Art (BFA)

a close up shot of a bfa in art student crafting art using ceramics at Southeast Missouri State University.

BFA On-Campus Main Campus

DEGREE TYPE

Bachelor's Degree

PROGRAM TYPE

Undergraduate

LOCATION

Main Campus - Cape

COLLEGE

Arts & Media

DEPARTMENT

Mass Media, Art, & Design

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Create Your Work. Build Your Career.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts at SEMO gives you the time, space, and mentorship to develop your artistic voice while preparing for a career in the creative industries. Through intensive studio work, exhibitions, critiques, and professional experiences, you'll graduate with a portfolio that reflects your vision and your goals.

Learn by Creating

As a BFA student, you'll spend more time in the studio, develop expertise in your chosen discipline, and prepare for professional opportunities after graduation.

Build a professional portfolio through intensive studio practice.
Exhibit your work at multiple River Campus exhibition venues.
Work side by side with expert faculty artists in multiple disciplines.
Explore multiple artistic disciplines before choosing a studio specialization.
Learn in professional studio spaces equipped with both traditional and emerging technologies.

What Can You Do with a BFA in Art?

A BFA is designed for students who want to make art their profession.

Whether your future includes a design studio, museum, nonprofit, creative agency, graduate school, or an independent practice, you'll graduate with the technical skills, professional portfolio, and creative confidence to pursue your next step.

Choose a specialization in:

Ceramics
Graphic & Interactive Design
Painting
Photography & New Media
Printmaking & Fibers
Sculpture

Learn Outside the Studio

Students have completed internships with creative agencies, museums, marketing firms, publishers, nonprofit organizations, and design studios across Missouri and beyond, including:

Bold Marketing, Cape Girardeau
Bruton Strouble, St. Louis
Horizon Screenprinting, Cape Girardeau
Abby, Ink, Jackson
LaCroix Methodist Church
Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cape Girardeau
Farfetched Studios, Chesterfield
Wright Group USA, Perryville
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Springfield
Lee Ferrell Design, Fairfax, VA
Rosemary Berkell & Harry L. Crisp II Museum, Cape Girardeau
Brighton US
Firecracker Press, St. Louis
Coolfire Studios, St. Louis
Southeast Missourian
Triune Communications
Twist Integrated Marketing, St. Louis

Continue Your Education

Many graduates continue their artistic development through MFA and graduate programs at respected institutions across the country, including:

University of Georgia, Athens
Ohio University, Athens
University of North Texas, Denton
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Washington University, St. Louis
PRATT Institute, Brooklyn
SUNY, Buffalo
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Tamarind Institute, Albuquerque
Eastern Illinois, Charleston
Illinois State University, Bloomington-Normal
University of Syracuse, Syracuse
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

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Art (BFA) Degree Map

Explore the courses you'll need to complete your degree.

View the Degree Map

BFA in Art Outcomes & Careers

$128k

Art Director

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for an art director is $128,100.
$76k

Fine Artist

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a craft and fine artist is $76,450.
$68k

Graphic Designer

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a graphic designer is $68,610.

What You'll Study

Degree Map

As an art BFA major, you’ll develop your artistic skills with intensive work in visual art and design. You’ll complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to complete this degree, including the general education requirements and at least 39 senior division hours. No minor is required.

Degree Map

84 Hour Major – No minor required

A 3.0 grade point average in the major must be maintained.

Grade of ‘C’ or better required in all BFA-Art major courses.

Foundation Courses:

AR001 Foundation Review (0) *
AR100 Drawing I (3)
AR104 2D Design (3)
AR106 3D Design (3)
AR180 Digital Literacy for Art + Design (3)
AR201 Color Composition (3)
AR202 Drawing II (3)

Core Requirements:

AR323 Introduction to Photography and New Media (3)
AR325 Painting I (3)
AR332 Sculpture I (3)
AR342 Ceramics I (3)
AR399 Professional Practices in Visual Art (3)

Choose 3 hours:

AR314 Drawing III (3)
AR319 Introduction to Graphic Design (3)
Choose 3 hours:**
AR302 Relief and Mixed Media Printmaking (3)
AR303 Screenprinting (3)
AR330 Paper, Book, and Fibers (3)
AR501 Intaglio Printmaking (3)
AR502 Lithography (3)
Art History Requirements
AH110 Art History Survey I (3)
AH210 Art History Survey II (3)
Choose 6 additional hours of Art History courses (300-500 level)

Required Specialization – 15-21 hours

Studio majors select 15-21 departmentally approved credit hours in one of the following specialized areas: Ceramics; Graphic and Interactive Design; Painting; Photography and New Media; Printmaking and Fibers; or Sculpture.

Additional Art Electives – 12-18 hours

Additional Art Electives – 12-18 hours – consult with advisor to fulfill the additional art elective requirement for each advising track. Specific courses may be suggested, depending on the student’s area of interest.

Every year, artwork must be entered in the Juried Student Assessment Exhibition.
* Taken after completing all foundation courses, minimum-passing score of 2.5 is required for Foundation Review (two attempts only), and also applies to transfer students.
**Course taken by Printmaking specialty students will also count in the specialty area. See page 2 for Printmaking coursework.

Some requirements may be fulfilled by coursework in major program.

Social and Behavioral Sciences – 6 hours
Constitution Requirement – 3 hours
Written Communication – 6 hours
Oral Communication – 3 hours
Natural Sciences – 7 hours (from two disciplines, one to include a lab)
Mathematics – 3 hours
Humanities & Fine Arts – 9 hours (from at least two disciplines)
Additional requirements – 5 hours (to include UI100 for native students)
Civics examination

First Year

Fall Semester (16 Hours)

UI100 (1)
EN100 (3)
AH110 (3)
AR100 (3)
AR104 (3)
General Education (3)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

AH210 (3)
AR106 (3)
AR201 (3)
AR202 (3)
General Education (3)

Second Year

Fall Semester (15 Hours)

AR001 (0)
AR180 (3)
AR302/303/501/502 (3)
AR323 (3)
General Education (3)
General Education (3)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

AR314 or AR319 (3)
AR332 (3)
AR Specialty (3)
General Education (3)
General Education (3)

Milestone: Must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the major. Pass Foundation review by the end of 1st semester, second year.

(Summer courses are encouraged to avoid 18-hour semesters)

Third Year

Fall Semester (15 Hours)

AR325 (3)
AR Specialty (3)
AR Specialty (3)
AH3XX-5XX (3)
General Education (3)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

AR342 (3)
AR Specialty (3)
AR Specialty (3)
General Education (3)
General Education (3)

Milestone: Must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the major.

Fourth Year

Fall Semester (14 Hours)

AR399 (3)
AR Specialty (3)
AR Specialty (3)
General Education (3)
Elective (3)

Spring Semester (15 Hours)

AR490 (3)
AH3XX-5XX (3)
AR Specialty (3)
General Education (3)
Elective (3)

Milestone: Must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the major.

A “Milestone” signifies a significant stage for a student in the completion of a degree.

"Critical Courses" are italicized and bolded. These courses are indicators of potential for success in the degree program.

After completing the Art course requirements, students will choose one specialty area. The BFA Art specialty areas include Photography & New Media, Graphic & Interactive Design, Sculpture, Painting, Printmaking, and Ceramics. The requirements for each art specialization are listed in the tables below.