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  2. Academic Advising

Academic Advising

Welcome to the Art & Art History Academic Advising page

Each undergraduate student within the School of Fine Arts, Art & Art History program, must meet with his/her assigned faculty advisor each semester prior to registering for classes. Faculty advisors will hold extended office hours to meet with students by appointment. Students will not be allowed to register for classes for the next semester until they have met with their advisor to discuss course selection and submitted a completed Approval for Registration form (green Bar Lift form) to the department secretary in the Art & Art History Office.  The form must list the student’s intended courses and be signed by the student’s advisor.  Students will receive notification and instructions for signing up for an advising appointment 2-3 weeks prior to registration opening each semester.

What to Bring to your Advising Meeting:

  1. Plan of Study
  2. Suggested 8-Semester Sequence of Study (studio art majors only)
  3. Approval for Registration Form (BAR LIFT)

1. Plan of Study

Plans of Study list graduation requirements for each of the University’s majors and minors. Students should use a Plan of Study to track their progress toward earning a degree. Students will be required to submit a Final Plan of Study to the Registrar’s Office during the first four (4) weeks of the semester in which the student plans to graduate.

Students are required to follow a specific plan of study for their respective major (Art or Art History) based on their assigned catalog year, and concentration for studio art majors. Be sure to use the Plan of Study that corresponds to your assigned catalog year. If you do not know your catalog year, view your Academic Requirements report in Student Admin (click here for instructions). Refer to the “Catalog Year” section at the top of your Academic Requirements report.

Plans of Study for the past five (5) academic years are listed below by major and concentration. If you do not see a Plan of Study for your major and/or concentration and assigned catalog year, please stop in the Art & Art History Office Monday – Friday 8 am – 5pm.

Print a copy of your Plan of Study to take with you:

Plans of Study – BFA Students

Copies are also available outside of the Art & Art History Office

2. Suggested 8-Semester Sequence of Study (Studio Art Majors Only)

Suggested 8-Semester Sequences of Study for BFA concentrations are only samples/suggested course schedules. Requirements are subject to change and may vary based on catalog year, curriculum changes and course availability. The official degree requirements are found in the general university catalog. General Education Requirements can be found by clicking here.

Print a copy of the Suggested 8 Semester Sequence of Study for your area of concentration to take with you:

Suggested 8-Semester Sequences of Study

Copies are also available outside of the Art & Art History Office

3. Approval for Registration

You must take a completed Approval for Registration form (green Bar Lift form) to your meeting with your faculty advisor. Be sure to complete the form in full by identifying the courses you plan to take during the next semester. This form must be signed by your advisor and submitted to the Art & Art History Office to have your Advising Hold lifted.

Note: You will not be able to register for classes until you have submitted the Approval for Registration to the Art & Art History Office to have your advising hold lifted. Forms will processed and registration holds lifted by the end of the business day that forms were received.

Print Bar Lift Form

Advising tips for BFA Students

BFA students should consider the following when selecting courses:

  • Students should take all Basic Studio courses before the end of the 4th term.
  • Some sequential prerequisite concentration courses are not offered every semester. Students should plan accordingly.
  • Students must take a W course in Art History.  Planning ahead is especially important for Photography concentration students as they are required to take two (2) History of Photography courses to satisfy  the 12 required Art History credits.
  • The Communication Design Portfolio Review takes place in the SPRING only. There are minimum requirements and specific courses students must complete before participating in the review. Applicants to the Communication Design program must have taken or be enrolled in ART 2110: Design Process, and ART 2011: Intro to Digital Media at or by the time of the portfolio review.
  • ART 2210: Illustration is only offered in the SPRING and requires that students have taken ART 2010: Life Drawing I and ART 2310: Basic Studio Painting.
  • ART 3210: Topics in Illustration is only offered in the FALL and requires that students have taken ART 2210: Illustration and ART 3010: Life Drawing II.
  • Students intending to complete the Art History Minor should declare the minor early on. Students should plan to meet with the Art History Coordinator for a brief orientation and to complete an Art History Minor Declaration form.
  • Independent Study eligibility is limited to a maximum of six (6) credits and may be repeated for a total of six (6) credits.  Independent Studies are open to juniors or higher, limited to the advanced 5th semester or higher standing and a GPA of 3.0, with no outstanding incompletes for any other 3999.  Exceptions only by approval of the department head.