Fine Arts Archive 2019-2020

Fine Arts Major Archive 2019-2020

Learn more about this major

Degree Requirements - 124 credits

Students can earn a bachelor of fine arts degree with this major.  See the requirements for the bachelor of fine arts degree. 

Courses in the Fine Arts program have as a prerequisite the completion of the Foundation Studies program or its equivalent. Exceptions may only be made with permission of the instructor and the Fine Arts program director.

Major Requirements: 28 courses, 88 credits

Required Courses (26 courses, 82 credits)

Prerequisites:

Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings

Credits:

3

Description:

Observational drawing is a fundamental way of understanding and communicating visual experience. This course stresses the development and mastery of traditional drawing skills, concepts, and vocabulary, and employs a variety of techniques and materials. Fundamental principles are introduced in structured lessons and exercises, which are supplemented by related outside assignments. Subject matter may include still life, portraiture, and the clothed and unclothed human figure.

Prerequisites:

ADF S101 or Instructor approval; Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

Credits:

3

Description:

This course will refine the basic visual skills developed in Foundation Drawing I (ADF S101). The elements of color and mixed media are introduced to expand technical possibilities, while more intensive work with the clothed and unclothed human figure provides exposure to gesture, structure and complex form. As students begin to develop a more sophisticated and personal approach, issues of expression and interpretation and varied subject matter will be explored, focusing on personal style and expression.

Prerequisites:

ADF S166; Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

Credits:

3

Description:

An understanding of form is critical to the development of the professional artist or designer. This course focuses on the hands-on use of line, plane, and volume in space. The role of scale, proportion, structure, surface, light, and display are addressed as students create objects that activate space and engage the viewer. The course proceeds from work with simple forms and techniques to more challenging and comprehensive problems that employ a variety of media and approaches.

Prerequisites:

Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

Credits:

3

Description:

The study of color and design is supportive of every studio discipline and is vital to the understanding of all visual media. This course emphasizes the basic concepts and practices of two-dimensional design and color theory. Students employ an intensive, hands-on approach as they explore and master the elements of design (including line, shape, and value) and the three fundamental properties of color (hue, value, and strength). These skills are used in the construction of formally cohesive compositions, the development of arresting images, and the communication of visual ideas.

Prerequisites:

Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

Credits:

3

Description:

This cross-disciplinary course will integrate the ideas and practices of two-dimensional design, color and drawing. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the creative process, exploring concepts and developing research skills. Students will undertake individual and collaborative projects in three spaces; the studio classroom, the digital world and the city at large.

Prerequisites:

ADF S101; Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

Credits:

3

Description:

This course builds on the Integrated Studio I experience: synthesizing fundamental visual ideas. IS II investigates the construction, documentation, and transformation of volumetric form, environmental space, and time. Projects will explore narrative strategies and the creation of immersive experiences. Students will develop critical and analytical skills while employing a range of traditional and digital media as they explore the creative boundaries of the classroom studio, the city of Boston, and virtual space.

Prerequisites:

ADF S102

Credits:

3

Description:

Explores how light can enhance, reveal and sometimes determine our understanding and appreciation of art. Topics include a historical overview of artists from Caravaggio to the present day who use theatrical and natural light and the human form to represent the human condition. The figure, clothed and unclothed, in isolation and in an environmental context, is the primary subject.

Prerequisites:

Take ADF-S152

Credits:

3

Description:

"Art is not just visual. Artists also ""think with their hands""\"

Prerequisites:

ADF-S102 and ADF-S166

Credits:

3

Description:

Investigates how shifts in scale alter our perception of space. We live in a world of great contrasts in scale: hand held screens can download Google Earth and nanotechnologies can change the lives of entire continents. Since evolving technologies have altered our understanding of our environment, artists need to incorporate this new knowledge to the art of Drawing. This figure-based course uses descriptive observation as the starting point for addressing visual invention. Working from a model, traditional techniques are combined with digital imaging and sequential genres such as graphic novels to develop an expanded experimental palette.

Prerequisites:

ADF-S166

Credits:

3

Description:

Surveys the medium of painting as a mode of expression that embraces representation, abstraction and collage. Engages concepts and techniques of 20th and 21st century artistic practice. Students develop an individual approach to non-objective and objective painted space. Open-ended assignments, lectures, critiques and discussions will clarify and refine work. Substantial independent studio time allows students to focus on work that responds to contemporary issues in painting.

Prerequisites:

ADF S152

Credits:

3

Description:

A focused study on the language of dimensionality in sculpture, students will explore traditional and non-traditional materials. Issues of craft, concept and context will aid students in developing work that responds to currents in contemporary sculpture. This class will also provide students with a substantial grounding in 20th and 21st century sculptural theory and practice.

Credits:

3

Description:

Surveys the techniques and studio practice of contemporary printmaking techniques. Etching, Linocut, Transfers, Lithography and Screen Printing are incorporated in a fast-moving course focused on personal expression. Studio work utilizes non-toxic materials and a studio practice centered on creativity and sustainability. Topics include Portfolio development, experimentation and printed editions.

Prerequisites:

ADF S102 and ADF S152

Credits:

3

Description:

Fine Arts Seminar is designed as a vehicle for students to develop a personal relationship to contemporary art theory and practice. Questions are posed as a point of departure for the students to generate work. Visiting artists and weekly gallery and museum visits aid in examining aspects of current art making in order to assist students in creating a strong vision for their work. Restricted to Fine Arts Majors only.

Prerequisites:

ADFA S271

Credits:

3

Description:

A continuation of the first semester, this course aids students in recognizing the patterns and questions posed in their own studio practices. A large number of technical approaches to content will be explored.

Prerequisites:

Take ADF-S152; Intended for Majors only

Credits:

3

Description:

Moves art theory into the studio and the studio out into the world. Students will look at the most significant artists and movements of the past 50 years while examining their social, cultural and political context. Canonized contemporary art categories (postmodernism, appropriation, anti-art and performance art are some examples) are assigned as group projects. Movements, strategy or style of art making is discussed as an expressive problem-solving experience, blurring the lines between media. This course conflates contemporary art history with contemporary art practices.

Prerequisites:

Take ADFA-S272;

Credits:

3

Description:

An exploration of contemporary drawing with an emphasis on experimentation and personal growth. Traditional and non-traditional materials are employed in a rigorous studio environment. Topics include radical scale, drawing and installation and the ongoing conversation between ephemera and permanence in drawing.

Prerequisites:

ADFA-S241

Credits:

3

Description:

Designed to provide an in-depth study and practice of two-dimensional contemporary figuration. An in-depth exploration of the methodology and techniques of figurative painters from late-twentieth century through the present. Personal adaptation of traditional and contemporary modes of expression are seen as key elements in the development of each student's personal voice.

Prerequisites:

Take ADF-S152 ADFA-S361;

Credits:

3

Description:

This sculpture course considers the figure in its importance both as a historical element and as a reflection and definition of self. Establish an understanding of the figurative form in the space by relating gesture and structure through manipulated form. Weight, mass, plane and volume are considered while working directly from the model.

Prerequisites:

ADFA S271 and ADFA S272

Credits:

3

Description:

Third semester of the Seminar sequence. Students are responsible for integrating their visual culture influences and references within an expanded body of work.

Prerequisites:

ADFA S271 and ADFA S272 and ADFA S371

Credits:

3

Description:

The final Seminar semester is focused on the studio practices of its members. All work is channeled into the development of the final senior thesis exhibition.

Prerequisites:

Restricted to Juniors and Seniors

Credits:

3.00- 6.00

Description:

Fine Arts majors are required to complete an internship where they will apply their studio and academic skills in a professional setting. Students enrich their perspective by sampling the career paths available in the art and culture economy. Work directly with established professional artists or with arts and cultural organizations such as museums, galleries, and arts councils, this experiential learning is critical for career preparation. Topics include personal growth, professional skill development, and networking opportunities. The internship experience is paired with a faculty-led seminar that will reinforce new skills and provide a venue for inquiry, sharing, and reflection.

Prerequisites:

Fine Arts Senior status required, or Instructor Approval.

Credits:

3

Description:

Readies the student for the furtherance of their career as a creative artist. Course participants will begin to place themselves within the context of the contemporary art world. Through the development of a written artist's statement, presentations, electronic documentation and an exhibition which meets professional standards, senior students are prepared for post-graduate life. Normally offered Spring semester.

Credits:

4

Description:

Surveys the art of Western civilization from prehistoric caves to medieval cathedrals. Considers works from the Ancient Near East, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome, the Byzantine Era, the Romanesque Period, and the Gothic Period in their historical contexts. Introduces students to formal analysis, iconography, and critical thinking.

Credits:

4

Description:

Surveys the art of Europe and America from the Renaissance to the present. Considers work of painting, sculpture, and architecture from periods such as the Renaissance, the Baroque, the Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Impressionism, Abstract Impressionism, and Post-Modernism in their historical contexts. Introduces students to formal analysis, iconography, and critical thinking.

Select two Art History elective courses. 

Electives (2 courses, 6 credits)

Choose two studio courses, subject to Program Director approval.

Note: The letter "S" preceding a course number indicates a studio course, for which a studio fee is assessed.

Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.

Fine Arts Learning Goals and Objectives

Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.

Learning Goals Learning Objectives
Students will...
Students will be able to...
Understand and employ the principles of visual language
  • Demonstrate perceptual acuity in two and three dimensional work
  • Demonstrate conceptual understanding of complex visual systems
  • Demonstrate technical facility with the tools current to their chosen art & design field
  • Demonstrate visual communication skills common to their chosen art & design field
  • Understand and employ the creative thinking process
  • Effectively solve visual and design problems specific to their chosen discipline
  • Use experimentation to test new ideas
  • Evaluate their work and the work of their peers through the critique process
  • Use the reiterative process to develop new and original solutions to visual and design problems
  • Understand their potential in the professional art & design field of their choosing
  • Evaluate their work in relation to the historical precedents of their chosen field
  • Visually present their work in a professional manner using the tools current to their chosen field
  • Orally present and support their work in a professional manner to peers and professionals from their chosen field
  • Demonstrate fluency in the technologies current to their chosen field
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the significant contemporary aesthetics and social issues relevant to their chosen field
  • Employ professional practices current to their chosen field
  • Fine Arts Minor Archive 2019-2020

    Learn more about this minor

    Minor Requirements: 6 courses, 18 credits

    Art & Design BFA Candidates

    Choose six Fine Arts studio courses.

    Non-Art & Design Majors

    Prerequisites:

    Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Observational drawing is a fundamental way of understanding and communicating visual experience. This course stresses the development and mastery of traditional drawing skills, concepts, and vocabulary, and employs a variety of techniques and materials. Fundamental principles are introduced in structured lessons and exercises, which are supplemented by related outside assignments. Subject matter may include still life, portraiture, and the clothed and unclothed human figure.

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S101 or Instructor approval; Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    This course will refine the basic visual skills developed in Foundation Drawing I (ADF S101). The elements of color and mixed media are introduced to expand technical possibilities, while more intensive work with the clothed and unclothed human figure provides exposure to gesture, structure and complex form. As students begin to develop a more sophisticated and personal approach, issues of expression and interpretation and varied subject matter will be explored, focusing on personal style and expression.

    Choose one of the following:

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S102

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Explores how light can enhance, reveal and sometimes determine our understanding and appreciation of art. Topics include a historical overview of artists from Caravaggio to the present day who use theatrical and natural light and the human form to represent the human condition. The figure, clothed and unclothed, in isolation and in an environmental context, is the primary subject.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Surveys the techniques and studio practice of contemporary printmaking techniques. Etching, Linocut, Transfers, Lithography and Screen Printing are incorporated in a fast-moving course focused on personal expression. Studio work utilizes non-toxic materials and a studio practice centered on creativity and sustainability. Topics include Portfolio development, experimentation and printed editions.

    Choose one of the following 3-course sequences:

    Prerequisites:

    ADF-S102 and ADF-S166

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Investigates how shifts in scale alter our perception of space. We live in a world of great contrasts in scale: hand held screens can download Google Earth and nanotechnologies can change the lives of entire continents. Since evolving technologies have altered our understanding of our environment, artists need to incorporate this new knowledge to the art of Drawing. This figure-based course uses descriptive observation as the starting point for addressing visual invention. Working from a model, traditional techniques are combined with digital imaging and sequential genres such as graphic novels to develop an expanded experimental palette.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA-S241

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Designed to provide an in-depth study and practice of two-dimensional contemporary figuration. An in-depth exploration of the methodology and techniques of figurative painters from late-twentieth century through the present. Personal adaptation of traditional and contemporary modes of expression are seen as key elements in the development of each student's personal voice.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    This introductory course is designed to encourage students with little or no knowledge of the use of various painting processes. The basic elements of painting are introduced in exercises enhanced by demonstrations. Students work with acrylic paint and various painting mediums. Creative work is encouraged in a relaxed atmosphere where individual attention is given to students at various levels of ability.

    Or

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S166; Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    An understanding of form is critical to the development of the professional artist or designer. This course focuses on the hands-on use of line, plane, and volume in space. The role of scale, proportion, structure, surface, light, and display are addressed as students create objects that activate space and engage the viewer. The course proceeds from work with simple forms and techniques to more challenging and comprehensive problems that employ a variety of media and approaches.

    Prerequisites:

    Take ADF-S152

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    "Art is not just visual. Artists also ""think with their hands""\"

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S152

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    A focused study on the language of dimensionality in sculpture, students will explore traditional and non-traditional materials. Issues of craft, concept and context will aid students in developing work that responds to currents in contemporary sculpture. This class will also provide students with a substantial grounding in 20th and 21st century sculptural theory and practice.

    Note: BFA candidates may not double count major requirements towards the minor.

    Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.

    Minor Programs Policy: A student declaring a minor may use no more than two courses from a major or double major combination to fulfill the requirements for the minor. No more than one course from one minor may count toward the fulfillment of a second minor. Students may not minor in a subject in which they are also completing a major. For more information, see the Minor Programs section of the CAS Degree Requirements page.

    Honors Archive 2019-2020

    To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:

    1. Complete ADFA-HS410 or ADFA-HS372
    2. Present final honors project at the senior exhibition

    CAS Honors Program students only: Also present work from the senior honors experience at the Honors Symposium or Pecha Kucha event

    Fine Arts Courses Archive 2019-2020

    Prerequisites:

    Restricted to Juniors and Seniors

    Credits:

    3.00- 6.00

    Description:

    Fine Arts majors are required to complete an internship where they will apply their studio and academic skills in a professional setting. Students enrich their perspective by sampling the career paths available in the art and culture economy. Work directly with established professional artists or with arts and cultural organizations such as museums, galleries, and arts councils, this experiential learning is critical for career preparation. Topics include personal growth, professional skill development, and networking opportunities. The internship experience is paired with a faculty-led seminar that will reinforce new skills and provide a venue for inquiry, sharing, and reflection.

    Prerequisites:

    An independent study form must be submitted to the CAS Dean's Office.

    Credits:

    1.00- 3.00

    Description:

    Provides students with the opportunity to examine an issue of interest that falls outside the parameters of the existing curricula. Working one-on-one with a full-time faculty member, this outcome of this course of study is the realization of a specific and well-defined goal. All proposals for Independent Study must be approved by the Fine Art Program Director and Dean's Office in advance of the beginning of the semester during which the work will be completed. Normally available every semester.

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S102

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Explores how light can enhance, reveal and sometimes determine our understanding and appreciation of art. Topics include a historical overview of artists from Caravaggio to the present day who use theatrical and natural light and the human form to represent the human condition. The figure, clothed and unclothed, in isolation and in an environmental context, is the primary subject.

    Prerequisites:

    Take ADF-S152

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    "Art is not just visual. Artists also ""think with their hands""\"

    Prerequisites:

    ADF-S102 and ADF-S166

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Investigates how shifts in scale alter our perception of space. We live in a world of great contrasts in scale: hand held screens can download Google Earth and nanotechnologies can change the lives of entire continents. Since evolving technologies have altered our understanding of our environment, artists need to incorporate this new knowledge to the art of Drawing. This figure-based course uses descriptive observation as the starting point for addressing visual invention. Working from a model, traditional techniques are combined with digital imaging and sequential genres such as graphic novels to develop an expanded experimental palette.

    Prerequisites:

    ADF-S166

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Surveys the medium of painting as a mode of expression that embraces representation, abstraction and collage. Engages concepts and techniques of 20th and 21st century artistic practice. Students develop an individual approach to non-objective and objective painted space. Open-ended assignments, lectures, critiques and discussions will clarify and refine work. Substantial independent studio time allows students to focus on work that responds to contemporary issues in painting.

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S152

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    A focused study on the language of dimensionality in sculpture, students will explore traditional and non-traditional materials. Issues of craft, concept and context will aid students in developing work that responds to currents in contemporary sculpture. This class will also provide students with a substantial grounding in 20th and 21st century sculptural theory and practice.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Surveys the techniques and studio practice of contemporary printmaking techniques. Etching, Linocut, Transfers, Lithography and Screen Printing are incorporated in a fast-moving course focused on personal expression. Studio work utilizes non-toxic materials and a studio practice centered on creativity and sustainability. Topics include Portfolio development, experimentation and printed editions.

    Prerequisites:

    ADF S102 and ADF S152

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Fine Arts Seminar is designed as a vehicle for students to develop a personal relationship to contemporary art theory and practice. Questions are posed as a point of departure for the students to generate work. Visiting artists and weekly gallery and museum visits aid in examining aspects of current art making in order to assist students in creating a strong vision for their work. Restricted to Fine Arts Majors only.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA S271

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    A continuation of the first semester, this course aids students in recognizing the patterns and questions posed in their own studio practices. A large number of technical approaches to content will be explored.

    Prerequisites:

    Take ADF-S152; Intended for Majors only

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Moves art theory into the studio and the studio out into the world. Students will look at the most significant artists and movements of the past 50 years while examining their social, cultural and political context. Canonized contemporary art categories (postmodernism, appropriation, anti-art and performance art are some examples) are assigned as group projects. Movements, strategy or style of art making is discussed as an expressive problem-solving experience, blurring the lines between media. This course conflates contemporary art history with contemporary art practices.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA S242

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Surveys contemporary sculptural issues, using a variety of found and generated materials. Topics include installation, wall, floor, self-supported pieces and environmental works.

    Prerequisites:

    Take ADFA-S272;

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    An exploration of contemporary drawing with an emphasis on experimentation and personal growth. Traditional and non-traditional materials are employed in a rigorous studio environment. Topics include radical scale, drawing and installation and the ongoing conversation between ephemera and permanence in drawing.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA S251 or instructor permission

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    An advanced exploration of technique, scale and multiple press runs. Students focus on a chosen area of traditional or contemporary print media, ranging from etching, digital imaging, lithography, relief and screen printing. Through the use of theory and developed skill, print-based works of an increasingly professional standard are developed in both two and three dimensions. Projects focus on discrete objects and multi-layered collaborative exercises. Encourages an individual, creative and professional approach to printmaking in the context of contemporary art practice.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA-S241

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Designed to provide an in-depth study and practice of two-dimensional contemporary figuration. An in-depth exploration of the methodology and techniques of figurative painters from late-twentieth century through the present. Personal adaptation of traditional and contemporary modes of expression are seen as key elements in the development of each student's personal voice.

    Prerequisites:

    Take ADF-S152 ADFA-S361;

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    This sculpture course considers the figure in its importance both as a historical element and as a reflection and definition of self. Establish an understanding of the figurative form in the space by relating gesture and structure through manipulated form. Weight, mass, plane and volume are considered while working directly from the model.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    An extension of Figure Studio 2D & 3D courses. Focuses on advanced figuration in relation to contemporary and historical works. Students will work in any media that pertains to their exploration of depiction and content. Participants are expected to work in consultation with the professor in class and in their individual studios.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA S271 and ADFA S272

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Third semester of the Seminar sequence. Students are responsible for integrating their visual culture influences and references within an expanded body of work.

    Prerequisites:

    ADFA S271 and ADFA S272 and ADFA S371

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    The final Seminar semester is focused on the studio practices of its members. All work is channeled into the development of the final senior thesis exhibition.

    Prerequisites:

    Take ADFA-S272;

    Credits:

    3.00- 6.00

    Description:

    Functions as a bridge between the undergraduate processes of Fine Arts Seminar and the postgraduate environment of the visual arts. Particular attention will be paid to the contexts used by students to define their work in relation to feed back of professional outside reviewers. Individual contracts between faculty and student will be developed at the beginning of each semester. Contracts will assess the priorities for the work and adapt studio practices for the creation of new work. A research component will be attached when awarding 4-6 credits.

    Prerequisites:

    Fine Arts Senior status required, or Instructor Approval.

    Credits:

    3

    Description:

    Readies the student for the furtherance of their career as a creative artist. Course participants will begin to place themselves within the context of the contemporary art world. Through the development of a written artist's statement, presentations, electronic documentation and an exhibition which meets professional standards, senior students are prepared for post-graduate life. Normally offered Spring semester.

    Prerequisites:

    Fine Art Program Director Approval needed

    Credits:

    1.00- 6.00

    Description:

    The student completes a directed study project," either studio (ADFA S500) or non-studio (ADFA 500) under the supervision of a full time fine arts faculty member. Please see ""Directed Study"" elsewhere in this catalog for details. Independent study forms are available from the Office of the Academic Dean and Registrar. All independent study projects must be approved by the individual faculty member\"

    Prerequisites:

    Fine Art Program Director Approval needed

    Credits:

    1.00- 6.00

    Description:

    A project, either studio or non-studio under the supervision of a fine arts faculty member. Please see Directed Study elsewhere in this catalog for details. Independent study forms are available from the Office of the Academic Dean and Registrar. All independent study projects must be approved by the individual faculty member, the Fine Arts Program Director, and the NESADSU Chairman.