Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art

Discover Your Artistic Voice

Refine your creative vision in The University of Texas at Tyler’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art program. Start to envision your career while exploring the traditional techniques of painting, printmaking, drawing, ceramics, jewelry and small metals, and sculpture, as well as interdisciplinary methods like multimedia and digital art. Internships and electives broaden your perspective and help you build connections and your portfolio.

Why Major in Studio Art at UT Tyler?

UT Tyler’s BFA program combines the instruction of a professional art school with an intensive liberal arts curriculum.

The BFA in studio art enhances your studies through:

• Expert Faculty: Study side-by-side with professors who are practicing artists and recognized creative authorities. Get the one-on-one attention you expect to find only at a small private university or professional art school.
• Superior Facilities: Get 24/7 access to state-of-the-art equipment and dedicated studio space in the 50,000-square-foot art complex.
• A Vibrant Department: Participate in activities organized by the Department of Art and Art History, such as the Visiting Artists and Scholars Program, exhibitions programming, travel study and the annual Professional Practices Symposium.
• Networking: Make connections outside the classroom through the Studio Art and Art History Association, a student organization that coordinates art exhibits, lectures by guest artists and scholars, and the annual Art History Student Research Symposium.
• On-Campus Exhibition: Exhibit your artwork on campus in the Meadows Gallery as part of your senior capstone experience.
• Internships: Intern for a professional art institution, such as the Tyler Museum of Art, to gain experience in the museum, gallery or research field.
• Teacher Certification: Add a minor through the College of Education and Psychology to prepare to become an early childhood to grade 12 certified art teacher.

Curriculum

The studio-intensive BFA degree prepares students to become successful visual artists.

Students take a 42-credit-hour core, including upper-division art history and studio requirements, in any of the following areas:

• Art History
• General Studio
• Three-dimensional (ceramics, sculpture, etc.)
• Two-dimensional (painting, printmaking, etc.)

Art core courses include:

• Aesthetics in Visual Learning
• Art History Survey
• Beginning Ceramics
• Beginning Painting
• Beginning Printmaking
• Beginning Sculpture
• Composition and Design
• Drawing
• Intermediate Life Drawing
• Professional Art Practices
• Three-dimensional Design
• Two-dimensional Design

For a capstone, each student curates a senior exhibition showcasing their work.

BFA in Studio Art Requirements

Certification

Prepare to expose tomorrow's students to the joys of making art: add an EC-12 minor through the College of Education and Psychology to your BFA to pursue all-levels certification and a teaching role in Texas following graduation. Learn more about the EC-12 certification minor.

What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art?

Success as a visual artist takes time. While honing their craft, many artists seek ways to earn a living other than from sales of their personal work and often embark on graphic design, branding, gallery or teaching roles.

In this direction, BFA graduates make their mark as artist-entrepreneurs, certified K-12 art teachers, museum curators and managers of private collections.

First jobs held by recent UT Tyler BFA graduates include:

• Professional Studio Artist
• Museum Preparator
• Community Art Education
• K-12 Art Education
• Mural Painter
• Graphic Designer
• Art Handler
• Museum Technical Staff
• Art Administration
• Web Design Coordinator

Planning to advance your artistic vision further? The BFA establishes a broad creative foundation and an equally vast portfolio in preparation for a Master of Fine Arts or Master of Arts in studio art program.