Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art
The Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art provides students with experience and skills in studio art practice, including the areas of: Ceramics, Digital Media & Emerging Technology, Painting and Drawing, Printmaking, Photography, Sculpture, and Textiles, as well as interdisciplinary investigations that cross over these areas. Students are encouraged to explore different areas of studio art production in order to acquire a broad background in various mediums and techniques. Classes in Art History help students develop skills in writing, research, and knowledge of the histories and institutions of art in a global context. As they progress in the degree students move from Introductory (200-level) course to Foundation (300-level) course to Intermediate (400-level) and Advanced (500-level) courses. All majors must take at least one 300-level Foundation course, and it is recommended that students a 300-level class before they progress to 400- and 500-level coursework. During their final year, students take an Interdisciplinary studio capstone course (either ART 600: Studio Process and Professional Practices or ART 619 Exhibition Design), which combines research, writing, seminar, and critique to reflect upon work made in previous studio courses and contextualize it within professional and institutional practices of the field. The program takes advantage of the Bay Area's rich cultural resources, galleries, museums, and art community through field trips and visiting artists. Students are also encouraged to gain hands-on experience and practical knowledge of the field through an internship. All students must also take ART 509 a 1-unit Art Professional Service Practicum in which they gain experience in studio and gallery/museum fields, including research assistants, gallery attendants, studio art production assistants.
Program Learning Outcomes
The B.A. in Studio Art Program Learning Outcomes are guided by six core values that inform studio art practice (Form, Content, Communication, Context, Innovation, and Ethics). Upon graduation, students will be able to:
- FORM: Utilize appropriate techniques, media, and processes to skillfully create artistic form.
- CONTENT: Apply research practice to generate ideas and to understand and strengthen the relationship between form, medium, content, and artistic intention.
- COMMUNICATION: Discern meaning, quality, and value in works of art and communicate about this effectively in critiques and in writing.
- CONTEXT: Understand the historical, cultural, and institutional contexts in which art is experienced and use this knowledge to inform creating, archiving, documenting, and presenting works of art.
- INNOVATION: Apply processes of experimentation (revision, refinement, critical reflection on successes and failures) to develop curiosity and imagination and use self-directed research to create a portfolio of work.
- ETHICS: Develop studio art best practices (including a work ethic, concentration, and time-management skills; proper equipment and tool use; health & safety protocol; sense of community/cooperation and respect for others and for the space) and understand the larger ethical dimensions of art as a social, cultural, and political practice within a global context.
Steps to Change Major
At the time of admission to the University, no special permission, application, or portfolio review is required to declare the art major. Juniors or seniors who have declared another major, but wish to change their major to Studio Art must attend a major group advising session. Email sch_art@sfsu for information and advising session dates.
- For students transferring from other institutions, a minimum of 12 units in residence is required.
Students should be aware that art practice is time-consuming and expensive. Instructional Materials Fees are required for most studio courses, and students may find themselves spending additional sums of money on their projects.
Studio practice courses require hands-on practice and experience; this limits the number of students who can enroll in such courses.
Advising
Students are strongly encouraged to consult with a major advisor on a regular basis as they advance through the program. A list of departmental advisors and contact information can be found on the school’s website: https://art.sfsu.edu/advising.
Students are also advised to consult with the University’s Advising Center for information about General Education and other University requirements, as well as the Advising Resource Center in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts: http://lca.sfsu.edu/students#arc.
Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art — 43 Units
General Education Requirements Met in the Major:
The requirement below is deemed “met in the major” upon completion of the courses listed (even though the courses are not approved for GE). This is true whether or not the student completes the major.
- Area C1 (Arts) is satisfied upon completion of two of the following: ARTH 201, ARTH 202, ARTH 205, ART 222, ART 235, ART 240, and ART 245.
Lower-Division Courses (15 Units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Art History | 6 | |
| Select Two: | ||
| ARTH 201 | Western Art History I | 3 |
| ARTH 202 | Western Art History II | 3 |
| ARTH/HUM 205 | Asian Art History | 3 |
| Studio Art | 9 | |
| Select Three: | ||
| ART 210 | Introduction to Digital Media Arts | 3 |
| ART 222 | Introduction to Textile Art | 3 |
| ART 231 | Introduction to Drawing | 3 |
| ART 235 | Introduction to Printmaking | 3 |
| ART 240 | Introduction to Contemporary Sculpture | 3 |
| ART 245 | Introduction to Ceramics | 3 |
| ART 260 | Introduction to the Darkroom | 3 |
Before advancing to the 300-level or higher courses or declaring a concentration, all majors must have completed the University’s lower-division requirements and the lower-division courses for the major, or equivalent. Change of major students must also have proof of art advisor consultation.
Upper-Division Art History (6 Units)
Select two courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH/LTNS 301 | Latin American and Latino/a/x Art, 1492 to the Present | 3 |
| ARTH 306 | Modern and Contemporary Art in a North American and European Context, 1945-present | 3 |
| ARTH 401/CLAR 420 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece | 3 |
| ARTH 402/CLAR 425 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome | 3 |
| ARTH 403/SXS 405 | Queer Art History | 3 |
| ARTH 404/CLAR 550 | Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean Bronze Age | 3 |
| ARTH 406 | Global Renaissance and Baroque Art | 3 |
| ARTH 407/CLAR 500 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt | 3 |
| ARTH 409/CLAR 530 | Greek Vase Painting | 3 |
| ARTH 410/CLAR 531 | Greek Sculpture | 3 |
| ARTH 411 | South Asian Art I: Neolithic to Medieval Periods | 3 |
| ARTH 412 | South Asian Art II: Early Modern to Contemporary Periods | 3 |
| ARTH 421 | Special Topics in Art History | 3 |
| ARTH/HUM 496 | Art, Architecture, and Space in the Islamic World | 3 |
300-level Foundation Studio Art (3 Units)
Select one course from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ART 310 | Foundations in Digital Media Art | 3 |
| ART 330 | Foundations in Painting | 3 |
| ART 335 | Foundations in Printmaking Processes: Drawing the Multiple | 3 |
| ART 340 | Foundations in Contemporary Sculpture: Materials & Concepts | 3 |
| ART 345 | Foundations in Ceramics | 3 |
| ART 360 | Foundations in Photography | 3 |
Upper-Division Studio Art (12 Units)
Choose four upper-division studio art (ART) courses from the following list. An upper-division Art History (ARTH) course may be substituted for one upper-division ART course under advisement.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ART 310 | Foundations in Digital Media Art | 3 |
| ART 330 | Foundations in Painting | 3 |
| ART 335 | Foundations in Printmaking Processes: Drawing the Multiple | 3 |
| ART 340 | Foundations in Contemporary Sculpture: Materials & Concepts | 3 |
| ART 345 | Foundations in Ceramics | 3 |
| ART 360 | Foundations in Photography | 3 |
| ART 410 | Conceptual Art After Conceptual Art | 3 |
| ART 411 | Interactive Arts | 3 |
| ART 413 | Video Art | 3 |
| ART 422 | Weaving I: Beginning | 3 |
| ART 423 | Constructed Surfaces | 3 |
| ART 424 | Surface Design Studio | 3 |
| ART 431 | Intermediate Painting | 3 |
| ART 432 | Further Explorations in Drawing | 3 |
| ART 433 | Figure Drawing | 3 |
| ART 434 | Color Workshop | 3 |
| ART 435 | Intermediate Printmaking Workshop | 3 |
| ART 439 | Screen Printing | 3 |
| ART 440 | Sculpture and Expanded Practice | 3 |
| ART 445 | Ceramics on the Wheel | 3 |
| ART 460 | Intermediate Photography | 3 |
| ART 511 | Digital Media and Emerging Technologies: Special Areas | 3 |
| ART 514 | Experimental and Expanded Practices in Video Art | 3 |
| ART 525 | Textiles Studio Process | 3 |
| ART 527 | Repeat Pattern for Fine Art | 3 |
| ART 530 | Advanced Topics in Painting: The Expanded Field | 3 |
| ART 534 | Mixed Media Painting | 3 |
| ART 535 | Artist's Books | 3 |
| ART 536 | Advanced Topics in Printmaking | 3 |
| ART 541 | Installation Art | 3 |
| ART 543 | Hydrarchy: Nautical Art, Watercraft, and the Art of Resistance | 3 |
| ART 545 | Ceramic Sculpture | 3 |
| ART 546 | Glaze Surfaces | 3 |
| ART 548 | Glaze Calculation | 3 |
| ART 549 | Special Topics in Ceramics | 3 |
| ART 555 | The Multiple and Distributed Art | 3 |
| ART 556 | Art and Social Function | 3 |
| ART 563 | Advanced Topics in Photography | 3 |
Art Professional Service Practicum (1 Unit)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ART 509 | Art Professional Service Practicum | 1 |
Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (3 Units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 400GW | Writing About Art - GWAR | 3 |
Capstone Course
Interdisciplinary studio capstone course which combines research, writing, art making, seminar, and critique to reflect upon work made in previous studio courses and contextualize it within professional and institutional practices of the field.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Studio Process and Professional Practices | ||
| Exhibition Design | ||
Complementary Studies
All candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Art must complete 12 units of Complementary Studies from courses bearing a prefix other than ART, and not cross-listed with ART.
Students may satisfy this requirement in a variety of ways designed to facilitate timely graduation. Under advisement, students may complete 12 units of coursework in a single foreign language, an approved study abroad program, partial completion of a second major, minor, or certificate program in a related area of study. Related areas include Art History, Museum Studies, Design and Industry, Cinema, Humanities, Music and Dance, Theatre, and Business, among many others. Please note: Art majors with a concentration in Studio Art may count Art History courses (ARTH prefix) for Complementary Studies, but may not double-count coursework already counted for the major.
Students who have earned AA-T or AS-T degrees and are pursuing a similar B.A. degree at SF State are required to fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement as defined by the major department. Students should consult with a major advisor about how transfer units and/or SF State units can best be applied to this requirement in order to ensure degree completion within 60 units.
Note: Students who complete two majors, or a major and a minor, automatically complete the Complementary Studies requirement.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)
For students with an AA-T in Art History.
For students with an AA-T in Studio Arts.
ARTS ADT Roadmap
This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Art History or Studio Arts
California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T).
Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.
An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area C and 3 units in lower-division GE area D until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.
Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.
Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.
A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:
- How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.
Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.