Mar 29, 2024  
Undergraduate Bulletin 2008-2009 
    
Undergraduate Bulletin 2008-2009 [Archived Catalog]

Fine Arts (B.F.A.)


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Part 5: Program Descriptions

Program: B.F.A.
Department of Visual Arts/Fine Arts Program
College of Visual and Performing Arts

Visual Arts Building 117 ~ 260-481-6705 ~ www.ipfw.edu/vpa/


The student learning outcomes for the degree are as follows: 

  • Students within the Bachelor of Fine Arts program will acquire the technical virtuosity to be successful as professional artists.  Many students who seek a B.F.A. degree have aspirations towards graduate studies in a Masters of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree leading to careers such as professorship positions, corporate commissions, gallery ownership, museum curatorships, art criticism, and independent studio careers. 



The Bachelor of Fine Arts program is designed for exceptional students who are interested in pursuing a professional career in the field of fine arts. They must have demonstrated superior quality and motivation in a particular studio art discipline. Students within the B.F.A. program can concentrate in ceramics, drawing, metal-smithing, painting, printmaking, or sculpture. Department of Fine Arts students who wish to attain a B.F.A. start in the B.A. program, then petition for formal entrance into the B.F.A. program after the completion of 200-level studio requirements. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is divided into two parts; 33 credit hours of General Education classes, and 90 credit hours of art history and studio classes.   All B.F.A. students must maintain a 2.5 cumulative G.P.A. and a 3.0 G.P.A. within the Content Field courses (studio and art history) of the B.F.A. program.  A total of 123 credit hours of study are required for graduation. 

Admission

Students must meet the requirements of IPFW (see Part 8 )

Components: Credits
I. General Education       33
II. Content Field       90
    Total   123

IPFW General Education Requirements Credits: 33


Area I—Linguistic and Numerical Foundations Credits: 9


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses

  • Quantitative Reasoning Credits: 3

Area II—Natural and Physical Sciences Credits: 6


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses

Area III—The Individual, Culture, and Society Credits: 6


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses

Area IV—Humanistic Thought Credits: 6


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses

  • (Fine arts majors may not use any FINA-prefixed courses to fulfill this requirement.)

Area V—Creative and Artistic Expression Credits: 3


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses

  • (Fine arts majors may not use any FINA-prefixed courses to fulfill this requirement).

College of Visual and Performing Arts Requirements


II. Content Field Credits: 90


Students must complete a minimum of 75 credit hours in studio and 15 credit hours in FINA art history classes for the B.F.A.

100 Level Foundation Courses Credits: 12


100 Level Foundation Portfolio Review Checkpoint


Students in all of the Department of Fine Arts programs will submit a portfolio of 100 level Foundation studio work to be reviewed by Department of Fine Arts faculty. The review is a checkpoint to assure that students have met adequate quality standards in the Foundation program. The portfolio should consist of 12-15 works, with at least two works from each 100 level Foundation course. Upon a satisfactory portfolio review, students will continue in 200 level Fundamentals studio classes. Some students may be asked to re-take certain Foundation classes to attain department standards.

Art History Course Requirements Credits: 15


  • 3 additional FINA 300 or 400 level Art History classes. Classes must have FINA prefix.

B.F.A. Portfolio Review


Each student must submit a portfolio of 200 level work to attain formal acceptance into the B.F.A. program. Each petitioning student must apply to present their work through the Department of Fine Arts office in the semester in which they complete all seven (7) 200 level Fundamentals classes. Each student applying for acceptance into the B.F.A. program will declare their area of studio concentration, i.e., painting, sculpture, with the understanding that areas of art can be interdisciplinary and flexible. The portfolio should consist of 15-20 works, with at least two works from each 200 level Fundamentals course. Consideration of work will be given in accordance to each student’s intended concentration area, i.e., printmaking majors should be able to show strong drawing skills. It is highly recommended that students seek faculty advice, especially from faculty whose area students are intending to apply, on which works to submit for review. Faculty evaluations will be based on a student’s strong knowledge and skills in:

  • Showing competence in representational drawing of volume, pictorial space, and the depiction of the human figure. An understanding of linear perspective should be evident.
  • The ability to compose aesthetic element of line, tone/value, shape, texture, color, and 3D form in space.
  • Demonstrating technical and aesthetic excellence (for the 60 credit level) in your chosen major; i.e. drawing, ceramics, metalsmithing, painting, printmaking, or sculpture.
  • (for 2D majors) drawing, painting, printmaking as well as the demonstration of competence and serious investigation in 3D media.
  • (for 3D majors) ceramics, metalsmithing, and sculpture with competence and serious investigation in 2D media.

B.F.A. Portfolio Review Outcome

A student applying for acceptance in the B.F.A. program may be accepted, deferred, or denied. A student’s acceptance into the B.f.a. will allow them to advance into 300 level studio classes as a declared B.F.A. major. A deferred student will be asked to re-submit their portfolio for B.F.A. consideration after re-taking requested classes. A student denied entry into the B.F.a. program may wish to continue in the B.A. program or apply once again for entry into the B.F.A. program with permission from the department.

 

300/400-Level Concentration Courses Credits: 21


  •  

    300-400 Level Studio Concentration                                    
    Complete seven (7) classes in declared Concentration Area.  Some of these classes might be closely related such as painting and printmaking or sculpture and ceramics.  Two 300 level classes must be taken before any 400 level classes in a given area. 400 level classes can be repeated to meet Concentration area requirements.

200/300/400 Electives Courses Credits: 15


300-400 Studio Electives                                                        

  • Complete five (5) courses in elective classes.  Classes can be either FINA or VCD.  Usually these are classes outside the Concentration Area.

 

Senior Project Requirements Credits: 6


Senior Project                                                                                         
The Senior Project is a two-semester course during the senior year. Students must be signed into these classes by the Chair of the Department of Fine Arts.  During this year, students will be part of at least three faculty critiques of their work.  Each student will be asked to partake in discussions of other student’s work during the critiques.  Students will also be asked to be part of seminars, attend visiting artist’s lectures and demonstrations, visit exhibitions, and present and express ideas about their art work to other seniors. Students must also work closely with a full- time department faculty member as an advisor in their Concentration area. Evaluations of senior work will be based on the following criteria:
  • >Body of original and ambitious work
  • Evidence of depth of thought
  • Evidence of research
  • Sufficient technical virtuosity
  • Ability to explain ideas
  • Participation in all departmental senior events
  • Professional attitude
  • Keeping abreast of new developments in the field as they pertain to your work
      
B.F.A. Senior Project Documents
Students are required to complete two written documents each semester of the Senior Project year. 
The Senior Projection document should be ready for department faculty by the beginning of their first semester of Senior Project. It should address the ideas they plan on dealing with and developing for the senior year. The quantity of work can be negotiated with the faculty.
The Self Critique document will be required at the end of each semester as a critical self evaluation of a student’s senior project experience. The critique should include ideas about the project and how it helped clarify their artistic direction.
 
B.F.A. Exhibition
At the end of the second Senior Project semester, the student must exhibit for graduation. The Department of Fine Arts Senior Exhibition will be at the end of the spring semester of each school year. Students can expect to work with the College of Visual and Performing Arts public relations specialist and gallery coordinator on publication materials and arrangements for their senior exhibition.

                                               

Total Credits: 123


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 200 level or above, including at least 15 credits at the 300 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 IPFW art programs must be evaluated by appropriate faculty in the Department of Fine Arts program before they may be applied to a major in Fine Arts. See Transfer and Returning Student Credit Review.
 
Transfer and Returning Student Credit Review Courses in studio art that have been transferred to IPFW from another institution or former IPFW art programs are not counted as part of the Fine Arts major unless they have been reviewed by the Department of Fine Arts 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 Fine Arts 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 Fine Arts program.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Part 5: Program Descriptions