The Graphic Design program encourages students to be innovative while emphasizing strong technical skills. Students can explore a synthesis of corporate, expressive and experimental graphic design processes, among them drawing and scanning, Process Dissection Trees, Analog Photocopy Layering process, "drawing with images", and drawing and illustration as design. The program is a combination of Handcraft and digital processes, where students receive personal, hands-on instruction. This program treats graphic design as a branch of the fine arts.

Aside from the Adobe CS suite of software and Apple Macintosh computer area, the Graphic Design facilities include a large scale Epson 9800 printer for printing on a variety of papers and fabric, a metal-coil book binder, and sewing machines.

UCA’s Student Chapter of the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Artists) gives students an insight into the developments in the industry and enables them to get feedback from various designers from the industry. Students are also encouraged to submit work to a variety of competitives each year including Print Magazine's Design Competitive, Communication Arts Design Competitive, and the OUTput International student competititve.

BFA Major in Studio Art (80 hours of Art)

This degree requires a minimum of 127 hours, including 80 hours of art and art history, 44 hours of general education (see BFA Model Plan of Study and General Education Program check sheet), 3 hours of foreign language at the 2000 level, and 40 hours upper division credit. No minor is required. Art courses must follow a prerequisite structure. This degree may require more than the normal eight semesters to complete.

Students must complete the 38 hours of core courses, area studies and art history, 21 hours in an approved studio emphasis, and 21 hours in BFA required courses to complete 80 hours of art classes  Acceptance to the BFA degree program requires faculty approval of the BFA application which includes the application form declaring emphasis being pursued, a typewritten statement, slides or digital images of at least 12 works, and a copy of a current UCA transcript.  Applications may be submitted each fall and spring semester. A minimum of 23 hours in art is required after acceptance to the BFA program, including ART 4300, 4301, 4675, 4150,  4160, 4372, and 6 hours of art in a special degree plan.

Core Courses (12 hours)

These four classes are required:

ART  1310     2-D Design     Offered fall, spring, summer

ART  1321     Drawing I         Offered fall, spring, summer

ART  2312     3-D Design      Offered fall, spring

ART 2322      Drawing II, Life     Offered fall, spring

Area Studies (14 hours)

These three classes are required:

ART 3324     Drawing III, Advanced Life Drawing     Offered spring
                       Prerequisites:  Art 1310, 1321, and 2322                     

ART 2140     Portfolio Assessment     Offered fall
                       Prerequisites: ART 1310, 1321, 2312, 2322;
                       3 hours from 2325, 2335, 2336     

ART 3140      Portfolio Assessment II    Offered spring
                        Prerequisite: 2140                     

Select one from Category A and one from Category B

 Category A:

            ART 3361     Sculpture I     Offered fall
                                  Prerequisites:  ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing

           ART 3379     Ceramics I     Offered fall, spring
                                  Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing                    

           ART 3350      Fibers     Offered spring, even years
                                   Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing    

            ART 3315     Contemporary Media in 3D    Offered spring
                                   Prerequisites: ART 2140 and 3 hours 3000-level studio classes    

Category B:

            ART 3318     Photography I     Offered fall, spring
                                  Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing                             

            ART 3330    Illustration I     Offered fall
                                 Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing                             

            ART 3332     Painting I         Offered fall
                                  Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing                           

            ART 3334     Watercolor I     Offered fall
                                  Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing                             

            ART 3353     Graphic Design I   Offered fall, spring
                                   Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing                          

            ART 3343     Printmaking I         Offered spring
                                  Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing  

                             
Select one additional class from category A or category B, OR
        ART 3304      Introduction to Art Education    Offered spring
                                Prerequisites: ART 1310 or 2312, 1321

Art History (12 hours)

These two classes are required:

        ART 2335     Art History, Prehistoric-Medieval   Offered fall, spring

        ART 2336     Art History, Renaissance-Modern         Offered fall, spring

Select two of the following:

        ART 3301     Modern Art     Offered fall

        ART 3302     History of American Art     Offered spring

        ART 3303     Nineteenth Century Art History   Offered spring

        ART 3307     Arts of Africa    Offered spring, odd years

        ART 3311     Ancient South American Art     Offered spring

        ART 3329     Ancient Mesoamerican Art    Offered spring, even years

        ART 3365     Women in Art     Offered fall

        ART 3385     Art of India    Offered on demand

        ART 3395     Art of Japan     Offered on demand

ART 3150     BFA Folio        Offered fall, spring
                        Prerequisite: Acceptance to the BFA program

ART 4150     BFA Professional Orientation        Offered fall, spring
                       Prerequisite: Departmental approval

ART 4325     Drawing IV, Experimental        Offered fall
                       Prerequisites: ART 2140, 3324

ART 4372     Senior Seminar        Offered fall
                       Prerequisites: Senior standing and 9 hours of art history

ART 4675     BFA Intership        Offered fall, spring, summer
                        Prerequisites: Written proposal and departmental approval
                        semester prior to enrollment   
                        Note: A maximum of 12 hours of variable credit courses in art may
                        be applied to the BFA degree

         
ART 4300     BFA Studio Practicum            Offered fall, spring
                        Prerequisites: Written proposal and departmental approval
                        semester prior to enrollment  

ART 4301     BFA Studio Practicum       Offered fall, spring
                        Prerequisite: ART 4300

ART 4160     BFA Exhibit        Offered fall, spring
                        Prerequisite: Departmental approval

Graphic Design Emphasis (21 hours)

If one or more of the courses below have been taken as part of the Area Studies coursework under Category B, select additional courses from the studio emphasis electives below. If Graphic Design I is selected for Area Studies, select an additional course from the studio emphasis electives below.

ART 3353     Graphic Design I       Offered fall, spring
                       Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing

ART 3354     Graphic Design II        Offered spring
                       Prerequisite: ART 3353

ART 4328     Graphic Design III        Offered fall
                       Prerequisites: ART 2140, 3353, 3354 with grades of B
                       or above and permission

ART 4335     Graphic Design IV        Offered spring
                       Prerequisites: ART 3353, 3354, 4328 and permission

Select two of the following electives:

ART 3330      Illustration I        Offered fall
                        Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing

ART 3343     Printmaking I        Offered spring
                       Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing

ART 3325     Color        Offered spring
                       Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing

ART 3318     Photography I        Offered fall, spring
                       Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing

Select one of the following electives:

ART 3331      Illustration II        Offered spring
                       Prerequisite: ART 3330

ART 4388      Advanced Studio: Graphic Design        Offered fall, spring                                                                            Prerequisites: ART 2140, 6 hours in one studio area and
                         faculty permission
                        Note: May be repeated for credit


*For more information see the Undergraduate Bulletin.

 For detailed course information and descriptions, see Courses in Art

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To download BFA/Graphic Design Emphasis Checklist, click here:
Graphic Design Checklist

To download pdf of the General Education Checklist, click here:
UCA Core (General Education) Classes Checklist. 

To download BFA Studio Program Completion Plan, click here: BFA Studio

To download BFA application, click here: BFA Application

To download BFA Studo Practicum Guidlines, click here: BFA Studio Practicum

To download Individual Study Guidelines, click here: Individual Study

To download Directed Study Guidelines (ART 4102, 4202, 4302), click here:
Directed Study

To download Art Internship Guidelines (ART 4375, 4675), click here: Art Internship

Note: Program information updated on July 2012.