Design, B.S.

Degree Program

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Design contains a broad range of liberal arts general education courses, and allows students the option of choosing a wide range of general electives while providing them with a strong foundation in general design. It requires the completion of 48 credits in core and elective courses, and gives students the flexibility to complete a double major or a minor in another academic discipline.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Design, students will be able to:

1. Conceive, design and create works of art in one or more specific fine arts fields that are technically and conceptually sophisticated (ULO 1).
2. Recognize, analyze, compare and evaluate historical and contemporary art movements and aesthetic philosophies, including both Western and Global material (ULO 1).
3. Recognize and identify a variety of professional practices, career/employment and graduate education opportunities and apply that knowledge by developing a personalized career plan (ULO 3).
4. Articulate a clear rationale for the production and evaluation of contemporary visual art that reflects an orthodox Christian value system (ULO 2).

Each Program Learning Outcome (PLO) listed above references at least one of the University Learning Outcomes (ULO 1, 2, 3), which may be found in the General Information section of this catalog.

Admissions Requirements

The Department of Art has an open admissions policy. Incoming first-year students and transfer students from other institutions may declare an art major when they apply for admission to Biola University. Because of the rigorous schedule and amount of work required in the B.F.A. degree program, transfer students and Torrey Honors Institute students may need an additional semester to complete all of their requirements.

Program Requirements

The Department of Art offers three degree programs. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art is a professional degree program focusing on intensive studio practice and requiring an area of concentration; the B.F.A. is the preferred degree for students who anticipate having an art-related career, or who are planning to attend graduate school. The Bachelor of Science Degrees in Studio Art and in Design contain a broader range of liberal arts general education courses, and allow students the option of choosing a wide range of general electives. The two B.S. degrees also allow greater flexibility for students completing a double major or a minor in another academic discipline.

Every year, all art majors participate in formal reviews to evaluate their progress in the department. Student portfolios are appraised using a variety of criteria, such as technical achievement, creative problem solving, and aesthetic/artistic development. Reviews are conducted at the end of the freshman, sophomore and junior years. Graduating seniors in the B.F.A. program are evaluated the semester before their thesis exhibitions.

All art majors are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA in the program. Any grade below a "C-" (1.67) must be repeated.

In art and design studio courses, contact hours define the meaning of a credit hour. In these courses, one semester hour of credit equals two hours of class instruction with at least one additional hour of unsupervised laboratory work each week. Studio courses receiving 3 credits typically meet six hours a week for class instruction with the expectation that students complete an additional three hours of assigned laboratory work. Students taking ARTS 462 or ARTS 464, and independent studies, must complete a minimum of three hours of research/laboratory work each week during the semester for one hour of credit.

Curriculum Requirements

NOTE: The course sequence table is designed by the major department and is one way that the classes will work out properly in sequence for your major. However, there are alternative or flexible ways to rotate some of the classes within the same year/level and sometimes between year levels. Please contact your major department advisor to discuss flexible alternatives in scheduling the sequence of your classes.

Taking coursework during the summer session may also be an option to accelerate your degree path.

See Core Curriculum Program section for a list of approved Core Curriculum courses.

Design, B.S.