Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Fine Arts-Studio Arts)

Bachelor of Fine Arts

This is a four-year professional program in preparation for a career in the fine arts and/or pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts degree. The Bachelor of Fine Arts program provides flexibility to account for individual student preference and maturation in the chosen area of specialization. There will be a review process after the third semester of the lower division core sequence. Students will then be encouraged either to continue with a Bachelor of Fine Arts program or pursue the Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts). A grade of C or higher is required in departmental courses for all undergraduate majors in the School of Fine Arts.

Curriculum Requirements

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) requires a total of 128 units, and 32 units of major requirements.

Required Courses		Units
FA 101a	Drawing	4
FA 102	Design Fundamentals	4
FA 106	Sculpture I	4
FA 150	Visual Culture and Literacy	4
FA 350	Art Theory and Criticism	4
FA 450	Senior Seminar	4
AHIS 100/200 level art history		4
AHIS 372	20th Century Art from 1930 to the Present	4

General Education Requirements

As of fall 1997, the university has instituted a new general education program, designed to be a simpler, more coherent and more integrated discipline which is expected of every undergraduate who receives a degree from USC. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing and diversity requirements, which are described in detail here.

All students who (1) enter the School of Fine Arts as freshmen in the summer of 1997 or later; or (2) begin college elsewhere in the summer of 1997 or later; or (3) began college earlier but transfer to USC in the summer of 2000 or later, must satisfy the requirements of the new general education program. Other students whose schedules permit are encouraged to follow the new program as well. However, continuing and transfer students in the fall of 1997 may elect to satisfy a "transitional" plan instead.

B.F.A. Sample Curriculum

First Year, Fall		Units
WRIT 140*	Writing and Critical Reasoning	4
FA 101a	Drawing I	4
FA 102	Design Fundamentals	4
General Education*	Social Issues	4
		____
		16
First Year, Spring		Units
AHIS 100/200 level art history		4
FA 100/200 level studio		4
FA 106	Sculpture I	4
FA 150	Visual Culture and Literacy	4
		____
		16
Second Year, Fall		Units
FA 100/200 level studio		12
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Second Year, Spring		Units
AHIS 372	Contemporary Art, 1945-Present	4
FA 100/200 level studio		8
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Third Year, Fall		Units
Advanced Writing Course		4
FA 300/400 level studio		8
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Third Year, Spring		Units
FA 350	Art Theory and Criticism	4
FA 300/400 level studio		8
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Fourth Year, Fall		Units
FA 300/400 level studio		12
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Fourth Year, Spring		Units
FA 450	Senior Seminar	4
FA 300/400 level studio		12
		____
		16

*The general education requirements are course requirements, not unit requirements. The units listed for general education courses are illustrative of USC courses. WRIT 140 and General Education (Social Issues) are taken concurrently.

Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts-Studio Arts)

The Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts-Studio Arts) is offered in collaboration with the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The program of study provides the student with a combination of studio experience, art theory and choice of a relevant minor field of study.

The program offers a more liberal, academic education than the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, while still providing a meaningful experience in the studio area. There will be a review process after the third semester of the lower division core sequence. Exceptionally talented students may then be encouraged by the faculty to pursue the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. A grade of C or higher is required in departmental courses for all undergraduate majors in the School of Fine Arts.

Curriculum Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts requires a total of 128 semester units including 32 units of major requirements.

Required Courses		Units
FA 101a	Drawing	4
FA 102	Design Fundamentals	4
FA 106	Sculpture	4
FA 150	Visual Culture and Literacy	4
FA 350	Art Theory and Criticism	4
FA 450	Senior Seminar	4
AHIS 100/200 level art history		4
AHIS 372	Contemporary Art, 1945-Present	4

General Education Requirements

As of fall 1997, the university has instituted a new general education program, designed to be a simpler, more coherent and more integrated discipline which is expected of every undergraduate who receives a degree from USC. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing and diversity requirements, which are described in detail here. In addition, students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree must meet the foreign language requirements.

All students who (1) enter the School of Fine Arts as freshmen in the summer of 1997 or later; or (2) begin college elsewhere in the summer of 1997 or later; or (3) began college earlier but transfer to USC in the summer of 2000 or later, must satisfy the requirements of the new general education program. Other students whose schedules permit are encouraged to follow the new program as well. However, continuing and transfer students in the fall of 1997 may elect to satisfy a "transitional" plan instead.

B.A.- Fine Arts Sample Curriculum

First Year, Fall		Units
FA 101a	Drawing I	4
FA 102	Design Fundamentals	4
WRIT 140*	Writing and Critical Reasoning	4
General Education*	Social Issues	4
		____
		16
First Year, Spring		Units
AHIS 100/200 level art history		4
FA 106	Sculpture I	4
FA 100/200 level studio		4
FA 150	Visual Culture and Literacy	4
		____
		16
Second Year, Fall		Units
FA 100/200 level studio		8
Foreign Language I		4
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Second Year, Spring		Units
AHIS 372	Contemporary Art, 1945-Present	4
Foreign Language II		4
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Third Year, Fall		Units
FA 100/200 level studio		4
Advanced Writing Course		4
Foreign Language III		4
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Third Year, Spring		Units
FA 350	Art Theory and Criticism	4
FA 300/400 level studio		4
Electives		4
General Education*		4
		____
		16
Fourth Year, Fall		Units
FA 300/400 level studio		8
Electives		8
		____
		16
Fourth Year, Spring		Units
FA 300/400 level studio		4
FA 450	Senior Seminar	4
Electives		8
		____
		16

*The general requirements are course requirements, not unit requirements. The units listed for general education courses are illustrative of USC courses. WRIT 140 and General Education (Social Issues) are taken concurrently.

Minor in Fine Arts

The School of Fine Arts offers a minor in fine arts as a supplement to major fields of specialization in other departments and schools for students whose academic programs do not permit the opportunity to pursue one of the school's regular degree options. A fine arts minor will emphasize painting or drawing, media-based imaging or sculpture.

Fine Arts Minor, Painting/Drawing

Required courses		Units
AHIS 120	Foundations of Western Art, or
AHIS 121	Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present	4
FA 101a	Drawing I	4
FA 102	Design Fundamentals	4
FA 105	Painting I	4
FA 201a	Drawing II, or
FA 205a	Painting II	4

After completing the above classes the student must then complete three upper division fine arts courses (12 units) in an area of emphasis chosen from the following: FA 301, 305, 401 and 405.

The total units required for the minor is 28.

Fine Arts Minor, Sculpture

Required courses		Units
AHIS 120	Foundations of Western Art, or
AHIS 121	Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present	4
FA 101a	Drawing I	4
FA 106	Sculpture I	4
FA 112	Ceramics	4
FA 206	Sculpture II	4

After completing the above classes the student must then complete three upper division fine arts courses (12 units) in an area of emphasis chosen from the following: FA 306, 312, 406 and 412.

The total units required for the minor is 28.

Fine Arts Minor, Media-based Imaging

Required courses		Units
AHIS 120	Foundations of Western Art, or
AHIS 121	Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present	4
FA 101a	Drawing I	4
FA 102	Design Fundamentals	4
FA 209ab	Photography	4-4

After completing the above classes the student must then complete three upper division fine arts courses (12 units) in an area of emphasis chosen from the following: FA 302, 309, 310, 311, 402, 409, 410 and 411.

The total units required for the minor is 28.

Candidates for the minor in the School of Fine Arts will be counseled by the student affairs specialist in the School of Fine Arts and by the faculty.

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