BFA

BFA (Visual Arts) Degree at Thompson Rivers University

Information Contacts:

Don Lawrence, Visual Arts Chair and Coordinator

Box 3010, Kamloops, B.C., V2C 5N3 (e-mail) donlawrence@tru.ca (tel) 250-828-5189

(fax) 250-371-5950

Barb Pillar, Bachelor of Arts Program Advisor

Box 3010, Kamloops, B.C., V2C 5N3 (e-mail) bpillar@tru.ca (tel) 250-371-5566

(fax) 250-371-5510

Introduction: what is a BFA?

A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Visual Arts is a four-year degree program that allows a student to approach an education in the Visual Arts within a university context. This means that studio courses in such areas as ceramics, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and also interdisciplinary combinations of these media, will be studied alongside academic disciplines. These disciplines include Art History and others such as English, History, Philosophy, etc. A student graduating with a BFA is considered by the Canada Council to have attained the training necessary for professional standing as an artist in Canada. This provides an avenue towards opportunities for exhibitions, grant applications and towards further study in Masters (MFA) programs, Secondary and Elementary Education programs and/or other applied programs. A graduate of a BFA program will also have enhanced employment opportunities in such related fields as graphic and three-dimensional design, private as well as public art galleries, arts management, etc.

Program Structure:

Below is an outline of the TRU BFA program requirements. For Information about specific courses please refer to the TRU Calendar as appropriate.

BFA degree requires a total of 120 credits in three categories:

1. General Educational Requirements: 24 credits

- 6 credits first year English: e.g. ENGL 110, 111, 112, 114, 121

- 12 credits selected from three of the following areas:

Humanities: e.g. Film Studies, History, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Theatre

Social Sciences: e.g. Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Studies, Psychology, Sociology

Math/Science: In addition to courses offered by Math and Science departments this requirement may be met by additional courses with a lab component, potentially including such disciplines as Computing Science, Physical Geography, Statistics

- 6 credits of academic elective: Students must take 6 credits at any level in any approved academic discipline. Students may take up to three of these credits from Fine Arts courses in Art History or Art Theory

2. History and Theory of Art (HTA) Requirements: 18 credits

- Required HTA courses are: VISA 111, VISA 112, VISA 499

- 18 credits in Art History or Theory: 9 of these credits must be selected from third and fourth year offerings.

3. Studio Requirements: 78 credits

To complete a BFA degree students must have 78 credits of Studio, 39 of which must be at the third and fourth year. Students intending to complete their program of studies in Studio Art should take VISA 491 (12 credits). Students intending to complete their program of studies in Gallery Studies should take VISA 492 (12 credits). Gallery Studies requires six less credits in third year studio courses but six more credits in third year HTA courses to make up the 39 upper level credit requirements.

- Required studio courses are: VISA 101, VISA 102, VISA 103, VISA 121, VISA 491

- 15 credits of first-year studio courses, 24 credits of second-year studio courses, 27 credits of third-year studio courses and 12 credits of fourth-year studio courses.

Below is an example of a typical 4-year program plan

Year 1 (Foundation Year): 30 credits

Fall semester Winter semester

ENGL 110 3 ENGL 111 3

VISA 101 3 VISA 102 3

VISA 111 3 VISA 103 3

VISA 121 3 VISA 112 3

Academic Elective 3 VISA 122 3

____________________________________________________________________

15 15 30

Year 2: 30 credits

2^nd Year art history or theory 3

2^nd Year studio courses 24

Academic Elective or art history/theory 3 30

Year 3: 30 credits

3^rd Year art history or theory 3

3^rd Year studio courses in at least two areas 21

Academic Elective 6 30

Year 4: 30 credits

3^rd Year studio course 6

VISA 491 12

VISA 499 6

Academic Elective 6 30

_____

120

Application/Advising Procedures:

Application should be made through TRU Admission Office. Advising may take place at TRU with either Barb Pillar, Program Advisor for the Division of Arts, or Jim Hoffman, Chair of Visual and Performing Arts, or Eileen Leier, Visual Arts Coordinator, or Andrew Wong, BFA Program Advisor. These contacts are listed on top of the page.

As with any program, the more informed you are the better. The respective TRU Calendar is essential documents for such information. They contain most of the information that a student requires to enroll in and complete their program of study and also to find out about such additional areas of interest as the Library, Student Society, Counseling, etc. Students should also be aware of the annual guide to awards and bursaries that is published each year by the Financial Aid office. It is the student's responsibility to make themselves aware of these resources and the information that they contain.

Last updated May. 2005