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Fine Arts

Fine Arts at WSU Tri-Cities

The arts are vital to cultural expression; they enrich our lives while challenging and broadening our views of the world. The Fine Arts faculty foster an educational environment that encourages creativity, individual growth and meaningful expression.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts program is designed to open doors into the world of visual expression and intellectual development. In particular, we encourage students to sample a variety of art disciplines and make an informed choice about their direction in art.

Students with a bachelors of fine arts should have a working knowledge of the processes and media that produce works of visual art, including a clear understanding of the terms: subject matter, form, and content, as well as specialized technical, conceptual and imaginative expertise in a given field. They should be able to articulate in visual form a range of approaches, from a representational point of view through a more conceptual focus, make critical judgments about contemporary art and culture and have an acceptable command of verbal and written expression.

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By earning a bachelor of Fine Arts, students develop ways of thinking about themselves and the world, as they recognize, explore and challenge cultural attitudes and stereotypes, enabling greater appreciation and respect for the variety and range of art and learn to appreciate cultural differences.

Their work is displayed prominently on campus, is featured in the Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibit each semester and is exhibited in The Art Center.

As a Fine Arts major, you will creatively design, critique, and interact with new media while engaging the histories that contextualize these media. Your studies will be continually framed by the key issues surrounding the implementation of digital media, including studying issues of access, diversity, identity, multimodal content, and interactivity.

Ihe bachelor of fine arts is a professionally oriented degree program. Certified B.F.A. majors select art courses in a major area of emphasis, broadly defined and allowing for interdisciplinary combinations within additional elective opportunities. At least 52 of the minimum 70 credit hours in fine arts must be in upper-division courses. Each student also prepares a written B.F.A. thesis and participates in a B.F.A. degree exhibition during the final semester of study. Students must also complete university graduation and general education requirements.

Certification Requirements

  • FA 102—Visual Concepts I or FA 103—Visual Concepts II
  • FA 110—Drawing
  • FA 111—Figure Drawing
  • FA 320—Beginning Painting
  • FA 350—Sculpture
  • FA 201—World Art History I or FA 202— World Art History II
  • A 2.0 cumulative GPA in fine arts courses
  • CD/DVD portfolio and exhibit presentation of original art work

Required Core Courses

  • FA 102—Visual Concepts I
  • FA 103—Visual Concepts II
  • FA 110—Drawing
  • FA 111—Figure Drawing
  • FA 201—World Art History through 1450
  • FA 202—World Art History 1450 to Present
  • FA 303—Modern Art–19th Century
  • FA 304—Modern Art–20th Century
  • FA 312—Advanced Drawing
  • FA 320—Beginning Painting
  • FA 350—Sculpture
  • FA 493—Senior Exhibit
  • FA 498—Contemporary Issues Seminar

Other Required Courses

  • Major emphasis, FA 300/400 level—18 credits
  • Fine Arts electives, FA 300/400 level—9 credits
  • Writing in major—2 courses

Check out the WSU Catalog for major requirements.

Undergraduate advising is a partnership between you, your professional advisor, and your faculty mentor and it goes beyond course selection. Whether you plan to enter to workforce or continue on to earn an advanced degree, your academic advisors and professional mentors will guide you toward that goal. This holistic approach ensures that you are engaged in your academic plan, connected to the campus community and resources, that you success in earning your degree as efficiently as possible.

Meet your advisor and get started on your academic path.

While the majority of students’ courses and credits are completed within the major, the UCORE curriculum provides courses that are the foundation basic skills that all WSU students must develop no matter their major.

The University Common Requirements (UCORE) is the center of the undergraduate curriculum and you will start taking these courses starting your first semester at WSU Tri-Cities. If you took AP, IB, or Running Start courses in high school, then you may already have met some of the requirements.

The UCORE curriculum is designed to be flexible enough to work for all majors. The program offers a wide variety of course choices and provides many individual pathways through the curriculum.

Not admitted yet? Talk with an Admissions Counselor and learn how easy it is to apply.

Transfer students who have completed an approved Associate of Arts and Science (DTA) degree at a Washington or Oregon community college will have fulfilled most of the lower-division UCORE requirements. Because students have to also meet the College of Arts & Sciences requirements, some students must take additional courses in a foreign language in order to complete the degree. Otherwise, transfer students will have their transcripts evaluated for UCORE requirements.

Use the transfer credit equivalency guide to learn how your credits will transfer.

If you are currently enrolled at Columbia Basin College and intend to transfer to WSU Tri-Cities, then check out our Bridges Program that provides a direct academic path.

Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, must complete a minimum of 30 credits of WSU coursework and fill the major requirements to earn a second degree. UCORE requirements are not required as they are met by coursework from the first bachelor’s degree.

Not admitted yet? Talk with an Admissions Counselor and learn how easy it is to apply.

Minoring in a discipline outside your major field of study, allows you to focus elective credits, expand your perspective, and increase your skills. A minor will make you stand out to potential employers because it demonstrates an eagerness to learn to and emphasizes your willingness to go above and beyond minimum expectations.

A minor in art requires 18 hours including FINE ART 102 or FINE ART 103; FINE ART 110; and one course from FINE ART 201 or 202. The remaining 9 hours of electives must be in 300-400-level FINE ART courses taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses.

See what other minors and certificates are available at WSU Tri-Cities.

The Fine Arts program is designed to give students flexibility in deciding their career path by shaping their coursework to fit their particular goals. You will be well prepared to embark on any number of careers in the exciting field of new media technologies.

Graduates of WSU Tri-Cities leave campus fully ready to enter the workforce. The Career Development Office offers workshops on how to develop a job search strategy, write a compelling résumé and cover letter, and sharpen interview skills – all of which will help students land a job in today’s competitive market.

The Career Development Office posts on- and off-campus positions for student employees and also work with students to identify internships, cooperative work experience, and post-graduation career opportunities.

See how you can become career-ready with a major in Fine Art.

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