Dec 08, 2024  
2022-23 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-23 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Art, Graphic Design Concentration, B.F.A.


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Art and Design  
615-898-2455

Noël Lorson, director of graphic design
Noel.Lorson@mtsu.edu

The B.F.A. program is designed for those who wish to work professionally as artists in art-related fields and/or work toward a graduate degree (M.F.A.). All students pursuing a major in Art are required to complete the General Education requirements as specified by the department. Students should consult with their advisors each semester in order to plan their schedules of courses.

Academic Map


Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Art, Graphic Design, B.F.A., Academic Map   

Degree Requirements


General Education 41 hours
Major Requirements 79 hours
     Foundation    21 hours*
     Graphic Design Concentration    21 hours
     Upper-Division Art History    6 hours
     Graphic Design Electives    22 hours
     Studio Electives    9 hours
Electives 0-3 hours
TOTAL 120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)


General Education  requirements include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following course required by the program meets General Education requirements:

Major Requirements (79 hours)


The Graphic Design concentration requires a grade of C in ART 1610 , ART 1620 , ART 1630 , ART 1640 ART 1650 , ART 1920 , ART 1930 ART 2310 ART 2325 , ART 3325 , ART 3330 , ART 4310 ART 4320 , and ART 4330 .

Foundation (21 hours)


Graphic Design (21 hours)


Upper-Division Art History (6 hours)


Graphic Design Electives (22 hours)


A minimum of 3 credit hours in Illustration and 3 credit hours in Interactive Design are required. Maximum 6 hours allowable in Print Media.

Electives (0-3 hours)


Candidacy Program


The Graphic Design concentration includes a candidacy program based on successful completion of certain required classes with specified minimum grade point expectations and performance for retention in Graphic Design. The candidacy program imposes requirements in several areas:

  1. Admission to most upper-division professional courses in the Graphic Design concentration will be restricted to students admitted to candidacy.
  2. All students in the Graphic Design concentration should apply for admission to candidacy at the end of the semester in which they will have completed 45 semester hours of coursework.
  3. At a minimum, students in the Graphic Design concentration must have completed each of the following courses with a grade of C (2.00) or better before applying for candidacy:
    ART 1610 - Two-Dimensional Design 
    ART 1620 - Drawing I 
    ART 1630 - Three-Dimensional Design 
    ART 1640 - Drawing II 
    ART 2310 - Graphic Design Technologies 
    ART 2325 - Typographic Design 
    ART 3325 - Word and Image 
  4. At a minimum, students applying for candidacy in the Graphic Design concentration must have an overall GPA of at least 2.00 on all University-level coursework.
  5. Students applying for candidacy in the Graphic Design concentration must twice submit for juried review a portfolio containing work completed in the courses listed in item 3 above (specified graphic-related electives). (The majority of the work in the portfolio must be two-dimensional.) The first portfolio review will follow completion of ART 2325  and a second review will follow completion of ART 3325 . If after the second portfolio review a student is not admitted to candidacy the student may, with modifications, submit the portfolio one additional time before being asked to find another major or concentration.

Curriculum: Art, Graphic Design


Curricular listings include General Education  requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Subtotal: 15 Hours


Sophomore Fall


Subtotal: 16 Hours


Sophomore Spring


  • 3 credit hours
  • Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
  • Studio elective 3 credit hours
  • Humanities/Fine Arts 3 credit hours
  • Mathematics 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Junior Fall


  • 3 credit hours
  • Graphic Design elective 3 credit hours
  • Studio elective 3 credit hours
  • Upper-division art history 3 credit hours
  • Natural Sciences 4 credit hours

Subtotal: 16 Hours


Junior Spring


  • 3 credit hours
  • Graphic Design electives 6 credit hours
  • Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
  • Upper-division Art History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Senior Fall


Subtotal: 15 Hours


Senior Spring


Subtotal: 13 Hours


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