Arts: Studio Art, B.A. - COLA, UNH

Undergraduate

Arts: Studio Art

Explore diverse mediums including drawing, painting, ceramics, photography and sculpture while building a strong foundation in art history and liberal arts.
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Location
Durham, NH
Courses
18*
Credit
128 hrs.*
Full-time
4 yrs.
Part-time
Varies
View course catalog
student working on art project

ART & Art History

The Studio Art degree at UNH offers a dynamic, hands-on education that combines traditional and contemporary artistic practices. Here you'll be able to explore diverse mediums including drawing, painting, ceramics, photography and sculpture while building a strong foundation in art history and liberal arts. 

With access to the Paul Creative Arts Center, Portsmouth's vibrant arts community and Boston's renowned museums, you'll immerse yourself in a rich cultural environment. The program features visiting artists and historians from around the world, providing unique learning opportunities and perspectives. This comprehensive program prepares you for diverse professional paths, including art education, design and museum direction.

*Number of courses and course credit hours may vary, please reach out to your academic advisor for exact requirements.

Department of Art & Art History

Key Links

Tuition Costs

Contact Cards

Scott Clements
Academic/Student Services Assistant
Scott.Clements@unh.edu
Paul Creative Arts Center, Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862-2190

What is studio art?

Immerse yourself in the fine arts through the studio art major at UNH. You’ll have the opportunity to develop your skills practicing two- and three-dimensional art forms that range from drawing, painting and photography to ceramics, sculpture and furniture design. You’ll gain a wide breadth of studio experience while also studying art history, writing and language to build a solid foundation in the liberal arts. With a degree in studio art, you’ll be prepared for careers in the arts or further study in graduate programs as varied as architecture, business and law.

Why study studio art at UNH?

With the UNH Gallery of Art and Paul Creative Arts Center right on campus, the culturally rich community of Portsmouth just minutes away, and the fine art museums of Boston within an hour’s drive, you’ll be surrounded by dynamic art events and exhibits. You’ll meet and learn from artists and historians from around the world through our Visiting Artists & Art Historians program. A double major in studio art and art history also is available.

Potential careers

  • Art teacher
  • Commercial artist
  • Designer
  • Gallery director
  • Illustrator
  • Museum director
  • Photographer
  • Professional artist
  • Visual resource librarian

Curriculum & Requirements

01
Program Description
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The B.A. in art - studio art option provides a strong fine arts education and solid foundation that prepares students for a life in the arts, whether it be as a professional or commercial artist, a teacher, an architect, a designer or a museum director. We offer courses in painting, drawing, photography (both digital and wet lab techniques), printmaking, sculpture (all media: steel, aluminum, bronze casting, clay, and wood), furniture design and fabrication, ceramics and design.  A degree in studio art provides a foundation for diverse professional achievement.

02
Requirements for the Program
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Degree Requirements

Minimum Credit Requirement: 128 credits
Minimum Residency Requirement: 32 credits must be taken at UNH
Minimum GPA: 2.0 required for conferral*
Core Curriculum Required: Discovery & Writing Program Requirements
Foreign Language Requirement: Yes

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

  • Students must complete a minimum of 14 courses (56 credits) for the major requirements.
  • Major courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C in each course. The required minimum overall GPA in major coursework is 2.0.
  • Studio art majors may use two major-required courses to satisfy two Discovery category requirements.
Required Courses
Core Foundation
ARTS 510Principles of Design4
ARTS 532Introductory Drawing4
ARTS 567Introductory Sculpture4
Core Supplemental
Select one 500/600-level 2D course from the following:4
ARTS 536
Introduction Printmaking: Intaglio
ARTS 546
Painting Design I: Perceptual Painting and Color Theory
ARTS 640
Drawing Workshop
Select one 500-level 3D course from the following:4
ARTS 501
Introductory Ceramics
ARTS 525
Introductory Woodworking
Select one 500-level Photography course from the following:4
ARTS 551
Introduction to Darkroom Photography
ARTS 552
Introductory Digital Photography
Concentration Courses
Select four (4) Studio courses in a concentration at 500-600-700 level (see concentration courses below)16
Advanced Studio Seminar
ARTS 780Advanced Studio Seminar4
Core Art History
Select one course from the following:4
ARTH 474
Introduction to Architectural History
or ARTH 480
 Introduction to Art History
or ARTH 485
 Introduction to Global Art History
Select two 600-level or above art history courses from the following:8
ARTH 674
Greek Art and Architecture
ARTH 678
Romanesque and Gothic Art
ARTH 681
Early Renaissance Art
ARTH 682
The High Renaissance
ARTH 686
Sex and Sensuality in 18th-Century Art
ARTH 688
Histories of Late 19th & 20th Century European Modernism
ARTH 694
Vision and Modernity: From Panorama to Early Film
ARTH 695
Topics in Art History
ARTH 795
Understanding Art History: An In-Depth Overview
Total Credits56

Concentration Courses

  • Students select four concentration courses total.
  • Minimum of three 600-700 level studio courses.
  • No more than one of the following: a 500-level studio course (select from ARTS 501 , ARTS 525, ARTS 536, ARTS 546, ARTS 551, ARTS 552, ARTS 596), ARTS 598 An Artist's Life, a 600-700 level art history (see selection of courses in art history requirement above), or ARTS 600 Internship in Studio Art (with approval).
  • January Term and Summer online courses cannot be used. 
ARTS 601
Ceramics Workshop (may be repeated)
ARTS 610
Principles of Typography
ARTS 611
Animation and Motion Design
ARTS 612
Interaction & Game Design
ARTS 613
Design and Place
ARTS 614
Design and People
ARTS 625
Wood/Furniture Design Workshop (may be repeated)
ARTS 636
Printmaking Workshop (may be repeated)
ARTS 640
Drawing Workshop
ARTS 651
Photography Workshop (may be repeated)
ARTS 660
Painting Workshop
ARTS 667
Sculpture Workshop (may be repeated)
ARTS 796
Independent Study: Studio Art (K: Wood Design, may be repeated)

While these courses represent the minimum departmental requirements for the studio art option, students may wish to plan a program involving greater depth in one or several of the studio areas.

Capstone
The Discovery Program capstone requirement will be fulfilled by completing a capstone project that reflects the training received, and personal artistic growth made, throughout the student’s years of study at UNH. The capstone project includes participation in the BA/BFA Senior Exhibition in the UNH Museum of Art in April-May. Students will submit a minimum of 5 (or the equivalent what would be the equivalent of 5) recent works for faculty to review and select for the exhibition. At the review a written artist statement and verbal explanation of the work must also be presented.

Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.

03
Student Learning Outcomes
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Program Learning Outcomes

Introductory (500) Level:
  • Basic skillset in a particular arts discipline
  • Working knowledge of the tools and materials used in a particular arts discipline
  • Basic understanding of analytical thinking when making and talking about art
  • Demonstrate development of artistry
Intermediate (500/600) Level:
  • Demonstrate development of artistry and skill set in a range of artistic disciplines
  • Demonstrate knowledge of tools and materials beyond the basics
  • Deeper ability to discuss and analyze works of art
  • Ability to verbalize intent in a particular work of art
  • Ability to research particular artists
  • Ability to declare an area of concentration for advanced in a particular arts discipline
Advanced (600/700) Level:
  • Demonstrate a high level of artistry
  • Ability to work independently
  • Develop and Demonstrate an individual sensibility
  • Ability to understand and verbalize intent in a work of art
  • Ability to construct a professional capstone portfolio or thesis
  • Demonstrate in-depth familiarity with a range of artistic movements both historical and contemporary

Explore Program Details

01
2-D Curriculum and Facilities
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The two-dimensional curriculum is the largest in the department, and its breadth and content are shaped by the variety of approaches and expertise of the faculty. The 2-D courses are based on solid basic training and on the encouragement of independent and personal expression. Figuration and still life drawing are the core of the program. After completing Introductory Drawing, students pursue a wide variety of course offerings, choosing from oil painting, water media, photography, printmaking, and advanced drawing. Students work in classroom studios and participate in group critiques and seminars. Towards the end of the four year curriculum, individual works receive increasingly detailed review and critique. Students are taught to methodically evaluate their own and other students work.

North light and clerestory windows for even light distribution throughout the day illuminate the large, open studios. Class size varies, and upper level studio enrollment is usually about 15 students per class. Easels, drawing benches, and models are provided. Student works are exhibited in the corridors of the art wing of the Paul Creative Arts Center.

02
3-D Curriculum and Facilities
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The three-dimensional curriculum offers concentrations in sculpture, ceramics, woodworking, and furniture design. While each of these programs has a distinct curriculum, together they interrelate to form a comprehensive area. Teaching is highly individualized, enabling students to understand and develop their own styles while learning the aesthetic principles and technical skills involved in class projects. Assignments are based on contemporary issues but always develop from a sound historical perspective. Class size is kept small to provide structured, personal instruction. Full time technical assistants and student fellows who provide further instruction and technical help outside of class assist professors.

The sculpture studio offers a complete bronze foundry, fabrication tools, equipment for work in wood and metal, gas and electric welding, a carving facility for wood and stone, hand and pneumatic tools, and a figure modeling area which provides quality space and light for anatomic modeling.

The ceramics studio offers opportunities for hand building, mold making, and wheel thrown work. Both utilitarian and sculptural aspects are explored. The studios are equipped with kickwheels, gas, electric and raku kilns.

The woodworking and furniture design studio has a well equipped shop in which the broadest range of techniques is pursued. A full complement of hand and power tools is augmented by facilities for clamping and gluing, bending, forming, and finishing wood. The furniture program includes Arts 725 Wood Multiples, which prepares students to enter such events as the biennial National Students Furniture Design Competition. UNH has had several prizewinners in recent years.

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Art Education Program
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The University offers an approved art education program that is organized into a five-year teacher education sequence. This curriculum is designed to prepare teachers of art in the public schools. The satisfactory completion of the B.A. Studio Art curriculum for art education students (note: which differs slightly from the B.A. Studio Art curriculum) and required education courses, in conjunction with the fifth-year internship, will satisfy the initial certification requirements for teachers of art in the public schools of New Hampshire and in most other states. Art education students may take accredited crafts courses at other institutions as art electives. Students considering the art education program should consult the UNH Undergraduate Catalog under the heading "Preparing for Teaching."

04
Double Option
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Students can elect to receive a B.A. in the Arts with both the Studio Art option and the Art History option. Students must complete the requirements for both options; no more than 8 credits used to satisfy one option can be used as requirements for the other option. Please contact your advisor for more information.

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Program Checklists
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Checklist for students entering UNH in fall 2018 or later
Checklist for students entering UNH in fall 2017
Checklist for students entering UNH in fall 2015 or 2016

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