Art Practice - Bachelor of Fine Arts 2023-24 Degree Map

Degree Maps show one way how you can earn a degree in four years. Talk with your advisor regularly to develop a personalized plan that works best for you, especially if you have any earned transferrable academic credit.

To graduate in four years, you need an average of 45 credits per year to reach 180 total credits, including 62 upper division (300/400 level courses) credits. You may need to take electives (courses that are not used to meet specific requirements) to reach those totals. Most courses at PSU are 4 credits each. If you transfer credit to PSU, the number of credits you need per year will vary accordingly. 

This guide outlines the requirements in the 2023-24 catalog. Catalog year defines the specific set of requirements you need to complete a degree. Requirements occasionally change, so it may benefit you to follow a different catalog. Typically, your catalog year is the year you began at PSU, but if you are a transfer student you may be able to use an earlier catalog. Talk with your advisor about which catalog requirements make sense for you.

First Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Freshman Inquiry or Honors5Freshman Inquiry or Honors5Freshman Inquiry or Honors5
ART 1015ART 1025ART 1035
ART 1042ART 1052ARH 1062
  200-level Art History or DES 2904ART 1314
Total Fall Credits12Total Winter Credits16Total Spring Credits16

First Year Note: Common Core Studio courses for Art Practice degree path. Students should complete 100 level courses by end of Spring term. Only one ART 101, ART 102, ART 103 can be taken per quarter in any order. Recommended to take ART 104, ART 105, ARH 106 one per quarter, in any order.

Second Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement3-4
200 level Studio ART Elective4200-level Art History or DES 2904200 level Studio ART Elective4
200 level Studio ART Elective4200 level Studio ART Elective4General Elective4
General Elective4Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement3-4General Elective4
Total Fall Credits16Total Winter Credits15-16Total Spring Credits15-16

Third Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4
300/400 level Studio ART Elective4300/400 level Studio ART Elective4300/400 level Studio ART Elective4
ART 3034300/400 level Studio ART Elective4ART 3364
ART 3394ARH 3984300/400-Level Art History4
Total Fall Credits16Total Winter Credits16Total Spring Credits16

Fourth Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
ART 4394ART 4964Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis6
300/400 level Studio ART Elective4300/400 level Studio ART Elective4ART 4984
300/400-Level Art History4300/400 level Studio ART Elective4ART 499 BFA Oral Review2
  ART 4852General Elective2
Total Fall Credits12Total Winter Credits14Total Spring Credits14

 

Additional Map Notes:

  • 200-level Art History or DES 290: Complete 8 credits from the following options: any 200-level Art History or DES 290
  • 200 level Studio ART Elective: Prerequisites for 300 or 400 level Studio Art classes.
  • Sophomore Inquiry or Honors: For University Studies, two Sophomore Inquiry courses are required, but for Honors, three Sophomore courses are required.
  • Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement: Two courses required, each minimum 3 credits: one course must focus on the U.S. experience; the second course must center the experiences of groups under European and U.S. colonialism and imperialism beyond the United States. One must be within the School of Gender, Race and Nations or be cross-listed with one of the SGRN units: Black Studies (BSt), Chicano/Latino Studies (ChLa), Indigenous Nations Studies (NAS), or Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WS). If you choose a RESR course that can be applied towards another requirement, take an elective here instead.
  • 300/400-Level Art History: Complete 8 credits from the following options: any 300 or 400 level ARH, ART 330, ART 322U, ART 323U, ART 497
  • You may need to add additional general elective credits to your plan to reach 180 total credits.