Visual Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts
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Program Description
Introduction
Visual Arts offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F. A) degree programs in a variety of concentrations. The curriculum requires a high degree of student participation, with the expectation that all students will demonstrate their assimilation of theory and technique through studio work, , exhibition, and portfolio.
Visual Arts: B.A.: Art History, Interdisciplinary Visual Arts, K-12 Teacher Certification.
Visual Arts: B.F.A.: Studio Art, Photography, Illustration, Visual Communications.
The Visual Arts program concentrations encompass the required work in the studio disciplines, teacher certification, and art history. This curriculum provides the student with the foundation and advanced skills necessary for a career in the arts, graduate study, and preparation for a broad range of general career paths.
Accreditation
The Visual Arts Program at Stockton University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
Admission to the Visual Arts Program
The program is open to any Stockton student interested in studying the arts. The prospective major may refer to the website (stockton.edu/artv) or contact the Visual Arts Program Chair for questions. Portfolio review occurs every semester. For information and details about portfolio review, please see our Portfolio information and FAQ page.
Matriculated students or transfer students who have not submitted their portfolio must submit their portfolio prior to taking 3000s -level studio courses.
All students who plan to transfer visual arts credits to Stockton must submit their portfolio for review and provide syllabi and/or course descriptions from each course that they would like to use toward program requirements. Students should be aware that all transfer credits are allocated based on course content and level of study. Courses taken at other institutions must be similar in content (per the official course description) and level (i.e., 100/1000 first year, 200/2000 sophomore) to be considered for fulfillment of program requirements. Transfer students may need more than 128 credits to complete program requirements.
Required Visual Arts Portfolio Review
Students who intend to major in Visual Art must pass a required portfolio review at the time they apply to the University or once admitted, prior to enrolling in 3000 and 4000-level courses. See detailed information on the portfolio review below. A portfolio review is not required for the Art History major or the Visual Arts minor. Portfolios are evaluated for quality and completeness based on a consensus of the full-time members of the Visual Arts program faculty. In addition to submitting a complete portfolio (see requirements below), you should submit works that demonstrate creativity in the selection and use of content, effective use of composition and form, as well as competence with art-making processes. These include the ability to utilize the elements of design and the principles of organization as well as skills and techniques for drawing from direct observation. If you are asked to resubmit a portfolio (i.e., you did not pass), you must meet with a member of the Visual Arts faculty to review the work before resubmitting a portfolio.
Why Do You Need a Portfolio Review?
Admission to a Visual Arts Program Studio Concentration allows students to take upper-level (3000-and 4000-level) courses in Visual Arts, which are required for graduation with a BFA or B.A. in Visual Arts. Any student enrolled at the University may take lower-level (1000- and 2000-level) Visual Arts courses and may declare a Visual Arts major, but they will be required to pass the portfolio review prior to taking upper-level courses.
How to Submit Your Portfolio
Submit your images using the following SlideRoom link: https://stocktonvisualart.slideroom.com
Submission instructions and formatting specifications:
Please follow these formatting guidelines carefully. Portfolios that do not conform to these guidelines may be considered incomplete and will need to be resubmitted.
File format: jpeg only
File dimensions: 1920 pixels on the longer side
File resolution: 72 dpi (standard Web resolution)
File size: 3 mb maximum
File names should be lowercase, with no spaces (example: johnson_john_01.jpg; johnson_john_02.jpg; and so on). Do not begin with a number.
All portfolios must be submitted via SlideRoom.com at the URL above, along with a text document with the following information:
Name and email contact information
Current status of your application to the University (currently attending, currently applying to the University, considering applying to the University, accepted but not yet attending, or applied but not accepted)
Applying as first-year or transfer student
Name of the high school or institution from which you are transferring
What to Include in Your Portfolio? Separate pieces of your best work including at least two drawings from life and your selection from the other categories below. It is not necessary to include work from all other categories.
2 or more Drawings from observation: (Required) Your portfolio must include at least two drawings made from direct observation (from life). Subjects may include the human figure, portraits, and still life. Other forms of drawing, such as abstraction, are welcome, but drawing from life should be emphasized. Please refer to the section below “What Not to Include”.
10 to 12 separate pieces of your best work. Selections should show both breadth and focus in one or two specific areas below: (It is not necessary to include work from all categories)
Painting: Student considering Studio concentration to include a variety of painting media is welcome: oil, acrylic, watercolor, and others. Paintings may range from realism to abstraction, or some combination, emphasizing your approaches to color, form, and composition.
Photography: Student considering Photography or Studio concentration to include. Digital and film formats are welcome in both color and black and white. We are looking for work that conveys an awareness of contemporary photographic practice as well as effective control of the process and the image.
Sculpture and other 3D media: Student considering Studio concentration to include work in clay, wood, mixed media, and other materials may be included, emphasizing form, composition, and content.
Digital Media: Student considering Visual Communication, Illustration or Studio concentration to include print and or web design projects, or digital media such as animation. Digital media should emphasize your ability with form, content, and composition over technical knowledge of graphics programs.
What Not to Include:
Drawings made from photographs, especially from magazines and online image sources. Working from your own photographs as a reference is acceptable but drawing from life is preferable.
Work made more than two years prior to submitting the portfolio.
Work copied from other artists.
Fan art or copies of existing cartoons and comics. Include these only if the work is original in style and content: no existing characters or styles (such as anime/manga).
For Transfer Students:
Transfer students submit portfolio images using the following SlideRoom link:
https://stocktonvisualart.slideroom.com
Transfer students wishing to receive credit at Stockton for comparable courses taken at another institution should show relevant documentation to a faculty advisor, either at transfer student orientation or early in their first semester at Stockton. This documentation includes images of work (i.e., paintings, or images of paintings for Stockton’s Painting I class; photographs for Stockton’s Photography: Film and Darkroom I class); and a copy of transcripts from previous institutions.
Transfer courses may be allocated for a comparable course at Stockton, but that decision must be made by an ARTV faculty member and is based on the quality of the work and its relevance to ARTV program requirements. Transfer students receive the number of transfer credits that they have earned regardless of how their transfer courses are allocated.
Studio Facilities
The Visual Arts studios are in the Arts and Sciences Building. The facility includes studio spaces for painting, printmaking, graphic design, photography, and sculpture as well as computer labs. Each studio has been designed to provide optimal conditions for the production of art with an emphasis on safety and protecting the environment. In addition to many technological improvements, the faculty offices are located adjacent to the studios, improving student access to the Arts faculty. The Stockton University Art Gallery offers art majors the opportunity to view exhibitions in person and allows BFA Visual Arts majors to organize and present their Senior Project Exhibition in a professional space. BFA Studio Art majors have a separate studio for senior project work.
Full details about the curriculum for the BA and BFA in the Visual Arts can be accessed on the Visual Arts website.
Graduation Requirements
To qualify for a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Visual Arts, the student must satisfactorily complete 64 credits in required program/cognate studies, as well as the 64-credit General Studies and At-Some-Distance requirements, for a total of 128 credits.
Students who pursue the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in the Visual Arts, K-12 Art Teacher Certification must satisfactorily complete 74 credits in required program/cognate studies, as well as 32 credits in General Studies and 32 credits in At-Some-Distance electives. It is recommended that Education courses be used to fulfill At-Some-Distance electives as much as possible. Several required Education courses fulfill General Studies requirements.
Students who pursue the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in the Visual Arts must satisfactorily complete 80 credits in required program/cognate studies, as well as 48 credits in General Studies and At-Some-Distance electives, for a total of 128 credits.
In order to graduate with a B.A. degree in Visual Arts or a B.F.A. degree in Visual Arts a student must meet the University criteria, which include a minimum grade point average of 2.0 overall and must satisfy all the Visual Arts program course distribution requirements.
A minimum grade of C or better (C- is not acceptable) is required for all program and cognate courses.
Students in the EDVA Concentration are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better.
Senior Project courses in the Visual Arts are open to all BFA students who have passed the portfolio review and have successfully completed all prerequisite courses. Students in the studio concentration for the B.A. (Interdisciplinary Visual Arts [VIBA] or Visual Arts K-12 Teacher Certification [EDVA]) are required to complete the Senior Portfolio course.
Senior Project I and II for BFA studio majors involve the production and presentation of well- executed and articulate work in the form of a public exhibition at the Stockton Art Gallery or other designated venue. Senior Project I and II should be taken in two consecutive semesters. This exhibition, accompanied by an essay or artist statement, is open only to Visual Arts majors in the following concentrations: Photography, Studio Arts (Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture emphasis), or Visual Communications (Graphic Design or Illustration emphasis). The exhibition must be held during Senior Project II. The two-semester Senior Project in Art History requires an internship with an arts organization, a series of short papers and projects, and an extended research paper or thesis.
To qualify for a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Visual Arts, the student must satisfactorily complete 64 credits in required program/cognate studies, as well as the 64-credit General Studies and At-Some-Distance requirements, for a total of 128 credits.
Students who pursue the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in the Visual Arts, K-12 Art Teacher Certification must satisfactorily complete 74 credits in required program/cognate studies, as well as 32 credits in General Studies and 32 credits in At-Some-Distance electives. It is recommended that Education courses be used to fulfill At-Some-Distance electives as much as possible. Several required Education courses fulfill General Studies requirements.
Students who pursue the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in the Visual Arts must satisfactorily complete 80 credits in required program/cognate studies, as well as 48 credits in General Studies and At-Some-Distance electives, for a total of 128 credits.
In order to graduate with a B.A. degree in Visual Arts or a B.F.A. degree in Visual Arts a student must meet the University criteria, which include a minimum grade point average of 2.0 overall and must satisfy all the Visual Arts program course distribution requirements.
Visual Arts majors are required to complete the specific sections of the foundation curriculum, below. These courses are offered as 3-credit courses for majors. The result is that Visual Arts majors will receive 12 credit hours for four foundation studio courses. Students in the Art History concentration complete a modified version of this foundation curriculum.
Foundation Course Requirements
Visual Arts B.A. and B.F.A. Studio including Photography, Studio Art (Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture emphasis), or Visual Communications (Graphic Design) or Illustration, Interdisciplinary, and Visual Arts K-12 Art Teacher Certification (20 credits)
ARTV 1165 Intro to 2D Design or ARTV 1167 2D Digital
ARTV 1166 Intro to Drawing
ARTV 1173 Form, Color, Content
ARTV 1168 Intro to 3D Design
ARTV 2175 Art History I : Ancient to Medieval
ARTV 2176 Art History II: Renaissance to Modern
Visual Arts B.A., Art History (20 credits)
ARTV 1161 Intro to 2D Design or ARTV 1164 2D Digital Design
ARTV 1162 Intro to Drawing
ARTV 1169 Intro to 3D Design
ARTV 2175 Art History: Ancient to Medieval
ARTV 2176 Art History: Renaissance to Modern
Visual Arts Studio Minors (foundation, choose two). See worksheets for other requirements. (12 credits)
ARTV 1162 Intro to Drawing or ARTV 1161 Intro to 2D Design or ARTV 1164 2D Digital or ARTV 1169 Intro to 3D Design
ARTV 2175 Art History I: Ancient to Medieval or ARTV 2176 Art History II: Renaissance to Modern
Visual Arts Art History Minor (foundation). See worksheets for other requirements. (12 credits)
ARTV 1162 Intro to Drawing or ARTV 1161 Intro to 2D Design or
ARTV 1164 2D Digital or ARTV 1169 Intro to 3D Design
ARTV 2175 Art History: Ancient to Medieval
ARTV 2176 Art History: Renaissance to Modern
Digital Media Requirement
All Visual Arts majors are required to take at least one course involving digital technology. (NOTE: Visual Communications, Illustration, and Photography students will fulfill this requirement as part of their required coursework). The following sample courses count toward the digital media requirement and may also be applied in another category of the Visual Arts major.
ARTV 1125 The Computer as an Art Tool
ARTV 1164 Intro to 2D Digital Design
ARTV 2265 Image and Typography
ARTV 2270 Graphic Design I
ARTV 2321 Photo: Digital Image and Print
ARTV 2230 Illustration I
ARTV 3220 Interactive Media Design
ARTV 3221 Package Design
ARTV 3625 Photoshop
ARTV 3674 3D Modeling
ARTV 3678 Illustration Seminar
ARTV 3680 Designed Object
ARTV 3468 Sculpture in the Digital Age
ARTV 3676 3D Animation
ARTV 3621 Web Design
ARTV 3677 Designing for WordPress
Credit-Hour Policy for Studio Courses
A 4-credit studio class meets 5 contact-hours per week for 15 semester weeks. In addition, students are required to complete the 6th-hour assignment, an additional hour per week, or 15 total hours per semester. Intro to Drawing (ARTV 1166), Intro to 2D Design (ARTV 1165) or Intro to 2D Digital Design (ARTV 1167), Intro to 3D Design (ARTV 1168), and Form, Color and Content (ARTV 1173). Art History concentration students take three 4-credit ARTV foundation courses.
Independent Study in Visual Arts
Independent Study provides students with the opportunity to work on special projects that are not available through regular class offerings. Students who plan to pursue an Independent Study must contact their preceptor; they are also responsible for finding a faculty sponsor for the project. The program’s core courses may not be taken as Independent Study.
Internships
Visual Communications and Illustration student internships are arranged with and approved by the sponsoring faculty member. The Permission of Instructor and Special Project Form is required. Internships require 8 contact hours per week during a regular semester, or 120 hours total at the internship site.
B.A. in Visual Arts
The B.A. in Visual Arts requires a concentration in one of the following disciplines:
Interdisciplinary Visual Arts (VIBA)
K-12 Art Teacher Certification (EDVA)
Art History (VHIS)
The B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts requires 64 credit hours in Visual Arts courses and cognates, including a Senior Portfolio in VIBA. The B.A. degree in Art History requires 64 credit hours in Visual Arts courses and cognates, including a two-semester Senior Project in Art History. The B.A. degree in K-12 Art Teacher Certification requires 74 credit hours in Visual Arts courses and Education cognates, as well as 31-35 credits in additional Education and Clinical Practice courses.
NOTE: Students must successfully complete a Portfolio Review prior to taking 3000-4000 level studio art courses.
Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the program can be explored using the Degree Works web-based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the program website.
B.A. in Visual Arts K-12 Art Teacher Certification
Although the University requires a 2.00 cumulative GPA, a 3.0 cumulative GPA is the minimum requirement for NJDOE Certification. A grade of C or better is required in all ARTV courses and a B- or better in all professional education courses. Additionally, students are required to have studio experience in drawing, painting, and sculpture and/or ceramics within their B.A. courses. (For a list of all education requirements, including Praxis Core and Praxis II tests, refer to the Teacher Education section of the Bulletin.) The student is responsible for ensuring that all graduation and teacher certification requirements are fully met. Students should consult with their designated preceptors in both ARTV and EDUC on a regular basis.
Important Notice: Candidates seeking teacher certification in any area are encouraged to check the School of Education website (www.stockton.edu/educ) for updates to the program that may impact their studies. It is also essential that Stockton students with an interest in teacher certification seek advice from a member of the Education program early in their college careers. Because the New Jersey Department of Education makes changes in certification and teacher certification program requirements for colleges, the information contained in this section of the Bulletin is subject to significant change without prior notice.
Note: 1) If a student wishes to opt-out of the Visual Arts K-12 Teacher Certification Concentration, additional courses may be required to complete another B.A. in Visual Art. 2) Students should avoid taking 4000-level ARTV courses in the same semester as EDUC 4990 Full-Time Final Clinical Practice (12 credits).
Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the program can be explored using the Degree Works web based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the program website.
See the Teacher Education section of the Bulletin for more information.
Students should consult the TEDU program section of the Bulletin and consult the School of Education website (www.Stockton.edu/educ) regularly for the most up-to-date information on program requirements. Students should also work directly with Education preceptors to choose courses to meet certification and specialization state requirements.
The New Jersey Department of Education continuously updates state licensure code that impacts requirements such as Praxis tests, teacher performance assessment, candidate GPA, clinical placement hours, and content-area course work. Check the School of Education website for the latest updates.
B.A. in Visual Arts Art History
Art History courses provide students with the opportunity to study the development of the visual arts in various cultures and epochs and to learn the research and writing methods of art historians. Students may concentrate in Art History through the Visual Arts Concentration by fulfilling the credit requirements as stated.
B.F.A. in Visual Arts
The BFA in Visual Arts requires a concentration in one of the following disciplines:
Studio Art
Photography
Visual Communications
Illustration
The BFA requires 80 credit hours in Visual Arts courses and cognates, including a two-semester senior project resulting in an exhibition in the University Art Gallery.
NOTE: Students must successfully complete a Portfolio Review prior to taking 3000-4000 level studio art courses.
Studio Art and Art History Minors are available
Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the program can be explored using the Degree Works web-based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the program website.
Graduation with Distinction in The Visual Arts
A Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction in Visual Arts may be awarded to the eligible student graduating with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 in program-cognate courses; who receives no F or NC grades in program or cognate courses; and, where required, who produces an outstanding senior project with a final grade of A in ARTV Senior Project course(s). One quarter of the required program-cognate degree credits must be taken at Stockton to be considered for program distinction. The award of distinction will be conferred to eligible students only by a majority vote of this program’s faculty.
