Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Concentration in Studio Art] From San Francisco State University

The guiding principal of its curricula and instruction is the belief that art is an important means to interpret human experience, and is a fundamental mechanism by which a society evolves, understands, and reflects upon itself. It supports the university mission to offer instruction that promotes respect for and appreciation of scholarship, freedom, human diversity, and the cultural mosaic of the San Francisco Bay area and beyond, and encourages critical thinking within an inclusive worldview.

The curriculum provides students pathways to engage in personal, philosophical, political and/or conceptual questions through art practice, research and writing. Using a heuristic approach to learning, fueled by curiosity, students are encouraged to understand and challenge normative paradigms, resulting in new forms and ways of thinking. The conceptual exploration of materials, objects, images, texts, actions and events develops transferable skill sets that will enrich students’ lives and prepare them for roles as artists, curators, historians, and creative professionals. The program cultivates visual literacy and critical thinking, and engenders professional conduct (discipline), adaptability, social awareness and social justice, through an understanding of the role of art in the human experience. The program currently offers degrees and undergraduates majors in the areas of art and art history, as well as pathways to teaching art.

Study concentrations:

• Art Education
• Art History
• Studio Art
• Art History and Studio Art

Program Scope

The School of Art is committed to offering a fine arts curriculum in a liberal arts context with diverse and vital programs for the study of the visual arts in Northern California. Its programs foster development of specialized skills, encourage personal creative direction, and promote understanding of the history and cultural traditions that shape artistic expression. The School of Art faculty are dedicated to bridging the practice, theory and history of art, and to combining traditional and new technologies in a manner that reflects and affects contemporary culture. The Bachelor of Arts in Art program consists of a core and the choice of a concentration in Art Education, Art History, Studio Art, or Art History and Studio Art. The area of concentration focuses study in one specialty, but with a degree of breadth sufficient for understanding and awareness in other areas. All courses are designed to provide a broad experiential and conceptual orientation to the visual arts and art history. Advanced courses in the concentrations focus on perceptual skills,conceptual practices, creative expression, and critical thinking. Attention is given to traditions and heritage of the discipline, contemporary issues and forms, imaginative problem solving, and written English proficiency within the discipline.

Career Outlook

Opportunities for the graduate with a bachelor’s degree in art vary depending on the student’s initiative and inclinations. Students dedicated to creative expression in art practice, or scholarly research in the history of art, may elect to pursue graduate education. Others may find opportunities for technical or on-the-job training in the related fields. A course in exhibition design is offered in the professional environment of the Fine Arts Gallery and provides intense, practical, and theoretical training for gallery and art museum careers. Art and art history students with an interest in working with visual artifacts, and with the diverse professional aspects of presenting art and artists elect courses in this popular area.