Undergraduate Program

To receive the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, you must meet the requirements of the College of Art and take academic courses with other undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences. Work in art can be combined with studies in architecture, business, humanities, natural and social sciences, and the other arts. You may take these courses for educational and intellectual enrichment or in direct correlation with your primary interests. The specified number of credit units in courses in the areas listed below are required for the B.F.A.

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Academic Requirements
Units
English Composition
3
Literature
6
Natural Sciences or Mathematics
6
Social Sciences or Philosophy
6
Academic electives
9
Total
30
Art History Requirements  
Art/Arch 112E and 211
6
Art History electives
9
Total
15
Studio Art Requirements  
Core program—first year
12
Core program—second year (Critical Frameworks is required)
12
Major—third year
16
Major—fourth year
20
Studio Art electives
15
Total
75
Additional Elective Requirements  
Art and/or Academic electives
8
Total Credit Units Required
128

The Split Major
If you have a grade point average of a 3.0 or better, you may pursue two majors within the College of Art, such as one in painting and one in printmaking/drawing. To do so, you must have permission of the Associate Dean for Student Services (Bixby Hall, Suite 1), and you must consult with your major faculty advisers. Although the split major is a rigorous program, it does not require additional credit units for graduation.

The Second Major
As an art student, you may earn a second major in the College of Arts and Sciences, the John M. Olin School of Business, or the School of Engineering and Applied Science (Computer Science) while completing the requirements for the B.F.A. degree. If you choose to take advantage of this option, you will graduate with a B.F.A. degree with two majors, one in art and one in another school. You must successfully complete all of the degree requirements for the B.F.A. and all of the requirements for the second major. Unlike a combined degree program, you do not need to complete the distribution requirements necessary for a second degree. The second major option can be completed within four years if careful planning begins during the first year. If you are interested in this option, you should consult with the Associate Dean of Students of the College of Art.

Dual Degree
As an art student, you may earn a second degree the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Architecture, the John M. Olin School of Business, or the School of Engineering and Applied Science. To do so, you must fulfill the minimum degree requirements for a major and the distribution requirements for both schools, earning at least 150 credit units. If you are interested in earning a second degree, you should contact the Associate Dean of Students and a dean in the second school as early as possible, as Combined Studies requires careful advance planning.

Credit for Prior Learning
Students wishing to transfer credit for course work completed at another institution should bring a full catalog description of the course(s) to the Associate Dean of Students for pre-approval. Upon receipt of an official transcript indicating a grade of “C” or better, courses will be considered for transfer. Grades for transfer courses will not appear on the student’s Washington University record and will not figure into the student’s GPA. College courses taken to earn credit for high school graduation will not be considered for transfer credit.

Advanced placement for studio courses is based on demonstrated superior levels of achievement, with the approval of the Associate Dean of Students and the director of the Core program.