Program Overviews

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) with a major in Studio Art: This degree is for students who wish to enter an intensive professional studio art program or continue their education at the graduate level. Students will develop professional skills and a personal aesthetic philosophy within their area of focus: drawing, painting, printmaking, or sculpture. Students must possess an exceptional commitment to their work. B.F.A. students also graduate with an effective minor in a second studio area. Our comprehensive art curriculum is enhanced with a variety of individualized choices and liberal arts studies within the Drake Curriculum. In the spring of their junior year, students take part in B.F.A. reviews. The B.F.A. Capstone Experience is a senior thesis exhibition and a digital portfolio consisting of an artist's statement, photographic documentation of thesis work, and a statement of future professional plans.

B.F.A. Degree Requirements

In addition to requirements for all undergraduate degrees, which can be found in the “Graduation Requirements” area of the catalog, Art and Design students must meet the following requirements:

A student is placed on probation if either the cumulative grade-point average or the average in Department of Art and Design courses falls below 2.00 (a "C" average) during any semester in which a student has earned less than 30 total credit hours. A student may be placed on probation for failing to meet the University’s standards for satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements.

To continue progress toward a Department of Art and Design degree, a student must have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade-point average and a 2.5 GPA in the Department of Art and Design courses at the end of the academic term in which the student completes the 30th credit hour. For transfer students, the 30th-hour GPA must be based upon at least 15 credit hours earned at Drake. Students who achieve the 2.5 GPA at the 60th-hour level are placed on probation if their GPAs fall below 2.5 in a subsequent semester. If the GPA is not raised to 2.5 or better after the probationary semester, the student may not continue in the Department of Art and Design or re-enroll later.

Area of Emphasis: Printmaking (B.F.A.)

The printmaking emphasis develops technical abilities as well as creative methods for the visual articulation of individual concepts and emotions. A full range of relief, intaglio and lithographic techniques are taught on all levels in a spacious, well-equipped and efficiently organized studio. Students learn the skillful use of numerous essential printmaking tools, materials and processes and acquire an understanding of their characteristics and appropriateness to varying image-making demands. The development of clarity of vision, purpose and self-direction is supported by discussions and critical analyses in both group and individual contexts.  The successful BFA in Printmaking will be prepared for professional practice and/or graduate levels of study in the fine arts.

The B.F.A. Capstone Experience culminates with a senior thesis exhibition where each student is expected to present a display that reflects the intensive development of an individualized body of artwork. This exhibition may occur in the Weeks or Anderson galleries or an exhibition space in Des Moines may be procured. Additionally, the successful BFA will produce a digital portfolio that consists of an artist’s statement and photographic documentation of thesis work and a statement of future plans.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ART 013	2-D DESIGN	3
ART 014	CONSTRUCTING SPACE	3
ART 015	OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING	3
ART 016	CONCEPTS IN DRAWING	3
ART 021	DIGITAL MEDIA	3
Select one Basic Printmaking course from the following:		3
ART 056	INTRODUCTION TO PRINTMAKING
ART 057	INTRODUCTION TO RELIEF PRINTMAKING
ART 058	INTRODUCTION TO INTAGLIO PRINTMAKING
ART 059	INTRODUCTION TO LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTMAKING
ART 063	PAINTING I	3
ART 075	THEMES IN ART HISTORY	4
ART 079	BUILDING IDEAS	3
Select two courses from the following:		6
ART 057	INTRODUCTION TO RELIEF PRINTMAKING
ART 058	INTRODUCTION TO INTAGLIO PRINTMAKING
ART 059	INTRODUCTION TO LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTMAKING
Select two courses from the following:		6
ART 147	PRINTMAKING: RELIEF II
ART 148	PRINTMAKING: INTAGLIO II
ART 149	PRINTMAKING: LITHOGRAPHY II
Select one course from the following:		3
ART 157	PRINTMAKING: ADVANCED RELIEF
ART 158	PRINTMAKING: ADVANCED INTAGLIO
ART 159	PRINTMAKING: ADVANCED LITHOGRAPHY
Select three courses from single studio art area or graphic design for the Secondary Area of Emphasis		9
Select one of the following:		3
ART 109	MODERN ART HISTORY
ART 110	ART SINCE 1945
Select two Art History Electives from the following:		6
ART 103	ART OF INDIA, CHINA, AND JAPAN
ART 104	FREEDOM, SLAVERY, AND EMANCIPATION
ART 108	AMERICAN ART HISTORY
ART 111	CULTURAL INTERSECTIONS C. 1900
ART 112	SELECTED TOPICS IN ART HISTORY
ART 113	CURRENT CHINESE ART & ISSUES
ART 175	SENIOR STUDIO ART CAPSTONE I	4
ART 176	SENIOR STUDIO ART CAPSTONE II	4
ART 199	ART AND THEORY	3
Art Electives (may include Art History)		12
Total Hours		84

In addition to programmatic requirements, students are responsible for satisfying all requirements of the Drake Curriculum, including Areas of Inquiry (AOI)

Student must also satisfy university graduation requirements for all undergraduate students..