Department of Art
The BA degree emphasizes written and oral communication skills, creative thinking, critical analyses of texts, understanding cultures, and a working knowledge of social, political and historical contexts. The degree is typically pursued by students whose major areas of study are directed toward humanities, arts and social science disciplines.
ART F360 Indigenous Art and Culture (h)3 Credits
Offered As Demand Warrants
Examination of art as a medium of cultural criticism, knowledge, wisdom, learning, and expression of social, spiritual, ecological, and aesthetic relationships in Indigenous societies of North, Central and South America, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and Oceania, and the Arctic.
Have you chosen your minor? The very interdisciplinary nature of the College of Liberal Arts means that you have so many options when it comes to tailoring your degree program so that it is just right for you. Here are some minors that students have paired with a B.A. in Art:
The Bachelor of Fine Arts is an undergraduate studio art degree. The BFA degree is professionally oriented and designed to prepare students for careers in art. This degree is also the usual prerequisite for graduate studies in art.
We recommend that prospective applicants review the student handbook to understand the structure and degree requirements of our BFA program.
Having trouble viewing the PDF in Firefox?
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the University of Alaska Fairbanks as well as the following department-specific criteria.
Students may apply to the B.F.A. program during the last semester of their sophomore year. Students should not apply earlier than the semester in which they complete the 200 level Art Department requirements.
Students must be accepted into the B.F.A. program a minimum of one semester prior to the “Thesis Proposal,” or two semesters prior to the thesis exhibition.
Admission to the BFA program requires a portfolio review by the art faculty. This review is generally done in the junior year. Enrollment in the BFA program is recommended only for those students willing to make the considerable commitment of time and energy necessary to strive for professional competence in their major areas.
Please Note: Students are responsible for picking up BFA application support materials within one week of notification.
All full‐time Art Department faculty will review applications to determine whether the candidate shall be admitted to the program. Candidates will be notified promptly of the faculty’s decision.
Upon acceptance, the student will file a Change of Major form. In order to facilitate program planning, the successful candidate will meet with the academic advisor from the chosen primary area of concentration. If the student’s primary area of concentration does not have a full‐time faculty, the student will select a full‐time faculty member they have studied with.
Within one month of acceptance into the BFA program, students will form their committee and begin to discusses thesis ideas/themes. A Thesis Proposal will be submitted for review to be signed off on by their committee.
The student will form a committee of at least three full‐time faculty members:
Please Note: Approval by the full BFA committee is required to change the major area of concentration. The applicantmust reapply to the BFA program if full BFA committee does not approve change.
A minimum of 120 credits must be earned, including those accepted by transfer, for a BFA degree in art.
30 credits in upper division art courses are required, with 15 credits in the student’s primary area, 9 credits in the secondary area, and 6 credits of upper‐division electives.A transfer student must earn at least18 art credits in residence. These must include a minimum of 12 credits in a major concentration and a minimum of 3 credits in a minor concentration in art. Credits by examination do not qualify as in residence credits.
Concentrations Offered
ART F488 Professional Practices for Visual Artists3 Credits
Offered Spring Odd-numbered Years
This class provides a foundation of practical information for students as they begin to consider various career options in the visual arts. Topics include documentation, websites, promotion and description, exhibit installation methods, marketing, developing application materials for residencies and grants, as well as issues of health and safety.
The BFA thesis is comprised of a thesis report, an exhibition and a public presentation. Students must submit a completed BFA Report packet to the Committee Chair for verification of all requirements no later than during the day of the BFA public presentations at the end of the semester. The grade is based on the BFA thesis exhibition, input from the student’s BFA committee, and the BFA thesis report. The thesis report and its contents will become the property of the Art Department.
More information about the thesis packet can be found in the BFA Student Handbook.
The student should work with the Gallery Director to schedule their show in the University Art Gallery. Space is assigned on a first-come first-serve basis. It is recommended that students try to reserve their space in the gallery about a year in advance.
There are many opportunities for students to find funding, from tuition help to special projects.
The art minor requires 18 credits and is open to non-art majors.
The art history minor requires 15 credits.
The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree in studio art. Our MFA program is a three-year, 60 credit studio art program. The MFA degree provides artists with the necessary background to compete in state, national and international vacancies. Career opportunities include placement in state and federal arts organizations, galleries, museums, colleges and universities. This degree includes courses in contemporary art world issues, the historic role of the artist and art of the circumpolar north. Study is two-thirds in studio art. The degree culminates in a solo gallery exhibition.
We recommend that prospective applicants review the student handbook to understand the structure and degree requirements of our MFA program.
Applicants must fulfill the UAF Graduate School admission requirements as well as the following department-specific criteria.
The prerequisite for our M.F.A. program is a B.F.A. or B.A. degree in Art.
A student who submits an exceptional portfolio with an undergraduate degree in another field, will be accepted only if they make up any deficiencies as determined by their graduate committee. The same requirements are observed when considering credit for previous schooling from a University other than UAF. Students with a degree from UAF will be considered if they have attended full time a MFA program at another institution for one year.
Applicants should apply to a graduate degree program at least six to nine months before the beginning of the semester in which they plan to enroll. Most departments require earlier submission of credentials for acceptance to their program. Contact the department for specific deadlines. The number of students accepted for graduate study is limited.
Graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply early. Applications received near the deadline will be processed as time permits or may be considered for the following semester.
A separate portfolio of work; including 20 slides of work or the appropriate digital equivalent (jpegs or Quicktime movie files) must be sent to the Art Department Office.
An information sheet (may be digital) must be included with the digital portfolio. For CDs and DVDs, this should be a color contact sheet of thumbnails of the images with no more than 20 images per sheet. Include the following information on the contact sheet: name, title of piece, size (height X width X depth), medium and date created. If work is collaborative, detail your contribution.
Special Instructions for International Students
Students must complete a minimum of 60 credits of coursework.
Alongside of the graduate general university requirements and the master's degree requirements, MFA students fulfill the art requirement which include the MFA Thesis Project or the Non-thesis research/project. Students opting for the later complete a studio course with a two hour oral exam.
A comprehensive exam must be passed before the end of the second semester and a Report on Comprehensive Exam submitted. This includes a demonstration of the ability to synthesize information in the field at a level appropriate for a master’s degree.
The core of any student’s program is his/her advising committee and the Graduate Study Plan s/he develops with them. This plan outlines subject areas on which the student needs to concentrate, language(s) and research tools and a timeline for completion. The Graduate Study Plan is filed with Graduate School and in Department files.
Students should take 20 credits from their primary studio area, and 9 credits from their secondary studio area.
ART F602 Anthropology of Art3 Credits
Anthropological study of art in cross-cultural perspective. Social context of art production and use and cross-cultural variations in definition of an artist's role.
The MFA thesis contains the thesis exhibition, project report, public presentation and oral defense of the thesis. An MFA project binder must also be turned into the advisory committee by the last day of instruction of the ART F98 Project class. The contents of the project binder can be found in the MFA Handbook.
A master’s student must submit an Appointment of Committee form by the end of the first semester of study. An Annual Report of Graduate Advisory Committee form must be submitted by May 15 of every year.
Browse previous art graduate thesis work through ScholarWorks.
Teaching Assistantships (frequently referred to as a TA) vary widely across institutions and disciplines but essentially they are an investment on behalf of the university in graduate student who shows promise in teaching and in working professionally in their discipline. In exchange for teaching and assisting the department the graduate student is given a tuition waiver and stipend.
For more information on TAships, please contact the Art Department Office.
