Whether aspiring to become professional visual artists, graphic designers, gallery professionals, to teach art in elementary and secondary schools, or to develop and refine visual literacy in a world that is increasingly image-driven, students can find a wide range of experiences and opportunities for expression in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Art.
The art department has a remarkable history. UW-Madison was the first university to create a glass-blowing laboratory for art students. The printmaking programs are consistently ranked first in the country and the art metals program is currently ranked third. A large number of undergraduates go on to exhibit their art in regional, national, and even international venues. The school's large faculty of world-class artists is committed to the development of their undergraduate students.
The department has recently expanded into a new supplementary building, the Art Lofts, which houses state-of-the-art ceramics, glass, papermaking and bronze foundry facilities. A large art performance space is also housed in the new building.
Art students may choose from among three degree programs: the Bachelor of Science in Art, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, or the Bachelor of Science in Art Education. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program in Art differs from the BS-Art degree by requiring a larger number of studio and aesthetic courses, thereby eliminating the requirement of additional non-studio elective credits. This degree program is most often pursued by students who wish to develop a refined visual art portfolio in preparation for a career as a professional artist and/or for graduate study. Click here for links to detailed information on the Bachelor of Science in Art Education degree program.
All first-year art students begin with the Foundations Program, a series of related studio and lecture courses to prepare them for further study in studio art and design. They learn the fundamentals of art through investigation of formal, technical, and conceptual issues. These interrelated classes are designed to be taken concurrently. Through these shared experiences, first-year students form a peer community that often continues throughout their undergraduate careers.
Freshmen majoring in art enroll in two foundational studio courses and one lecture course for each of their first two semesters. The lecture classes expose, broaden, and challenge students' understanding of contemporary art production. The Foundations of Contemporary Art and Current Directions in Contemporary Art courses introduce students to historical, thematic, critical, and theoretical issues, contextualizing and augmenting their studio assignments and expanding their verbal and visual vocabulary.
The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Art has four components:
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program includes liberal studies courses, aesthetics course work, and major requirements. The large number of required studio courses eliminates the elective credits available in the BS option. BFA-Art students take at least 72 studio credits; by comparison, BS-Art students complete at least 43 but no more than 58 studio credits. BFA students are required to reach an advanced level in a minimum of two studio disciplines.
Incoming freshmen and transfer students enter directly into the BS-Art program upon admission to UW-Madison. No portfolio review or other admission process is required. Current UW-Madison students seeking to enter the BS-Art program must apply for admission to the program; a minimum 2.5 grade point average is required.
Students interested in the BFA-Art degree program enroll first in the BS-Art degree program (ART classification) while completing prerequisites. Applicants for the BFA program must have a 3.0 minimum GPA in studio courses and have completed Art 102, 104, 108, 112, 208, 212, 222, 232 or 312, one beginning 3D studio and one beginning printmaking studio course prior to the presentation of a portfolio for review by a panel of art faculty. Students will typically apply to the BFA program in their junior or senior year and must have completed at least 30 total credits
Prospective Transfer Students. Prospective transfer students should meet as early as possible with the art program advisor and with an advisor at Education Academic Services (see contact information under "Advising" below). Studio and aesthetics course work taken at another institution may need to be evaluated by the art program advisor or a faculty member in the art department.
Prospective off-campus and on-campus BS-Art and BFA-Art majors will meet with the undergraduate art program advisor, Julie Ganser, 6241 Humanities Building, 455 North Park Street. Call 608-262-1660 for an appointment. To confer with an Education Academic Services advisor, make an advising appointment by phone at 608-262-1651 or visit the office at Rust-Schreiner Halls, 115 North Orchard Street.
New freshmen discuss program options with advisors during the Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR) Program. At SOAR, advisors help students select courses and plan their first semesters at UW-Madison. Recognizing that students often have many academic interests and more than one possible career goal, School of Education advisors help students explore options and maintain academic flexibility.