Program Overview

Art and Art History

The Art and Art History program at Colorado State University offers a comprehensive education in the visual arts, with a focus on studio art, art history, and art education.

Undergraduate Programs

• BA in Art History
  • Art History Certificate (Majors)
  • Art History Minor (Non-Majors)
• BA in Integrated Visual Studies
• BFA in Art Education
• BFA Studio
  • Drawing
  • Electronic Art
  • Fibers
  • Graphic Design
  • Metalsmithing
  • Painting
  • Photo Image Making
  • Pottery
  • Printmaking
  • Sculpture

Graduate Programs

• Master of Fine Arts

Program Description

The Bachelor of Fine Art program is a comprehensive, professional degree for the studio art major that brings together research, exploration, and experimentation. Students who are drawn to this major enjoy being challenged and are ready to grow beyond their comfort zone. They are independent and curious and have a passion for learning.

As a student working towards your BFA in studio art, you will explore a variety of mediums and learn from experts in their craft. You will look back upon global art throughout the ages, different forms of visual communication, and its impact on society. Your studio experiences will help you gain the fundamental knowledge and mastery of process necessary to communicate meaning in a work of art. You’ll develop your own unique voice through interdisciplinary study, project implementation, and hands-on practice that combines technical and conceptual learning.

Coursework

As a first-year student, you will study Foundations courses in form and observation, color and composition, materials and space, and global art history. As a sophomore, you will become familiar with art practices in the concentration studios, housed in separate wings of our building, that feature large, well-equipped laboratory spaces designed to explore a specific medium.

As a junior and senior, you will focus on advanced topics in your chosen concentration. You’ll develop a capstone project to demonstrate your research and creative artistry, and your work will be submitted to the BFA Juried Show, an annual exhibition at the Hatton Gallery that showcases the work of recent BFA graduates.

Outcomes

You will leave Colorado State University with the fundamental knowledge and mastery of media and processes necessary to communicate clearly about your own art and the art of others, along with the toolset necessary to build a creative, authentic life and contribute to society.