School of Art

OFFICE	220 Design Building
TELEPHONE	225-578-5411
FAX	225-578-5424

For information regarding the GRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.

CURRICULUM:

Art
Studio Art

LSU is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design. Through the College of Art & Design, the School of Art offers the professional BFA degree in Studio Art with concentrations in digital art, graphic design, and studio art (with areas of emphasis in Photography (Track A); Printmaking and Book Arts (Track B); Painting and Drawing (Track C); or 3-D: Ceramics and Sculpture (Track D). In addition, students concentrating in these areas may minor in art history, ceramics, painting and drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and visual communications. All studio art classes meet for two class hours per semester hour of credit. Outside of regular class time, students are expected to engage in a minimum of one additional hour of studio work per hour of credit.

Certain courses offered by the school require fees to defray the cost of consumable materials used by students. This information is included in the individual course syllabus.

Enrollment in certain required art courses may be restricted to “majors and minors only” early in the registration process.

Registration for all multiple credit courses taken for more than three credits in a given semester will require prior permission of the instructor.

Personal Computer Requirement

All students entering the School of Art are required to have their own laptop computer with wireless internet access prior to the first semester of study. Students planning to enter Graphic Design, Digital Arts, or Interior Design may have additional requirements and should refer to laptop specifications for those areas when purchasing a laptop for their first semester. For information regarding the type, specifications, and software for all School of Art students, or to address questions regarding this requirement, please visit 220 Design Building or the School of Art website.

Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Bachelor of Arts in Art enables students in the College of Art & Design to become broadly educated in the study of art, while also having a declared minor, double major, or approved course of study. The purpose of the BA in Art degree is to allow students to combine their visual arts education with another area of study, while still focusing on the core Art elements with a survey of arts, foundation classes in design, drawing, and composition. This degree is based on a liberal arts model and aspires for students to be prepared to contribute to a range of hybrid industries upon graduating such as: animation, games, computer graphics, video production, web design, digital fabrication, visual development in architecture and interior design, art therapy, art education, entrepreneurship, interface design, or apparel design.

The College of Art & Design also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Art, with a concentration in Art History. This is a curriculum for students who have an interest in the visual arts that explores the historical dimension of this fundamental link. It provides opportunities for students to explore the multifaceted connections between the contemporary practice of artistic production and historical sources both visual and written. The training and insights students gain from art history build powerful analytical tools for understanding history, the diversity of past and present cultures, and the contemporary world. The purpose of the concentration in Art History is to encourage students to develop: a broadly based understanding of the visual arts throughout time, from prehistory to the present, and, spatially, across geographic regions and globally diverse cultures; a taste and capacity for engaging with primary sources, both written and visual, in conducting research into works of art and the historical, sociopolitical and economic contexts that might help explain their production, meaning, reception, use, display and cultural significance; a familiarity with critical thinking and methodologies in the approach to the study of cultural artefacts and in the understanding of the discipline of art history. This degree will help students imagine themselves as visual art specialists, and prepare them for careers in research, academia, the art world, art therapy, art education and graduate programs in visual and media studies.

Admission Requirements

All students admitted into the College of Art & Design who declare Art (BA) or Art-Arth (BA) as their major will be admitted into the BA program.

Transfer Students

Transfer students from other institutions will be considered for admission to the Art (BA) program on a space-available basis. The same applies to students already enrolled at LSU who wish to transfer into the Art program. Transfer students are strongly encouraged to apply for admission by February 15 for entry in the fall semester.

“C” Grades and Repetition of Courses

Art majors must pass all required art and art history courses with a grade of “C” or better. A student who earns a “D” or “F” must retake the course.

Upper Level Courses

For the Bachelor of Arts with the major in Art, a minimum of 30 semester hours in courses numbered 3000 or above is required (15 of which must be at the 4000 level).

For the Bachelor of Arts with the major in Art and concentration in Art History, a minimum of 45 semester hours in courses numbered 3000 or above is required.

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree provides the liberal education and specialized instruction needed for a professional career in the visual arts.

Admission Requirements

Admission into the program for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art is a selective two-part process. The first phase occurs when a student who is admitted by the Office of Enrollment Management indicates a preference for studio art and chooses a degree path and a concentration. Students who have completed AP art courses with a portfolio score of three or better will be considered for credit toward studio art foundation courses.

The second phase of the admission process takes place upon conclusion of the second year with the completion of: ART 1011 , ART 1012 , ART 1847 , and other relevant courses from the student’s intended concentration, listed below. Students will submit a portfolio of creative work produced in the required first and second-year courses. Students who pass the portfolio review may pursue their concentration and any studio art minor listed in the LSU General Catalog. Students who do not pass the review may opt to complete an alternative degree path in the College of Art & Design.

Transfer Students

Transfer students from other institutions will be considered for admission to the Studio Art program and/or Foundations Program on a space-available basis. The same applies to students already enrolled at LSU who wish to transfer into the Studio Art program. Transfer students are strongly encouraged to apply for admission by February 15 for entry in the fall semester.

Substitution credit for art courses taken elsewhere will be considered if they are equivalent to courses required for the curriculum in Studio Art. Consideration will also be given to courses taken through an art program accredited by NASAD. Additionally, transferring students are expected to submit a portfolio of work completed in relevant courses for evaluation by faculty within the chosen concentration.

“C” Grades and Repetition of Courses

Studio Art majors must pass all required art and art history courses with a grade of “C” or better. A student who earns a “D” or “F” must retake the course.

Students majoring in Art in the College of Art & Design will select from one of three concentrations: Studio Art, Graphic Design; and Digital Art. Please review the foundation requirements for the intended concentration.

Students pursuing the Studio Art concentration are required to select from the following four tracks:

Photography (Track A);

Printmaking and Book Arts (Track B);

Painting and Drawing (Track C);

or 3D: Ceramics; or Sculpture (Track D).

Specific courses for each track may be found on the School of Art website. Foundation and recommended elective courses must be selected with the advice and approval of the advisor in the School of Art.

Studio Art Foundations (9 Credits) – Foundation courses are comprised of ART 1011 , ART 1012 , ART 1847 . Foundation courses must be completed by the end of the fourth semester. Critical course sequence should be selected based on the intended track (see School of Art advisor).

Studio Art Core (12 credits): To be chosen from the following courses, ART 1360 , ART 1661 , ART 1662 , ART 1762 , ART 1848 , ART 1849 , ART 2050 , ART 2552 , ART 2995 . Core courses must be completed by the end of the fourth semester. Critical course sequence should be selected based on the intended track (see School of Art advisor).

Approved Electives (12-15 credits) - Approved electives include all ART and ARTH courses in addition to others determined by the School of Art. A list of approved electives can be obtained from the School of Art website or from an academic counselor.

Art History Requirements (12-15 credits) – Three credits of ARTH 1440 or ARTH 1441 , ARTH 2470 , and ARTH 1440 or ARTH 1441 or 2000 level or above, and six credit hours above 4000.

General Electives (0-6 credits)

General Education Requirements – See “Degree Requirements of the College ”. Thirty-nine hours of general education courses must be completed as required by the university.

Programs

Major

Minor

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