To find out, you could begin by asking yourself: Do I have a desire to communicate with others? Do I enjoy drawing or making things? Am I intelligent and an original thinker? Am I curious? Do I work hard to improve my studies and my art work? Do I want to develop a personal and original style? Am I fascinated by life and its complexities?
The Departments of Art and Design in the School of Fine Arts offer three degrees: the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), and the Bachelor of Art Education (B.A.E.). Most students earn a B.F.A.
There are more than a dozen major programs in art and design. Art students major in painting, sculpture, printmaking, or expanded media. Students may also enroll in courses in performance art, installation, or mixed media. Design students choose a major in one of the craft areas-textile design, ceramics, or metalsmithing and jewelry-or in the applied areas of design. In the applied programs, students choose among graphic design or illustration in the visual communication program, interior design, theatre design, visual arts education, or the five-year industrial design program. The B.F.A. in history of art also is offered by the Department of Art.
That depends on what you want to do with your degree. Choose a B.F.A. if you want to work as an artist. It will give you the training and polish that come from practice in studio. If you want to work in a museum or gallery, consider a B.F.A. in art history, which combines art history and studio courses. If you are interested in theatre, you can earn a B.F.A. in costume design, lighting design and production, or scenic design.
Some people choose a B.A. in art because they want to develop critical thinking skills and creativity through the study of art and design. They may be interested in careers as artists, but they might also be interested in a range of careers outside the arts. The B.A. requires courses in a foreign language, mathematics, and more credit hours in the humanities and social sciences, but fewer credit hours in art and design.
If you want to teach art in elementary or high school, you will earn a Bachelor of Art Education (B.A.E.)-a five-year program leading to teacher licensure. For information, contact the visual arts education adviser, 300 Art and Design, (785) 864-4401.
You will need at least 124 credit hours-usually eight semesters-for most degrees. In industrial design, you will need at least 154 credit hours and 10 semesters to graduate. The visual arts education program requires a minimum of 153 credit hours.
Most students average about 15 credit hours, or five courses, per semester. Art and design majors also work about 30 hours a week in studio, completing class projects, developing and refining techniques, and preparing portfolios that faculty members review. Your studio time will put you in touch with your teachers and peers in an artistic environment conducive to your technical and creative growth.
If you're working on a B.F.A., your first year's schedule may look something like this:
|
First semester |
Hours |
|
ENGL 101 Composition |
3 |
|
AFND 101 Introduction to Drawing I |
3 |
|
DFND 103 Introduction to Design I |
3 |
|
H A 150 Art History I |
3 |
|
Liberal arts elective |
3 |
|
TOTAL |
15 |
|
Second semester |
Hours |
|
ENGL 102 Composition and Literature |
3 |
|
AFND 102 Introduction to Drawing II |
3 |
|
DFND 104 Introduction to Design II |
3 |
|
H A 151 Art History II |
3 |
|
Liberal arts elective |
3 |
|
TOTAL |
15 |
Depending on your interests and your ability, you will have many career choices. Major industries hire industrial designers to design cars, furniture, appliances, toys, and thousands of other products.
Interior designers create safe and attractive spaces and work with architects, furnishing manufacturers, interior design firms, and public health and safety groups.
Students in metalsmithing, ceramics, and textile design work in industry. They also can work in their own studios or commercial studios, and they can teach.
Students in visual communication go on to work as graphic artists and illustrators in advertising agencies, or they work as publication designers.
There are opportunities for those who want to paint, make prints, or sculpt. Regional and national museums and galleries continue to grow, as does interest in art. Many artists show with galleries and sell their work to collectors and museums. Many students pursue graduate study to develop a more extensive portfolio or to become qualified to teach at the college level.
You will enter the School of Fine Arts your first year. The Foundations courses give students a chance to develop the skills they will need for their upper-level courses.
If you expect to transfer to KU after your first year, contact the department's chairs to find out which of your courses will transfer in Fine Arts.
The department awards some scholarships to incoming students based on grades, class rank, ACT scores, and portfolios. You must be admitted to the School of Fine Arts and have your transcript sent to the office of admissions and scholarships before January 15 to be eligible for fall awards. Upper-level students are reviewed at the end of each spring for awards for the next academic year. About $150,000 is awarded each year to students, based on the quality of studio work and academic achievement.
For information about scholarships based on academic merit, diversity, major, and residence, write or call the University of Kansas, Office of Admissions and Scholarships, KU Visitor Center, 1502 Iowa St., Lawrence, KS 66045, (785) 864-3911. For information about grants, loans, and other need-based financial aid, write or call KU's Office of Student Financial Aid, 50 Strong Hall, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd, Room 50, Lawrence, KS 66045-1920, (785) 864-4700.
For answers to questions about scholarships and advising, contact the Coordinator of Foundations, 300 Art and Design Building, Lawrence, KS 66045, (785) 864-4401.
If you pursue a major outside art and design, nothing is lost. Your art and design study will have deepened your artistic skills and appreciation, and the liberal arts courses will count toward other majors.
The overall quality of your education is one great reason for coming to KU. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in which you will take many classes, offers hundreds of courses and has excellent teachers. The range and breadth of the College's courses exceed the offerings found at most conservatory programs.
The members of the faculty are respected worldwide as artists and designers. You will study with creative, productive artists whose work is in major museums, art exhibits and national magazines. Faculty members have received seven National Endowment for the Arts awards and have been honored for their dedication to teaching. You will receive personal attention from these professionals.
You will study at one of the strongest fine arts programsin the Midwest. You will develop under the watchful eye of accomplished artists and designers. The Spencer Museum of Art, one of the best university art museums in the country, contributes to KU's artistic riches. You will also find galleries, exhibitions and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in nearby Kansas City. You will choose from hundreds of concerts, theatre productions, and exhibits. The art and design departments sponsor about 25 lectures each year. You will meet people from around the world and come to understand them and yourself. These classroom and campus experiences will make you a more sophisticated thinker and nourish your interest in using art to interpret life.
Department-Specific Requirements:
Department of Art Admissions
Department of Design Admissions
Department of Music & Dance Admissions
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The University of Kansas School of Fine Arts Lawrence, KS 66045 785/864-3421 |
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