Fine Arts (BFA)

College of Architecture, Art and Planning

Program Website

Program Description

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program allows the student to map a highly individualized curriculum with the goal of evolving a mature artistic practice at the earliest possible stage.

Policies

B.F.A. students are expected to satisfy all B.F.A. degree requirements and comply with the following B.F.A. policies. Any deviation must be petitioned prior to the act. Petition forms can be found online on the AAP Academic Forms page. Failure to comply with any department policies or petitions decisions may result in review by the College Academic Review Committee (ARC).

Studio Enrollment

B.F.A. students in the first three semesters are required to enroll in a minimum of two studios each semester to be in good standing, and complete a minimum of four 2000-level studios by the 4th semester. B.F.A. students in their remaining semesters are required to enroll in a minimum of one and a maximum of three art studios. Students are expected to be present during regular class hours for instruction and critiques.

Grading

All required classes must be taken for a letter-grade. A maximum of nine elective credits may be taken for an S/U grade. In addition, all college and university grading policies apply to B.F.A. students.

Course Numbering

  • All ART courses numbered 1100–1999 count as elective credit only.

Additional information regarding the ART course numbering scheme can be found under Art Course and Fee Information.

Advanced Placement Credit

For B.F.A. students, advanced placement credit is applied as elective credit only, with the exception of up to one First-Year Writing Seminar. B.F.A. students may apply a maximum of nine advanced placement credits toward their degree requirements. In addition, all college and university advanced placement credit policies apply to B.F.A. students. Please refer to the Advanced Placement section of this catalog for additional university guidelines regarding AP credit.

Independent Study

Independent study classes in the Department of Art are offered on the Ithaca campus in the Fall and Spring semesters only, and are open to students in the 3rd-year or higher. Students enroll for variable credit, for up to a maximum of 2 credits. Students can choose Independent Studio, Directed Reading, or Directed Research with a Cornell full-time faculty member. Independent studio classes are applied as elective credit for the B.F.A. degree. Enrollment in an independent study requires an approved Independent Study Form, which is found online on the AAP Academic Forms page.

Eligibility requirements for enrolling in an independent study (independent studio, directed readings, directed research):

  • Third-year (junior) standing or higher;
  • Successful completion of the 2000-level and one 3000-level ART studio in the studio practice area;
  • A cumulative GPA of 2.700 or better; and
  • Enrollment in Ithaca during the Fall or Spring semester

The above information must be verified by the Department of Art on an Independent Study Form the semester prior to enrollment. The Independent Study Form is found online on the AAP Academic Forms page. The deadline to submit the Art Independent Study enrollment form is the end of the pre-enrollment period prior to the start of the term. Standard University drop deadlines apply. Any exception to the above eligibility requirements or add/drop deadlines must be approved by petition. The petition form is found online on the AAP Academic Forms page.

Residency Requirement

  • The B.F.A. program is an eight-semester program.
  • Students who transfer into the B.F.A. program must complete a minimum of four semesters in residence (Ithaca/Cornell in Rome).
  • B.F.A. students are required to spend the last three semesters of candidacy in residence in Ithaca.

Transfer Credit

The general college transfer credit policies apply to B.F.A. students. In addition, the following B.F.A. requirements cannot be satisfied with transfer credit and must be successfully completed at Cornell:

Further, the modern/contemporary art history and global/underrepresented art history/visual studies requirements cannot be fulfilled with transfer survey of art history courses. Such courses will be applied toward the elective plan requirement.

Additional Information for Transfer Students

To ensure a timely transfer of credit, incoming transfer students are required to submit course equivalency requests immediately upon acceptance. Students should also meet with the Student Services staff as soon as possible but no later than orientation to review how their credits are applied toward the Cornell degree and for course enrollment planning.

Students who transfer into the B.F.A. program must successfully complete:

  • A minimum of four semesters in residence
  • A minimum of 60 academic credits at Cornell
  • A minimum of 30 of the 60 credits in the Department of Art