Department/Program:
Art
Art majors pursue either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. A Bachelor of Science degree may be advisable in the case of a double major. The Bachelor of Arts with a major in art is, as in other academic disciplines, designed as a broad-based liberal arts education. The B.A. in art requires an exposure to both two-dimensional and three-dimensional media as well as art history. It can lead to graduate study in art, art history, art therapy, or other academic or professional areas. The B.A. is recommended for those students who wish to pursue K-12 teaching certification. Students who wish to meet Nebraska certification regulations for the teaching of art in secondary schools must include ART 2000 Art in the Secondary School, as one of their art electives. Students should consult the Department of Education regarding additional Nebraska certification requirements.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in art is traditionally pursued by those students who plan to become either professional artists or artist/teachers. The B.F.A. stresses intensive and specialized studio practice in the creative art disciplines, and is considered the appropriate preparation for study toward the Master of Fine Arts degree. The B.F.A. is considered a professional design degree and is the preferred credential for entry-level positions in design or advertising agencies or studios, as well as for preparation toward entrance to a Master of Fine Arts program.
Each year, art majors are required to present a portfolio representative of the past year’s work to the art faculty. As well, all candidates for degrees with a major in art are required to participate in a senior exhibition as part of ART 3980 Junior Project and ART 4980 Senior Capstone.
All entering and first-year students who are majoring in art are considered candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Those students who wish to pursue the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree must be admitted to the program based on the B.F.A. Clearance. In order to qualify for the B.F.A. Clearance, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in the required art core courses (ART 1050 Basic Design, ART 1300 Drawing 1, and ART 2300 Drawing 2: Figure Drawing) as well as one introductory art history course, and introductory (1000-level) courses in both 2-D and 3-D media. The applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all art classes completed within the Art Department at the time of the review. The B.F.A. Clearance will be held concurrently with the annual portfolio review that is required for art majors. The art department faculty will evaluate the portfolio and inform the student of its decision in a timely fashion to allow for time to plan schedules.
Department Learning Outcomes
Majors will be able to:
- Demonstrate technical competencies specific to particular two-dimensional, three-dimensional and digital media.
- Demonstrate competency in utilizing the elements and principles of design.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between form and content.
- Provide evidence of ideation and the revision practices.
- Demonstrate oral and written communication skills, specifically related to discussing the work of self and others.
- Demonstrate an understanding of their own work in its relationship to appropriate contextual frameworks which can include historical, global, and cultural references.
- Provide evidence of participatory involvement in the arts.