Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Fine Art
San Francisco, USA
Bachelor's degree
DURATION
8 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
USD 1,463 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus, Distance Learning
* per unit for international students / USD 1,239 per unit for domestic students
Key Summary
About: The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Fine Art at Academy of Art University teaches creative and technical skills for career artists. It offers advanced instruction in non-figurative and figurative fine art, including painting, sculpture, and printmaking. The Sculpture department has one of the largest facilities in North America and printmaking labs blend traditional tools with technology. Degree rules require a minimum grade of C- in core and major courses and LA 107 or 108, a minimum 2.0 GPA, and general education units.
Career Outcomes: Graduates may work as gallery artists, sculptors, painters, printmakers, art directors, or arts educators.
The BFA program teaches students the creative and technical skills needed to thrive as career artists. Advanced instruction is offered in non-figurative and figurative fine art, including painting, sculpting, and printmaking. Our Sculpture department has one of the largest and most advanced facilities of its kind in North America, and our state-of-the-art printmaking facilities merge traditional tools with cutting-edge technology.
Unit Requirements
Degree Requirements
BFA Fine Art Degree Requirements
- A minimum grade of C- in all core courses, major courses, and LA 107 Writing for the Multilingual Artist or 108 Composition for the Artist
- Minimum 2.0 GPA and the following general education requirements:
- 1 Written Communication: Composition
- 1 Written Communication: Critical Thinking
- 1 Written Communication: Context & Style
- 2 Art Historical Awareness: Western Art
- 2 Art Historical Awareness: Surveys
- 1 Historical Awareness
- 1 Quantitative Literacy
- 1 Cultural Ideas & Influences
- 1 Employment Communications & Practices
After the above general education requirements are met, take Liberal Arts electives as needed to fulfill the Liberal Arts unit requirement.
Semester 1
- FA 145: Printmaking
- FND 110A: Analysis of Form A
- FND 131: Figure Modeling
- ILL 133: Digital Media: Digital Manipulation
Semester 2
- FA 110: Still Life Painting 1
- FND 110B: Analysis of Form B
- FND 112: Figure Drawing
- FND 125: Color and Design
- LA 108: Composition for the Artist
- LA 120: Art History Through the 15th Century
Semester 3
- FA 121: Intermediate Figure Drawing
- FA 211: Introduction to Painting: Figure
- FA 213: Introduction to Anatomy
- LA 121: Art History Through the 19th Century
- LA 202: English Composition: Creative Persuasion & Argument
Semester 4
- FA 143: Silkscreen 1
- FA 222: Heads & Hands
- FA 224: Composition & Painting
- FA 423: Abstract Painting 1
- FASCU 234: Head & Figure Sculpture
- LA 222: 20th Century Art
- LA 291: Designing Careers
Semester 5
- FA 311: Clothed Figure Painting 1
- FA 321: Head Painting 1
- FA 328: Landscape Painting
- LA 110: Writing the Short Story
- LA 326: Topics in World Art
Semester 6
- FA 310: Intermediate Painting Studio
- FA 322: Quick Studies
- FA 325: Mixed Media Drawing & Painting 1
- FA 493A: Location Painting in Italy
- LA 171: Western Civilization
- LA 267: Italian 1: Basic Grammar & Speech
- LA 274: Study Abroad: Art & Architecture of Renaissance Florence
Semester 7
- FA 350: Mural Painting 1
- FA 450: Advanced Painting Studio
- LA 254: Human-Centered Design
- LA 462: Power of Myth and Symbol
Semester 8
- FA 368: Urban Landscape
- FA 420: Senior Portfolio Workshop/Professional Practices
- FA 493: Study Abroad: Painting in Florence, Italy
- LA 269: Italian 2: Conversational Italian
- LA 307: History of Aesthetics
Undergraduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:
Visual Communication
- (Painting & Printmaking) Produce a consistent body of work demonstrating proficiency in a breadth of fine art disciplines
- (Sculpture) Demonstrate understanding of three-dimensional composition, crafting (technical skill), and applying the underlying concepts to the overall sculpted solution.
- (Painting & Printmaking) Demonstrate basic skills in composition
- (Sculpture) Demonstrate basic skills in 3D composition
- (Painting & Printmaking) Demonstrate effective use of color theory
- (Painting) Demonstrate effective use of proportion and gesture
- (Painting) Demonstrate effective use of perspective
- (Painting & Printmaking) Use value effectively when creating a form
- (Painting & Printmaking) Use appropriate style and techniques to effectively execute ideas
- (Painting) Apply anatomical knowledge to accurately draw the human form
- Demonstrate craftsmanship and fine attention to detail
- (Sculpture) Develop ideas (concept) that support the overall composition (or construction) of a sculptural form.
- (Sculpture) Devote attention to transitions and effectively solve transition problems
- (Sculpture) Present and light work in gallery-ready form, including designing effective mounting systems
Technical Execution
- (Printmaking) Demonstrate technical proficiency in the six major components of printmaking (etching, lithography, silkscreen, monotype, relief, and book arts)
- (Printmaking) Demonstrate technical proficiency in editioning
- (Sculpture) Execute sculptural solutions with media-specific technical proficiency
Concept Development and Critical Analysis
- Explore and clearly articulate concepts and creative possibilities with a given topic or subject
- Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of concept and execution of a given artwork
Professional Communication
- Describe work effectively
Professional Readiness
- Produce a professional-standard portfolio of well-crafted artwork demonstrating personal vision
Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:
- Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
- Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
- Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
- Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
- Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
- Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
- Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.