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The Bachelor of Arts in Art at The Pennsylvania State University offers students a comprehensive and dynamic exploration of the visual arts, designed to cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and technical skills. This undergraduate program provides a vibrant academic environment where students engage with a diverse range of artistic practices, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, digital media, and contemporary art theory. Through a combination of studio coursework, Art history classes, and interdisciplinary projects, students develop a well-rounded understanding of both traditional and innovative art forms. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on experience, encouraging students to experiment with different mediums and techniques to express their unique artistic voices. Faculty members are accomplished artists and scholars who mentor students in developing their portfolios, participating in exhibitions, and preparing for careers in the arts or further graduate study. The program also integrates opportunities for internships, collaborations with local arts organizations, and participation in university-sponsored exhibitions and events, fostering a professional arts community. Students gain skills in visual communication, critical analysis, and technical proficiency, preparing them for diverse careers such as professional artist, gallery manager, art educator, or curator. Additionally, the program aims to instill an understanding of the cultural and social contexts of art, encouraging students to explore themes related to identity, politics, environment, and technology. Graduates of the Art program at Penn State are equipped with a strong foundation in artistic practice and theory, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to the contemporary art world and society at large. The university’s extensive resources, including state-of-the-art studios, galleries, and libraries, support students’ creative pursuits and scholarly research. Overall, the Bachelor of Arts in Art at Penn State is designed to nurture innovative thinkers and skilled practitioners who are prepared to make meaningful contributions to the arts and culture sector.
| Course Nbr | Course Title | Typically Offered |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Introduction to the Visual Arts |
All Semesters |
|
1 |
Introduction to the Visual Arts |
Fall & Spring |
|
1 |
Introduction to the Visual Arts |
Spring Only |
|
1 |
Introduction to the Visual Arts |
Summer Only |
|
2 |
Interactive Learning and Web-Design |
Spring Only |
|
3 |
Visual Images on the Web |
All Semesters |
|
3 |
Visual Images on the Web |
Fall Only |
|
3 |
Visual Images on the Web |
Fall & Spring |
|
3 |
Visual Images on the Web |
Summer & Fall |
|
10 |
Introduction to Visual Studies |
|
|
10 |
Introduction to Visual Studies |
All Semesters |
|
10 |
Introduction to Visual Studies |
Fall & Spring |
|
10 |
Introduction to Visual Studies |
Spring Only |
|
11 |
First-Year Seminar- School of Visual Arts |
|
|
11 |
First-Year Seminar- School of Visual Arts |
All Semesters |
|
17 |
Introduction to Metal Arts |
Fall & Spring |
|
20 |
Introduction to Drawing |
All Semesters |
|
20 |
Introduction to Drawing |
Fall Only |
|
20 |
Introduction to Drawing |
Fall & Spring |
|
20 |
Introduction to Drawing |
Spring Only |
|
20H |
Introduction to Drawing |
|
|
20H |
Introduction to Drawing |
Fall Only |
|
20H |
Introduction to Drawing |
Spring Only |
|
30 |
Introduction to Sculpture |
All Semesters |
|
30 |
Introduction to Sculpture |
Fall & Spring |
|
30 |
Introduction to Sculpture |
Spring Only |
|
40 |
Introduction to Printmaking |
All Semesters |
|
40 |
Introduction to Printmaking |
Fall Only |
|
40 |
Introduction to Printmaking |
Fall & Spring |
|
40 |
Introduction to Printmaking |
Spring Only |
|
50 |
Introduction to Painting |
All Semesters |
|
50 |
Introduction to Painting |
Fall Only |
|
50 |
Introduction to Painting |
Fall & Spring |
|
50 |
Introduction to Painting |
Spring Only |
|
80 |
Introduction to Ceramics |
All Semesters |
|
80 |
Introduction to Ceramics |
Fall & Spring |
|
98 |
Special Topics |
Spring Only |
|
100 |
Concepts and Creation in the Visual Arts |
All Semesters |
|
100 |
Concepts and Creation in the Visual Arts |
Fall Only |
|
100 |
Concepts and Creation in the Visual Arts |
Fall & Spring |
|
100 |
Concepts and Creation in the Visual Arts |
Spring Only |
|
101 |
Introduction to Web Design |
Fall Only |
|
101 |
Introduction to Web Design |
Fall & Spring |
|
101 |
Introduction to Web Design |
Spring Only |
|
101 |
Introduction to Web Design |
Spring & Summer |
|
101 |
Introduction to Web Design |
Summer Only |
|
102 |
Beginning Computer Aided Design for Artists |
Fall Only |
|
110 |
Ideas as Visual Images |
|
|
111 |
Ideas as Objects |
Fall & Spring |
|
122 |
Commentary on Art |
|
|
122 |
Commentary on Art |
All Semesters |
|
165 |
Artistic Concepts of Space |
Fall Only |
|
165 |
Artistic Concepts of Space |
Spring Only |
|
166 |
Artistic Concepts of Form |
|
|
166 |
Artistic Concepts of Form |
Spring Only |
|
168 |
The Digital Medium |
|
|
168 |
The Digital Medium |
Fall & Spring |
|
168H |
The Digital Medium |
Fall Only |
|
197 |
Special Topics |
|
|
198 |
Special Topics |
|
|
199 |
Foreign Studies--Art |
All Semesters |
|
199 |
Foreign Studies--Art |
Spring Only |
|
199 |
Foreign Studies--Art |
Summer Only |
|
200 |
Scripting Fundamentals for Visual Artists and Designers |
All Semesters |
|
201 |
Intro to Digital Arts: Computer Graphics |
All Semesters |
|
201 |
Intro to Digital Arts: Computer Graphics |
Fall & Spring |
|
203 |
The Art of Web Design |
All Semesters |
|
203 |
The Art of Web Design |
Spring & Summer |
|
204 |
Animation Fundamentals |
|
|
211 |
Introduction to Digital Art and Design Criticism |
All Semesters |
|
211 |
Introduction to Digital Art and Design Criticism |
Summer & Fall |
|
211Y |
Introduction to Digital Art and Design Criticism |
All Semesters |
|
220 |
Figure Drawing |
|
|
220 |
Figure Drawing |
Fall Only |
|
220 |
Figure Drawing |
Fall & Spring |
|
220 |
Figure Drawing |
Spring Only |
|
223 |
Drawing: Techniques, Materials, and Tools |
Fall & Spring |
|
230 |
Beginning Sculpture |
Fall & Spring |
|
230 |
Beginning Sculpture |
Spring Only |
|
240 |
Beginning Printmaking |
Fall & Spring |
|
250 |
Beginning Oil Painting |
|
|
250 |
Beginning Oil Painting |
Fall & Spring |
|
250 |
Beginning Oil Painting |
Spring Only |
|
250H |
Beginning Oil Painting |
Fall Only |
|
260 |
Water Media |
|
|
265 |
Artistic Concepts of Color |
Fall Only |
|
266 |
Artistic Concepts of Light |
Spring Only |
|
269 |
Methods and Materials I |
Fall & Spring |
|
280 |
Beginning Ceramics |
Fall & Spring |
|
290 |
Beginning Photography |
Spring Only |
|
296 |
Independent Studies |
|
|
296 |
Independent Studies |
All Semesters |
|
296 |
Independent Studies |
Fall Only |
|
296 |
Independent Studies |
Fall & Spring |
|
(297) |
Special Topics |
All Semesters |
|
(297) |
Special Topics |
Spring Only |
|
(297) |
Special Topics |
Summer Only |
|
297 |
Special Topics |
All Semesters |
|
297 |
Special Topics |
Spring Only |
|
297 |
Special Topics |
Summer Only |
|
299 |
Foreign Study--Art |
All Semesters |
|
299 |
Foreign Study--Art |
Spring Only |
|
299 |
Foreign Study--Art |
Summer Only |
|
302 |
Digital Portfolio Elements |
|
|
302 |
Digital Portfolio Elements |
Fall & Spring |
|
314 |
Computer 3-D: Modeling, Rendering, and Animation |
Fall & Spring |
|
315 |
New Media Art: New Media Studio |
Fall & Spring |
|
316 |
Video Art and Time-Based Media |
Fall & Spring |
|
318 |
New Media Art: Game Art |
Fall & Spring |
|
319 |
Physical Computing |
Fall & Spring |
|
320 |
Advanced Drawing |
Fall & Spring |
|
330 |
Intermediate Sculpture: Metal Fabrication and Mixed-media |
Fall & Spring |
|
330 |
Intermediate Sculpture: Metal Fabrication and Mixed-media |
Spring Only |
|
331 |
Intermediate Sculpture: Metal Casting and Mold-Making |
Fall Only |
|
(338) |
The Body: Issues and Objects |
Fall & Spring |
|
338 |
The Body: Issues and Objects |
Fall Only |
|
338 |
The Body: Issues and Objects |
Fall & Spring |
|
340 |
Printmaking |
Fall & Spring |
|
341 |
Intermediate Printmaking: Intaglio/Relief |
Fall Only |
|
342 |
Intermediate Printmaking: Lithography/Serigraphy |
Spring Only |
|
343 |
New Media Printmaking |
Fall & Spring |
|
350 |
Intermediate Painting |
All Semesters |
|
350 |
Intermediate Painting |
Fall & Spring |
|
350H |
Intermediate Painting |
Fall Only |
|
365 |
Themes and Issues I |
Fall Only |
|
365 |
Themes and Issues I |
Spring Only |
|
366 |
Themes and Issues II |
Spring Only |
|
380 |
Intermediate Throwing |
Fall & Spring |
|
381 |
Intermediate Handbuilding |
Fall Only |
|
381 |
Intermediate Handbuilding |
Fall & Spring |
|
390 |
Introduction to Photochemical Photography |
|
|
390 |
Introduction to Photochemical Photography |
Fall & Spring |
|
397 |
Special Topics |
All Semesters |
|
397C |
**SPECIAL TOPICS** |
Spring Only |
|
399 |
Foreign Study--Art |
All Semesters |
|
402 |
Portfolio Design and Professional Practices |
Fall & Spring |
|
404 |
Art and Life: Where They Intersect |
|
|
409 |
Museum Studies |
Spring Only |
|
411 |
Seminar in Contemporary Art |
Fall & Spring |
|
411 |
Seminar in Contemporary Art |
Spring Only |
|
413 |
Performance Art |
Fall & Spring |
|
415 |
Integrating Media: Convergence in Practice |
Fall Only |
|
415 |
Integrating Media: Convergence in Practice |
Fall & Spring |
|
416 |
Advanced Web and Net Art: Multimedia Publishing |
Fall Only |
|
419 |
Advanced New Media: Capstone |
Fall & Spring |
|
421 |
Drawing |
Fall & Spring |
|
421 |
Drawing |
Spring Only |
|
422 |
Advanced Figure Drawing |
Fall Only |
|
422 |
Advanced Figure Drawing |
Fall & Spring |
|
430 |
Advanced Sculpture |
Fall & Spring |
|
431 |
Installation Art |
Fall & Spring |
|
431 |
Installation Art |
Spring Only |
|
432 |
Flexible Molds: Parting Seams and Sculptural Concepts |
|
|
(438) |
The Body: Issues and Objects |
Fall Only |
|
440 |
Advanced Printmaking |
Fall & Spring |
|
446 |
Artists Books |
Spring Only |
|
447 |
Photo Based Printmaking |
Fall Only |
|
450 |
Advanced Painting |
Fall & Spring |
|
450 |
Advanced Painting |
Spring Only |
|
450H |
Advanced Painting |
Fall Only |
|
455 |
Advanced Painting Critique |
Fall & Spring |
|
465 |
Individual Approaches I |
Fall & Spring |
|
465 |
Individual Approaches I |
Spring Only |
|
466 |
Individual Approaches II |
|
|
467 |
Matter, Materiality and Mediums: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Artistic Stuff |
|
|
468 |
The Intermediate Digital Medium |
Fall & Spring |
|
468 |
The Intermediate Digital Medium |
Spring Only |
|
469 |
Methods and Materials II |
Spring Only |
|
475 |
Contemporary Women Artists |
Fall Only |
|
476 |
History and Theory of Digital Art |
Spring Only |
|
480 |
Advanced Ceramic Arts |
Fall & Spring |
|
490 |
View Camera Photography |
All Semesters |
|
490 |
View Camera Photography |
Fall & Spring |
|
494 |
Research Projects Courses |
|
|
495 |
Internship |
All Semesters |
|
495 |
Internship |
Fall & Spring |
|
496 |
Independent Studies |
All Semesters |
|
496 |
Independent Studies |
Fall & Spring |
|
496H |
Independent Studies |
All Semesters |
|
496H |
Independent Studies |
Spring Only |
|
496H |
Independent Studies |
|
|
(497) |
Special Topics |
- Secondary School Records
- Post-Secondary School Records
- TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the paper exam (code #2660)
- IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test
- Penn State requires first-year international students to submit an official score from the SAT or ACT examination.Please note: The writing component of standardized tests (SAT or ACT) is not required. The writing component will not be used as part of our evaluation. If your test scores include the writing component, by all means, have those scores sent to Penn State. Additionally, we do not require SAT Subject Tests.
Financial aspects of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art program at The Pennsylvania State University are structured to support students through a combination of internal and external funding opportunities. Tuition fees for in-state students are generally lower than those for out-of-state students, with the annual in-state undergraduate tuition approximately $20,000 and out-of-state tuition around $38,000. These costs are subject to annual increases, and students are encouraged to consult the university's official website for the most current figures. In addition to tuition, students should account for fees related to laboratory and studio usage, materials, supplies, and equipment, which can vary depending on the specific courses and projects undertaken.
Penn State offers a range of financial aid options to assist students in covering these costs. Institutional scholarships are available based on academic achievement, artistic talent, and financial need. The university's Office of Student Financial Aid manages applications for federal and state grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. Federal grants, such as the Pell Grant, may be awarded to eligible students to reduce their net tuition costs. Additionally, students can explore private scholarships and funding through arts foundations that support emerging artists and art students.
Work-study programs provide part-time employment opportunities on or near campus, enabling students to earn money to defray educational expenses while gaining practical experience. The university also encourages students to seek external funding sources, including arts-specific grants from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts, and local arts councils. Many students pursue assistantship roles within the College of Arts and Architecture, which may include work in galleries, studios, or administrative support, often providing a stipend or tuition remission.
Cost management is also facilitated through departmental resources, such as access to free or subsidized art supplies and studio space. The university provides financial counseling services to help students develop budgets and plan for their educational expenses effectively. The availability of financial aid and scholarship opportunities varies annually, and students are advised to apply early and complete all necessary documentation by published deadlines to maximize their chances of receiving funding.
Overall, Pennsylvania State University offers a comprehensive financial support system for students enrolled in the Art Bachelor of Fine Arts program, aimed at making arts education accessible and affordable while encouraging artistic development and academic success.
The Pennsylvania State University offers a comprehensive program in Art that emphasizes both theoretical understanding and practical skills in various artistic disciplines. The program aims to prepare students for professional careers in fine arts, design, art education, and related fields by providing a solid foundation in art history, studio practice, and visual communication. Students enrolled in the Art program have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including dedicated studios, galleries, and digital labs equipped with modern tools and technology to support diverse artistic exploration. The curriculum is designed to foster creativity, critical thinking, and technical proficiency, encouraging students to develop a unique artistic voice while understanding the historical and cultural contexts of their work. The faculty comprises accomplished artists and educators who mentor students through individual and collaborative projects, exhibitions, and internships. Opportunities for engagement include exhibitions within university galleries, participation in national and international art competitions, and community outreach programs that promote art education and literacy. Additionally, students can specialize in various areas such as painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, or digital media, allowing for personalized academic pathways. The program also integrates contemporary issues in art, including digital art, sustainable practices, and social activism, to ensure graduates are well-equipped to contribute innovatively to the art world. Upon graduation, students receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, depending on their chosen concentration and coursework. Many alumni go on to successful careers as professional artists, gallery curators, art educators, curators, or pursue graduate studies to further specialize in their artistic disciplines. The Pennsylvania State University’s Art program is committed to fostering a vibrant community of artists and scholars dedicated to advancing the lifecycle of art and creativity in diverse societal contexts.
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