Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art at San Francisco State University equips students with a comprehensive foundation in various studio art disciplines through hands-on practice, art history integration, and interdisciplinary investigations. The program emphasizes innovation, experimentation, and professional development through internships and a capstone course, preparing students for diverse careers in the arts. The program also fosters a deep understanding of the historical, cultural, and institutional contexts surrounding art.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art program at San Francisco State University provides students with a comprehensive education in studio art practice.

Objectives:

The program aims to equip students with the skills and experience necessary to excel in various studio art disciplines, including:

• Ceramics
• Digital Media & Emerging Technology
• Painting and Drawing
• Printmaking
• Photography
• Sculpture
• Textiles
The program also encourages students to engage in interdisciplinary investigations that bridge these areas.

Program Description:

• Broad-based learning: Students are encouraged to explore diverse areas of studio art production to develop a strong foundation in various mediums and techniques.
• Art History integration: Courses in Art History enhance students' writing, research, and critical thinking skills, providing a deeper understanding of art's historical and institutional contexts.
• Progressive coursework: The program follows a structured curriculum, progressing from introductory (200-level) to foundation (300-level), intermediate (400-level), and advanced (500-level) courses.
• Capstone experience: During their final year, students participate in an interdisciplinary studio capstone course (ART 600: Studio Process and Professional Practices or ART 619 Exhibition Design), which integrates research, writing, seminar discussions, and critiques to reflect on their work and contextualize it within professional and institutional practices.
• Bay Area immersion: The program leverages the rich cultural resources, galleries, museums, and art community of the Bay Area through field trips and visiting artist presentations.
• Practical experience: Students are encouraged to gain hands-on experience through internships, which provide practical knowledge and skills relevant to the field.
• Professional service practicum: All students must complete ART 509, a 1-unit Art Professional Service Practicum, to gain experience in studio and gallery/museum environments, including research assistance, gallery attendant duties, and studio art production assistance.

Program Learning Outcomes:

The B.A. in Studio Art program is guided by six core values:

• Form: Develop mastery in utilizing appropriate techniques, media, and processes to create artistic form.
• Content: Apply research practices to generate ideas and understand the relationship between form, medium, content, and artistic intention.
• Communication: Discern meaning, quality, and value in works of art and effectively communicate these insights in critiques and written analyses.
• Context: Understand the historical, cultural, and institutional contexts surrounding art experiences and apply this knowledge to inform the creation, archiving, documentation, and presentation of artworks.
• Innovation: Embrace experimentation, revision, refinement, and critical reflection on successes and failures to cultivate curiosity and imagination.
Utilize self-directed research to develop a strong portfolio of work.
• Ethics: Develop studio art best practices, including work ethic, time management, equipment and tool use, safety protocols, collaborative spirit, and respect for others and the studio environment.
Understand the broader ethical dimensions of art as a social, cultural, and political practice within a global context.

Other:

• Time and financial commitment: Studio art practice is time-consuming and can be expensive.
Students are required to pay instructional materials fees for most studio courses and may incur additional expenses for project materials.
• Course availability: Studio practice courses require hands-on engagement, limiting the number of students who can enroll.
• Advising: Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with a major advisor to receive guidance and support throughout their program.
• General Education: The B.A.
in Studio Art program fulfills Area C1 (Arts) of the General Education requirements upon completion of two of the following courses: ARTH 201, ARTH 202, ARTH 205, ART 222, ART 235, ART 240, and ART 245.
• Lower-Division Courses (15 Units):
• Art History (6 units):
Select two courses from the following:
• ARTH 201: Western Art History I (3 units)
• ARTH 202: Western Art History II (3 units)
• ARTH/HUM 205: Asian Art History (3 units)
• Studio Art (9 units):
Select three courses from the following:
• ART 210: Introduction to Digital Media Arts (3 units)
• ART 222: Introduction to Textile Art (3 units)
• ART 231: Introduction to Drawing (3 units)
• ART 235: Introduction to Printmaking (3 units)
• ART 240: Introduction to Contemporary Sculpture (3 units)
• ART 245: Introduction to Ceramics (3 units)
• ART 260: Introduction to the Darkroom (3 units)
• Upper-Division Art History (6 Units): Select two courses from the following list:
• ARTH/LTNS 301: Latin American and Latino/a/x Art, 1492 to the Present (3 units)
• ARTH 306: Modern and Contemporary Art in a North American and European Context, 1945-present (3 units)
• ARTH 401/CLAR 420: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece (3 units)
• ARTH 402/CLAR 425: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome (3 units)
• ARTH 403/SXS 405: Queer Art History (3 units)
• ARTH 404/CLAR 550: Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean Bronze Age (3 units)
• ARTH 406: Global Renaissance and Baroque Art (3 units)
• ARTH 407/CLAR 500: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt (3 units)
• ARTH 409/CLAR 530: Greek Vase Painting (3 units)
• ARTH 410/CLAR 531: Greek Sculpture (3 units)
• ARTH 411: South Asian Art I: Neolithic to Medieval Periods (3 units)
• ARTH 412: South Asian Art II: Early Modern to Contemporary Periods (3 units)
• ARTH 421: Special Topics in Art History (3 units)
• ARTH/HUM 496: Art, Architecture, and Space in the Islamic World (3 units)
• 300-Level Foundation Studio Art (3 Units): Select one course from the following:
• ART 310: Foundations in Digital Media Art (3 units)
• ART 330: Foundations in Painting (3 units)
• ART 335: Foundations in Printmaking Processes: Drawing the Multiple (3 units)
• ART 340: Foundations in Contemporary Sculpture: Materials & Concepts (3 units)
• ART 345: Foundations in Ceramics (3 units)
• ART 360: Foundations in Photography (3 units)
• Upper-Division Studio Art (12 Units): Choose four upper-division studio art (ART) courses from the following list.
An upper-division Art History (ARTH) course may be substituted for one upper-division ART course under advisement.
• ART 310: Foundations in Digital Media Art (3 units)
• ART 330: Foundations in Painting (3 units)
• ART 335: Foundations in Printmaking Processes: Drawing the Multiple (3 units)
• ART 340: Foundations in Contemporary Sculpture: Materials & Concepts (3 units)
• ART 345: Foundations in Ceramics (3 units)
• ART 360: Foundations in Photography (3 units)
• ART 410: Conceptual Art After Conceptual Art (3 units)
• ART 411: Interactive Arts (3 units)
• ART 413: Video Art (3 units)
• ART 422: Weaving I: Beginning (3 units)
• ART 423: Constructed Surfaces (3 units)
• ART 424: Surface Design Studio (3 units)
• ART 431: Intermediate Painting (3 units)
• ART 432: Further Explorations in Drawing (3 units)
• ART 433: Figure Drawing (3 units)
• ART 434: Color Workshop (3 units)
• ART 435: Intermediate Printmaking Workshop (3 units)
• ART 439: Screen Printing (3 units)
• ART 440: Sculpture and Expanded Practice (3 units)
• ART 445: Ceramics on the Wheel (3 units)
• ART 460: Intermediate Photography (3 units)
• ART 511: Digital Media and Emerging Technologies: Special Areas (3 units)
• ART 514: Experimental and Expanded Practices in Video Art (3 units)
• ART 525: Textiles Studio Process (3 units)
• ART 527: Repeat Pattern for Fine Art (3 units)
• ART 530: Advanced Topics in Painting: The Expanded Field (3 units)
• ART 534: Mixed Media Painting (3 units)
• ART 535: Artist's Books (3 units)
• ART 536: Advanced Topics in Printmaking (3 units)
• ART 541: Installation Art (3 units)
• ART 543: Hydrarchy: Nautical Art, Watercraft, and the Art of Resistance (3 units)
• ART 545: Ceramic Sculpture (3 units)
• ART 546: Glaze Surfaces (3 units)
• ART 548: Glaze Calculation (3 units)
• ART 549: Special Topics in Ceramics (3 units)
• ART 555: The Multiple and Distributed Art (3 units)
• ART 556: Art and Social Function (3 units)
• ART 563: Advanced Topics in Photography (3 units)
• Art Professional Service Practicum (1 Unit):
• ART 509: Art Professional Service Practicum (1 unit)
• Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (3 Units):
• ARTH 400GW: Writing About Art - GWAR (3 units)
• Capstone Course (3 Units): Select one course from the following:
• ART 600: Studio Process and Professional Practices (3 units)
• ART 619: Exhibition Design (3 units)
• Complementary Studies:
• All Studio Art majors must complete 12 units of Complementary Studies from courses outside of the ART department and not cross-listed with ART.
Students have options for fulfilling this requirement, such as:
• 12 units of coursework in a single foreign language
• An approved study abroad program
• Partial completion of a second major, minor, or certificate program in a related area of study (Art History, Museum Studies, Design and Industry, Cinema, Humanities, Music and Dance, Theatre, Business, etc.)
• Art History courses (ARTH prefix) may be counted for Complementary Studies by Studio Art majors, but not if the coursework has already been counted towards the major.
• Transfer Students:
• Students transferring from other institutions must complete a minimum of 12 units in residence.
• Students who have earned an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) in Art History or Studio Arts are guaranteed B.A.
• Transfer students should aim to complete as many lower-division requirements and electives for the major as possible before transferring to SF State.