College of the Arts
School of Art
www.kent.edu/art

About This Program

Earn your B.F.A. in Studio Art and turn your creativity into a career! This pre-professional program hones your technical skills, conceptual thinking and problem-solving through hands-on studio work, critiques and contemporary art exploration. Specialize in ceramics, drawing, glass, jewelry, painting, print media, photography, sculpture or textiles — each offering a unique path to artistic mastery. Showcase your work in a senior thesis exhibition and prepare for a future in the visual arts. Read more...

Contact Information

• Taryn McMahon | tmcmaho5@kent.edu | 330-672-2839
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning a minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score, minimum 47 PTE score or minimum 100 DET score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive English Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Transfer applicants to the program who meet the general transfer admission requirements should schedule a meeting with the academic advisor in the School of Art and submit a portfolio to a studio art faculty member to review for proper course placement. The faculty member may specify additional requirements considered reasonable and necessary. Transfer credits are evaluated consistent with the state-wide Transfer Articulation Guides (TAG), although each student will be evaluated individually in terms of his or her ability to perform in the program. Transfer students should make every effort to complete admission requirements before the deadlines and to schedule a portfolio review with before registration.

Transfer students visit the admissions website for transfer students for more information.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students may register for selected Studio Art upper-division courses (ARTS 30000 or 40000 level) prior to successfully completing ART 30001. At the completion of seven specific courses (ART 10022, ART 10023, ART 10024, ARTH 22007, ARTS 14000 and two foundation electives), students register for ART 30001 and submit a portfolio of representative studio work selected from these courses to a studio art faculty committee for review. An examination of knowledge of art history is included. Incoming transfer students are expected to provide examples of foundational coursework equivalent to School of Art requirements for ART 30001. The review is a formative assessment of the student's foundations work including a digital portfolio, installation of sampling of works and proficiency in written and oral critical thinking.

²

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

³

Students are required to plan and execute independently a senior thesis exhibition in the area of their declared concentration. The exhibition is presented for review to a committee of at least three School of Art faculty. In addition to presenting the project or exhibition, students must submit a written proposal and written summation (or artist's statement). Students must submit photographic documentation along with the requisite written components at the completion of the committee defense. Students should work closely with a studio art faculty advisor on all aspects of the senior project.

⁴

A maximum 3 credit hours of ARTS 45090 may be applied toward studio art electives. Students may apply this course toward fulfilling general electives, with no maximum credit hours required.

Ceramics Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 24051 and/or ARTS 25400 as part of the major foundation electives may choose any Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course(s) to meet required credit hours.

²

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Drawing Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 14001, ARTS 24002, ARTS 24040 and/or ARTS 24061 as part of the major foundation electives are to choose from the following to meet required credit hours: ARTS 24010, ARTS 25310 and ARTS 34061. If all four courses were completed to fulfill the major foundation electives, the student may choose any one Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course to meet required credit hours.

²

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Glass Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 24051 and/or ARTS 25600 as part of the major foundation electives are to choose from the following to meet required credit hours: ARTS 24002, ARTS 24061, ARTS 25600, ARTS 35316.

²

Maximum 6 credit hours of ARTS 35704 may be applied toward the major.

³

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Jewelry, Metals and Enameling Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 25700 as part of the major foundation electives may choose any Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course to meet required credit hours.

²

Maximum 6 credit hours of ARTS 35704 may be applied toward the major.

³

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

⁴

Maximum 6 credit hours of ARTS 45708 may be applied toward the major.

Painting Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 14001, ARTS 24002 and/or ARTS 24061 as part of the major foundation electives may choose any Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course(s) to meet required credit hours.

²

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Print Media and Photography Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 14001, ARTS 24002, ARTS 24010 and/or ARTS 24040 as part of the major foundation electives may choose any Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course(s) to meet required credit hours.

²

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Sculpture and Expanded Media Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 14001, ARTS 24051 and/or ARTS 25400 as part of the major foundation electives may choose any Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course(s) to meet required credit hours.

²

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Textiles Concentration Requirements

¹

Students who completed ARTS 25310 as part of the major foundation electives may choose any Studio Art (ARTS) 10000-, 20000-, 30000- or 40000-level course to meet required credit hours.

²

Maximum 6 credit hours of ARTS 45300 may be applied toward the major.

³

Maximum 9 credit hours of ARTS 45314 may be applied toward the major.

⁴

Maximum 9 credit hours of ARTS 45351 may be applied toward the major.

⁵

ARTS 45080 and ARTS 45095 may be used to fulfill concentration electives with approval from a faculty or academic advisor.

Graduation Requirements

• ARTH 12001 is designed for non-art majors, and will not fulfill major requirements for art majors.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

Policies

Dual Degree/Double Major

Exhibitions

Students enrolled in a B.F.A. or B.A. program in studio art, and in the B.A. in art education, must receive a rating of “satisfactory” on selected works exhibited during their portfolio review.

No-Credit Courses

Some courses do not generate credit within particular programs. ARTH 12001 does not generate credit for majors within the School of Art, but can be used to fulfill Kent Core requirements. Check course descriptions carefully for more information.

Physical Activity and ROTC Courses

No more than 4 credit hours of Physical Activity, Wellness and Sport (PWS) courses or the first 16 credit hours of ROTC courses—Aerospace Studies (ASTU) and Military Studies (MSCI)—may apply to the 120 credit hours required for graduation.

Veterans who have completed a minimum of one year of active duty may receive PWS credit for military basic training according to branch of service, as follows:

• Army and Marine Corps, 3 credit hours;
• Navy and Coast Guard, 2 credit hours;
• Air Force, 1 credit hour.

Requirement Audit

Upon completion of 60 credit hours, each student is required to contact the College of the Arts Advising office to obtain a current evaluation of progress toward completion of the student’s chosen degree program. Requirement evaluations are not a substitute for meeting with a faculty advisor. Students may access GPS (Graduation Planning System) audit through their FlashLine account which provides them with information about their academic progress. Questions about GPS audits are answered in the College of the Arts Advising office.

Transfer Students to the School of Art

Transfer students with more than two studio art courses should submit a portfolio of work for proper placement. The director of the School of Art may impose additional requirements considered reasonable and necessary. Transfer credits are evaluated consistent with the state Transfer Articulation Guidelines (TAG), although each student will be evaluated individually in terms of their ability to perform within the program. Transfer students should make every effort to complete admission requirements before the deadlines and see an advisor in the School of Art for an evaluation of the portfolio and schedule planning before registration.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art is a pre-professional program that develops students' conceptual prowess, technical competency and independent problem-solving to meet the challenges of a career or advanced study in the visual arts. Through studio critiques, the study of sophisticated art and design concepts, mastery of skills and technologies and critical analysis of historical and contemporary issues, students learn to analyze and evaluate visual art and apply this knowledge to their own creative practice. Graduating students demonstrate their competence by producing a cohesive body of work presented in their senior thesis exhibition to a panel of faculty reviewers.

The Studio Art major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Ceramics concentration offers students the opportunity to hone their command of ceramic material to create both artistic and functional forms. Students find new ways of practicing an ancient craft, drawing on both traditional and contemporary thought and practice. In addition, they investigate practices from around the world for a global context in understanding the medium.
• The Drawing concentration cultivates foundational through advanced observational, conceptual and experimental processes to enable students to explore ideas across media and disciplines. All majors in the School of Art are able to complete a sequence of drawing courses to strengthen their drawing as a tool for visual thinking and recording. The concentration encourages advanced students to work with a wide range of approaches and to pursue drawing in diverse contexts.
• The Glass concentration challenges students to explore glass as a creative medium, both technically and conceptually, within the broader context of contemporary art. In addition to the fundamentals of glassblowing, students learn glass casting, slumping, fusing, flameworking, enameling, cold-working and assembly. Both interdisciplinary and mixed media approaches are actively encouraged.
• The Jewelry, Metals and Enameling concentration equally embraces its rich history and the contemporary theory, materials and technology present in the discipline. Students are exposed to fabrication, smithing, enameling, rapid prototyping, alternative materials and industrial processes to encourage the creation of thoughtful art objects. Students are encouraged to meld the rich traditions and applications of the field into the development of their own artistic signatures.
• The Painting concentration is rooted in observation and technique while stimulating abstract, conceptual or material-driven ideas about painting and contemporary art practices. The curriculum supports a variety of specific approaches to painting — including collage, figural, landscape and abstraction — while simultaneously promoting an interdisciplinary approach and emphasizing engagement with contemporary practices. Advanced painting students work in consultation with faculty advisors to pursue individual directions and interests.
• The Print Media and Photography concentration introduces students to all traditional print forms as a foundation for conceptual approaches. Students are able to learn print techniques such as intaglio, lithography, relief, silkscreen and large-format digital printing. In addition, students can explore traditional and experimental photography and develop print matrices. Students learn how to develop printed and photographic works of art through layering, problem solving and thoughtful material applications.
• The Sculpture and Expanded Media concentration encourages proficiency in foundational methods of making-modeling, carving and assembly. The concentration is a springboard for students to learn how to communicate ideas through sculptural works. Although sculpture classes are rooted in the history of object-making, new forms of sculptural practice (installation, time-based practice, sound and kinetic works) are all part of a comprehensive three-dimensional program.
• The Textiles concentration is distinguished by a transdisciplinary approach that fosters conceptual vision, technical facility and formal and material sensitivity. Coursework includes weaving, digital fabrication, off-loom construction, dye and print. The curriculum emphasizes the position of textiles within a contemporary art landscape and is supported by evolving theoretical discourse. Making and meaning are engaged as interdependent elements of studio production. Consideration of the distinctive properties and processes of textiles – repetition, geometry, line, color, pliability and embodiment – engenders a rigorous vocabulary to support formal and conceptual inquiry. Students explore thinking and working with age-old hand processes while incorporating digitally-interfaced approaches to making. Individual and collective studio practice is contextualized through the study of histories, political meanings and social themes that are deeply interwoven into the discipline of textiles. 

A concentration does not need to be declared upon admission, but students should declare a concentration no later than completion of ART 30001.

Students in the program are encouraged to take advantage of travel opportunities to New York, Chicago, London, Paris and China. In addition, students can participate in study abroad full semester or summer experiences at Kent State's Florence, Italy location.