The Bachelor of Fine Arts offers two options and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
The option in art studio. This is a professional degree designed to give students more intensive studies within eight studio concentrations including ceramics, drawing, digital media, glass design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The BFA program develops the understanding and advanced specialized skills for professional practice and to meet entrance requirements to graduate schools.
The option in interior architecture. The interior architecture program provides a professional degree in a four-year curriculum. Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in the interior design/interior architecture profession. The interior architecture curriculum emphasizes both the theoretical and the practical, from concept to articulation.
The goal is to provide students with a design education that is well-rounded and applicable to the next generation of interior architecture professionals. Courses encompass design theory, design history, human behavior, critical thinking, problem-solving, building technologies, codes and life safety, communication skills, and professional values.
While structured as a four-year program, transfer students will need to plan to be enrolled for six semesters to successfully complete the program.
Advising Requirement
Advising is mandatory for this program. Consult your department advisor or program coordinator for information.
Laptop Requirement
Students need a laptop for this program. Consult with the department for hardware and software requirements. Discounts are available through the Chico State Wildcat Store.
E-advising Tools
Use the interactive e-advising tools designed to help students graduate within four years. These tools can be accessed through the Student Center in the Portal.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 72 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
Culminating Exhibition/Project
A culminating exhibition is required of all students seeking the BFA degree. You will arrange this with the approval of your mentor, and the BFA coordinator, prior to your final semester in the BFA degree program.
Major Option Course Requirements
Students must select at least one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.
Prerequisites for Admission to the BFA Option in Art Studio
Students who declare an art major in the Department of Art and Art History are placed in the BA program. After completion of the lower-division requirements below, students may apply for admission into the BFA, and in most instances, they will be able to apply their lower division Art (ARTS) and Art History (ARTH) coursework towards the BFA requirements. Advisors will clarify receiving units toward the BFA. It is advisable to have taken upper division art studio courses in the area of your emphasis before applying to the BFA art studio option. A GPA of 3.0 or higher in the major is needed to apply to the program. Admission to the program is determined by a portfolio review. Students in the BFA art studio option must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the major in order to remain in the program.
Digital Media students may, with advisor approval, substitute up to six units of coursework from subjects outside ARTS, e.g. Computer Animation and Game Development (CAGD), Computer Science (CSCI), Media Arts, Design, and Technology (MADT), and Music (MUSC).
Select six units from the following:
6
Any upper-division studio ARTS courses outside the student's emphasis selected from the group above.
Students interested in the photography emphasis are required to take ARTS 240 and ARTS 241 as two of the three courses.
2
Most studio courses at the 300 level may be taken two times for credit, and 400-level courses four times for credit. A minimum of 12 units must be taken at the 400 level. Painting and drawing courses may be combined for a single emphasis for the BFA degree.
3
The emphasis in digital media is for the fine art student who chooses to integrate digital media with any combination of traditional media, and/or new media. It is an interdisciplinary degree for thinkers and makers exploring new technologies or hybrid forms. The emphasis allows students to customize their course choices to best meet their creative needs. This customization must be made in consultation with the BFA faculty mentor.
4
Students with a glass emphasis, where the course selections allow for only 18 units, may fulfill their additional nine units by taking ARTS 399, ARTS 489, ARTS 499, or by splitting their emphasis between two disciplines (such as glass and sculpture).
Students may fulfill the required 24 units in this emphasis with Internship credits (ARTS 480, ARTS 489) or Special Problems (ARTS 399, ARTS 499), to be arranged with the area faculty.
The Option in Interior Architecture: 72 units
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
A grade of C- or higher is needed to pass all interior architecture requirements.
A total grade point average of at least 2.5 for all coursework is required.
Survey of Arts of the Americas, Oceania, and Africa
Select three units from the following:
3
Courses outside of the Art and Art History Department, for example in Business Administration (BADM), Construction Management (CMGT), Media Arts, Design, and Technology (MADT), or Theatre Arts (THEA) to fulfill some requirements in this area, with advisor approval.
Upper Division
Students may only take one studio course per semester.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 43 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education requirements and course offerings.
American Institutions Course Requirements: 6 units
The American Institutions graduation requirement, as mandated in Title 5, Section 40404, requires that students satisfactorily complete courses in United States history, the US Constitution, and government and American ideals (including California state and local government). At Chico State, HIST 130 meets the US history requirement (US-1), and POLS 155 meets the US Constitution and government requirement (US-2) and the California state and local government requirement (US-3). POLS 155 also fulfills three units of GE Area 4, Social and Behavioral Sciences. See Bachelor’s Degree Requirements for more information.
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Many courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Writing and Math Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
Any Writing Course (W) in the department, which includes the following prefixes: ARTE, ARTH, ARTI, and ARTS.
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE English Composition (1A) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.
