2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Dec 05, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Art, BFA (ART-BFA)

CIP Code: 500701

Program Description

The School of Fine and Performing Arts offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees, with courses in art history, foundations, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. The B.A. in Art is designed for students who wish to combine a liberal education with specific studies in art. The B.F.A. degree is designed for students who want to pursue a more intensive professional studio art program. The School also offers a minor in studio art, and a B.F.A. degree that enable students to receive a certificate in graphic arts from Wright State’s Lake Campus.

Because self-expression and self-learning are the ultimate goals of the program, students are largely responsible for determining the options that best meet their individual needs and interests. Candidates for a degree in art may prepare for graduate study, careers in teaching, museum and gallery curation, commercial arts, or the professional practice of art.

In the studio area, studies begin with introductory courses in drawing, 2D and 3D foundations, and photography. These courses are designed for the beginning artist and guide the student’s development in the visual arts. The program helps students expand and express their knowledge and grow in self-expression by exploring the processes and language basic to all visual arts. Rather than follow a system of independent courses in a given medium or discipline, students investigate issues and ideas in a variety of visual modes.

Incoming students who have scored a 4 or 5 on the AP exam for drawing, 2D foundations, and 3D foundations will automatically receive credit for these courses. Incoming students who have scored a 3 will automatically receive art elective credit. Students with a score of 3 are eligible to submit a portfolio for review and placement; otherwise, all first-year students in art are admitted to the general curriculum. All candidates for the B.F.A. degree must be represented in the senior thesis exhibition.

Students who wish to teach art in Ohio public schools can pursue the B.F.A. degree with the art education component. Upon completion of this undergraduate degree, students will be eligible to seek admission to qualified master’s and licensure programs throughout the state.

Program Admission Requirements

This academic program does not have admission requirements beyond regular admission to Wright State University. Any student is eligible to declare this academic program.

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in this program will learn to:

Have integrated drawing skills into their aesthetic sensibility.
Be able to demonstrate an acquaintance with the materials and procedures of five of the studio disciplines taught at Wright State.
Show proficiency and have an in-depth understanding of at least one studio discipline taught at Wright State.
Have an understanding of the evolution of art history.
Have integrated the study of original works of art into their artistic practice.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, graduates of this program can:

Integrate drawing skills into their aesthetic sensibility.
Demonstrate an acquaintance with the materials and procedures of five of the studio disciplines taught at Wright State.
Show proficiency and have an in-depth understanding of at least one studio discipline taught at Wright State.
Demonstrate an understanding of the evolution of art history.
Integrate the study of original works of art into their artistic practice.

For More Information

Program Requirements

I. Wright State Core: 36 Credit Hours

As a part of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Wright State University, all students must complete the Wright State Core, a general education curriculum. Most programs require 36 hours in the Core, some programs may require additional hours.

Specific Core classes in some of the Elements may be required by some majors. When this occurs, the specific Core courses required will be listed below. In Elements where a specific course is not required, students can choose any course from the Wright State Core Program Requirements.

First-Year Seminar: 3 Credit Hours

All students must successfully complete a First-Year Seminar during their first year. Transfer students who transfer 24 or more credit hours (post high school graduation) are exempt from this requirement and will need to satisfy three additional credit hours in the Additional Core Courses category.

LA 1020 - First-Year Seminar: College of Liberal Arts Credit Hour(s): 3

Element A - English Composition: 6 Credit Hours

All students must successfully complete ENG 1100. Based on Writing Placement level, some students may be required to enroll in a corequisite course.

First-Year Writing Course (3 credit hours)

All students must successfully complete ENG 1100.  Based on Writing Placement level, some students may be required to enroll in a corequisite course (DEV 0100). 
ENG 1100 - Academic Writing and Reading Credit Hour(s): 3
Second-Year Writing Course (3 credit hours)
ENG 2100 - Research Writing and Argumentation Credit Hour(s): 3

Element B - Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic: 3 Credit Hours

Students will select one Element B course from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements list. Based on Math Placement Level, students may need additional prerequisite or corequisite coursework in mathematics prior to enrollment in the course chosen.

Element C - Arts and Humanities: 6 Credit Hours

Students will select two Arts and Humanities courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. One course must fulfill the History requirement.

History Requirement (3 credit hours)

Choose 1 course from the list below:
HST 1100 - Western Civilizations to 1500 Credit Hour(s): 3 (GI
HST 1200 - The West and the World since 1500 Credit Hour(s): 3 (GI
HST 1500 - Introduction to Greek and Roman Culture Credit Hour(s): 3 (GI
Arts and Humanities Course (3 credit hours)

Choose an additional Arts and Humanities course (a different prefix from what is chosen above) from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements.

Element D - Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 Credit Hours

Students will select two Social and Behavioral Sciences courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements.

Element E - Natural Sciences: 7 Credit Hours

Students will select two Natural Science courses, from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. At least one course must contain a laboratory.

Additional Core Courses: 5 Credit Hours

Students will select up to 5 additional credit hours from Elements A-E from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements to reach the 36 minimum hours required in the Core. Unless specified by the student’s major, these are selected by the student. When a major has required courses in this area, the specific Core course(s) required will be listed below.

Additional Core Requirements

Within the 36 credit hours of the Wright State Core students must successfully complete the following:

One Global Inquiry (GI) course

Two Inclusive Excellence (IE) courses

One to two Integrated Writing (IW) courses. To meet degree requirements all students must complete a minimum of 3 IW courses by choosing either (a) 1 in the Core and 2 in the major or (b) 2 in the Core and 1 in the major. Students should check their major program requirements for courses that fulfill Integrated Writing.

Students who do not make choices within the 36 required hours of the Core to fulfill the GI, IE, and IW requirements will take additional Core hours beyond the minimum of 36.

II. Major Requirements: 60 Credit Hours

Studio Core: 12 Credit Hours

Student will choose one course from each of the four areas below:

Painting,
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

Studio Concentration: 18 Credit Hours

Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture or multidisciplinary

Three Upper-Level Art History Courses: 9 Credit Hours

III. Major Concentration Requirements: 17-22 Credit Hours

Students will select one concentration area.

General Art Concentration: 17 Credit Hours

ART Electives Credit Hour(s): 17

Art Education Concentration: 19 Credit Hours

ART 2150 - Foundations of Art Education Credit Hour(s): 3
ED 2600 - Introduction to Education Credit Hour(s): 3
ED 2650 - Early Field Experience I: Introduction to the Education Profession Credit Hour(s): 1
ED 2700 - Introduction to Educational Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
ED 2750 - Early Field Experience II: Introduction to Educational Psychology Credit Hour(s): 1
ART Electives Credit Hour(s): 8

IV. General Electives: 5-7 Credit Hours

Students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. If the total number of credit hours in the WSU Core (general education program) and the major requirements do not total at least 120 credits, students will choose additional courses (general electives) to meet the minimum required 120 credit hours. Students may choose from any undergraduate course in the Academic Catalog for which they meet the course prerequisites and for which they do not already have earned credit.

The number of General Electives by concentration is as follows:

General Art concentration: 7 credit hours
Art Education concentration: 5 credit hours

Total: 120 Credit Hours

Graduation Planning Strategy

A Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS), also known as a four-year guide, is an academic tool showing one example of how a program can be completed in a certain amount of time. All Wright State undergraduate majors can be completed in four years with careful planning. Some programs may require summer coursework. Time to degree is dependent on many factors including student placement in mathematics and writing courses, CCP and AP coursework, transfer coursework, and other variables.

These guides are valid for this year’s Academic Catalog only and are subject to change. These guides are a recommendation only and your actual program may vary. Students should consult with their academic advisor on a regular basis and create a personalized plan to degree completion.