Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts-Studio Arts)



Bachelor of Fine Arts

This is a four-year intensive professional program in preparation for a career in the fine arts and/or related fields or the pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts degree. 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, including 40 lower division and at least 48 upper division units in fine arts.

Required CoursesUnits
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 102Design Fundamentals4
FA 106Sculpture I4
FA 150Visual Culture and Literacy4
FA 350Art Theory and Criticism4
FA 450Senior Seminar4
AHIS 121Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present4
AHIS 372Contemporary Art: 1945-Present4

General Education Requirements

The university's general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. 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 who began college full-time before summer 1997 and enter USC before summer 2000 may elect to satisfy a transitional plan instead.

B.F.A. Sample Curriculum

First Year, FallUnits
WRIT 140*Writing and Critical Reasoning4
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 102Design Fundamentals4
General Education*Social Issues4
____
16
First Year, SpringUnits
AHIS 121Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present4
FA 100/200 level studio4
FA 106Sculpture I4
FA 150Visual Culture and Literacy4
____
16
Second Year, FallUnits
FA 100/200 level studio12
General Education*4
____
16
Second Year, SpringUnits
AHIS 372Contemporary Art, 1945-Present4
FA 100/200 level studio8
General Education*4
____
16
Third Year, FallUnits
WRIT 340Advanced Writing Course4
FA 300/400 level studio8
General Education*4
____
16
Third Year, SpringUnits
FA 350Art Theory and Criticism4
FA 300/400 level studio8
General Education*4
____
16
Fourth Year, FallUnits
FA 300/400 level studio12
General Education*4
____
16
Fourth Year, SpringUnits
FA 450Senior Seminar4
FA 300/400 level studio12
____
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 36 lower division and at least 24 upper division units in fine arts.

Required CoursesUnits
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 102Design Fundamentals4
FA 106Sculpture4
FA 150Visual Culture and Literacy4
FA 350Art Theory and Criticism4
FA 450Senior Seminar4
AHIS 121Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present4
AHIS 372Contemporary Art: 1945-Present4

General Education Requirements

The university's general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing, foreign language and diversity requirements, which are described in detail here.

All students who (1) entered the School of Fine Arts as freshmen in the summer of 1997 or later; or (2) began 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 who began college full-time before summer 1997 and enter USC before summer 2000 may elect to satisfy a transitional plan instead.

B.A.- Fine Arts Sample Curriculum

First Year, FallUnits
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 102Design Fundamentals4
WRIT 140*Writing and Critical Reasoning4
General Education*Social Issues4
____
16
First Year, SpringUnits
AHIS 121Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present4
FA 106Sculpture I4
FA 100/200 level studio4
FA 150Visual Culture and Literacy4
____
16
Second Year, FallUnits
FA 100/200 level studio8
Foreign Language I4
General Education*4
____
16
Second Year, SpringUnits
AHIS 372Contemporary Art, 1945-Present4
Foreign Language II4
General Education*4
____
16
Third Year, FallUnits
FA 100/200 level studio4
WRIT 340Advanced Writing4
Foreign Language III4
General Education*4
____
16
Third Year, SpringUnits
FA 350Art Theory and Criticism4
FA 300/400 level studio4
Electives4
General Education*4
____
16
Fourth Year, FallUnits
FA 300/400 level studio8
Electives8
____
16
Fourth Year, SpringUnits
FA 300/400 level studio4
FA 450Senior Seminar4
Electives8
____
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 coursesUnits
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 105Painting I4
FA 150Visual Culture and Literacy4
One lower division course (4 units chosen from the following:
FA 102Design Fundamentals4
FA 201aDrawing II, or
FA 205aPainting II4
Four upper division courses (16 units chosen from the following:
FA 301Advanced Drawing4
FA 305Advanced Painting4
FA 401Topics in Advanced Drawing4
FA 405Topics in Advanced Painting4

The total units required for the minor is 28.

Fine Arts Minor, Sculpture

Required coursesUnits
FA 106Sculpture I4
FA 150Visual Culture and Literacy4
Two lower division course (8 units) chosen from the following:
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 112Ceramics4
FA 206Sculpture II4
Four lower division course (16 units) chosen from the following:
FA 306Advanced Sculpture4
FA 312Advanced Ceramics4
FA 406Topics in Advanced Sculpture4
FA 412Topics in Advanced Ceramics4

The total units required for the minor is 28.

Fine Arts Minor, Media-based Imaging

Required coursesUnits
AHIS 120Foundations of Western Art, or
AHIS 121Introduction to Western Art: 1500 to the Present4
FA 101aDrawing I4
FA 102Design Fundamentals4
FA 209abPhotography4-4

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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