_credential=3 General Education Requirements: Credits 30
General Education Requirements The General Education program at PFW requires 30 credits to be completed, such that students pass each course listed below with a grade of C- or better: - Category A. Foundational Intellectual Skills (Foundational Intellectual Skills Course Lists)
- One course in A1 Written Communication Cr. 3.
- One course in A2 Speaking and Listening Cr. 3.
- One course in A3 Quantitative Reasoning Cr. 3.
- Category B. Ways of Knowing (Ways of Knowing Course Lists)
- One course in B4 Scientific Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B5 Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B6 Humanistic Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B7 Artistic Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- One course in B8 Interdisciplinary Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
- Six additional credits from any Foundational Skills (A1-A3) or Ways of Knowing (B4-B8) categories
- At least one Ways of Knowing course that is designated as having a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or global awareness
Some programs recommend courses and/or require a specific course as part of the major that may also be used to fulfill General Education requirements. Please see below or your Academic Advisor for courses that fulfill both purposes. You can familiarize yourself with other program regulations at General Education Requirements . General Education Recommendations
Below is a list of courses that are recommended for you to complete as part of your General Education program. The General Education program at PFW requires that students pass each course listed below with a grade of C- or better. Content Area: Credits 69
Students must complete (12 Cr.) in Art History and (57 Cr.) in Art and Design studio to fulfill the Content Area. The B.A. program at PFW requires that students pass all courses with a grade of C- or better. Art History Requirements: Credits 12
Art 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 most advanced Art History courses. Advanced Art History Elective: Credits 6
First-Year Studio Foundation Requirements: Credits 18
First-Year Foundation Portfolio Review
The First-Year Portfolio is a mandatory evaluative review for all students to ensure students have met the competency level in the first-year foundations program. Once a student is enrolled in or has completed five of six first-year foundation courses, they must submit a portfolio 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. Students will continue in the Second-Year foundation courses upon a satisfactory portfolio review. The Department of Art and Design will send out a portfolio template and detailed information regarding the portfolio review process. Students wishing to pursue a Art Education (B.A.) , or Art (B.F.A.) (Ceramics, Drawing, Imaging and Photography, Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture), Graphic Design (B.F.A.) , or the Web Design With Elective Studies in Information Technology (B.F.A.) degree programs may formally apply in the Second-Year Portfolio Review. Second-Year Foundation Studio Requirements: Credits 18
Second-Year Foundation Portfolio Review
The Second-Year Portfolio is a mandatory evaluative review for all students to ensure students have met the competency level in the first-year foundations program. Once a student is enrolled in or has completed five of six first-year foundation courses, they must submit a portfolio 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. Students will continue in the Second-Year foundation courses upon a satisfactory portfolio review. The Department of Art and Design will send out a portfolio template and detailed information regarding the portfolio review process. Students who do not meet the minimum score of 70% will be deferred and asked to re-submit a Second-Year portfolio after taking more foundation courses. Additional Studio Courses: Credits 6
Choose two of the following approved Studio Courses. Advanced Studio Courses: Credits 15
Five studio classes must 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
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. Electives
Sufficient additional credits to bring the total to 120. The Department recommends Advanced-level studio courses to fulfill the credit requirements which will enhance your degree program. 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. 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
Advanced III and Advanced IV studio courses may be repeated up to a maximum of 9 credits each. No courses may be repeated in Graphic Design or Imaging and Photography concentrations. 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 academic 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 Notice/Separation Policies If a student does not meet the university’s GPA standard, they will be notified that they have been placed on academic notice 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 notice. 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 academic separation from the Department of Art and Design program. Total Credits: 120 minimum
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. |
Return to: Program Descriptions
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