Major & Minor
Major in Studio Art
The Studio Art program offers a wide variety and levels of classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, ceramics, graphic design, digital and darkroom photography, printmaking, video, architecture, and digital image making. The aim of studio courses is to explore and enhance modes of thinking and visual communication though the production of works of art. Emphasis is placed on creating a community of creatives who have the visual, material, and self-awareness, and problem-solving skills relevant to a variety to intellectual, cultural, and professional undertakings.
The Studio Art major provides students with an opportunity to develop the technical skills, visual sensibility, and historical understanding necessary for working with various materials and technologies. An exploration of the meanings and ideas generated by the things we make and an awareness of the processes of making are essential parts of the program.
An integral part of the Studio Art major鈥檚 undergraduate education is the Senior Project. Senior majors are given private studio space and work on guided one-year independent project in their concentration, which culminates in the public exhibition of a cohesive body of work and a published catalog.
Requirements
The Major in Studio Art consists of 11 courses (33 credits). Students must have taken at least four semesters of course work in Studio Art prior to their senior year. It is strongly recommended to take Issues and Approaches in the sophomore year.
TWO of the following introductory courses:
- ARTS1101 Drawing I
- ARTS1102 Painting I
- ARTS1104 Design: Seeing is Believing OR ARTS1107 Design 1: Foundations
- ARTS1105 Making Prints/Making Books: An Introduction to Printmaking and Book Arts
- ARTS1141 Ceramics I
- ARTS1155 Introduction to Digital Arts (Note: course has been renamed Introduction to Photoshop and Illustrator and course # on Eagle Apps is ARTS1156)
- ARTS1161 Photography I
- ARTS1163 Intro to Digital Photography
- ARTS1701 Art of Creativity
ONE of the following courses:
- ARTH2204 Postwar: Art After 1945
- ARTS2211 Ideas in Contemporary Art
- ARTH3356 Art Since 1945
All Majors and Minors are required to take
- ARTS1103 Issues and Approaches to Studio Art
Electives
- Elective 1 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 2 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 3 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 4 (3000 or 4000 level)听(not including Senior Project)听
- Elective 5 (3000 or 4000 level)听(not including Senior Project)听
Senior Project
Senior Project is a required year-long course for senior majors taught on Wednesday afternoons.
- ARTS4498 Senior Project I
- ARTS4473 Senior Project II
Students must have taken at least four semesters of course work in Studio Art prior to their senior year. It is strongly recommended to take Issues and Approaches in the sophomore year.
In addition to the required courses, the following courses are recommended:
- ARTH1101 Intro to Art History: Pre-History to Middle Ages
- ARTH1102 Intro to Art History: Renaissance to Modern
- ARTH2257 Nineteenth Century Art
- ARTH2258 Modern Art: Nineteenth-Twentieth Century II
- Summer course for enrichment
Requirements
The Studio Art major requires 11 courses (33 credits)
Students must have taken at least six courses in Studio Art prior to their senior year. It is strongly recommended to take Issues and Approaches in the sophomore year after declaring their major or minor.听
TWO听of the following introductory courses:
- ARTS1101听 Drawing I
- ARTS1102听 Painting I
- ARTS1104听 Design: Seeing is Believing OR ARTS1107 Design 1: Foundations
- ARTS1105听 Making Prints/Making Books: An Introduction to Printmaking and Book Arts
- ARTS1125/UNAS10听 Innovation through Design Thinking
- ARTS 1138听 Intro to 3-D: Sculpture听
- ARTS1141听 Ceramics I
- ARTS1156听 Imagemaking: Photoshop and Illustrator (Note: course has been renamed. Formerly Introduction to Photoshop and Illustrator )
- ARTS1161听 Photography I
- ARTS1163听 Intro to Digital Photography
- ARTS/EQ1701听 Art of Creativity
- ARTS/EQ 1702 Masks of Identity and Culture: Multimedia Tactics of Representation
听
ONE of the following courses:
- ARTH2204 Postwar: Art After 1945听
- ARTS2211 Ideas in Contemporary Art
- ARTH2258 Modernism and the Avant-Garde, 1900-1945听
- ARTH3010 Intro to Contemporary Art, 1975-Present
- ARTH3356 Art Since 1945
听
All Majors and Minors are required to take
- ARTS2238 Issues and Approaches to Studio Art (Note: previous course # was ARTS1103)
听
Electives
Majors are required to take five electives at the 2000 and 3000 level, two of which must be at the 3000 level.
- Elective 1 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 2 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 3 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 4 (3000 or 4000 level) (not including Senior Project)
- Elective 5 (3000 or 4000 level) (not including Senior Project)
They may choose from the following classes
- ARTS2207 Urban Design: Designing for Complexity and Sustainability * cross-listed with CSOM/BLS *only offered in fall听
- ARTS2208 Drawing the Figure
- ARTS2210 Intermediate 3-D Space and Form
- ARTS2215 Collage and Mixed Media* next offered fall 2026
- ARTS2223 Painting 2: Observation and Abstraction
- ARTS2224 Painting 2: Bare Naked Approaches听
- ARTS2216 Photography: Studio Lighting * only offered in fall semester
- ARTS/FILM2230 Video Art
- ARTS2242 Ceramics 2
- ARTS2252 Architectural Design 1* only offered in fall semester
- ARTS2261 Intermediate Photography: Image & Context听
- ARTS 2297 Motion Graphics听
- ARTS/FILM2285 Adobe Premiere Editing
- ARTS 3306 Drawing 3: Expanded Practice听
- ARTS 3319 Advanced Digital/Video Art* offered every other year
- ARTS3321 Painting 3: Layered Image
- ARTS 3334 Advanced Mixed Media: Material Art * offered every other year听
- ARTS 3335 Advanced Digital Design with Rhino: Designing Spaces * only offered in the spring semester
- ARTS/FILM2287 Creative Webdesign
- ARTS3330 Pandora's Box
- ARTS3361 Intermediate Photo: Concept and Portfolio听
- ARTS #TBD New Print/Mixed Media Jams * offered every other year听
- ARTS3708 Advanced Film Photo * offered every other year
- ARTS3712 Graphic Design 2: Type and Image
- ARTS 3385/6 Independent Study * only with permission of instructor.
Note: Minors may take only 1 independent study and majors may take two, but not with same instructor.
Note: Course listings are subject to change.听Please check the Course Information and Schedule on听www.bc.edu/myservices听for the most up-to-date schedule of courses.
Senior Project
Senior Project is a required year-long course for senior majors taught on Wednesday afternoons.听
- ARTS4498 Senior Project I, Fall semester
- ARTS4473 Senior Project II, Spring semester
听
In addition to the required courses, the following courses are recommended
- ARTH1101 Intro to Art History: Prehistory to Middle Ages
- ARTH1102 Intro to Art History: Renaissance to Modern
- ARTH2257 Nineteenth-Century Art
- ARTH2258 Modern Art: Nineteenth-Twentieth Century II
- Summer course for enrichment
听
Additional Stipulations for the Studio Art Major
- No more than two independent studies.
- No more than two courses taken during the junior year abroad or at another institution may count toward the major. Consult with major advisor before going abroad.
- Transfer students should work out credits with their major advisor
- Courses to be counted in the major must be taken for a grade (no pass/fail grades).
- For inquiries about exceptions to these stipulations, please contact the Studio Art Major Coordinator, Prof. Sheila Gallagher at听sheila.gallagher.2@bc.edu.
听
The Studio Art major can also be completed with a concentration in Architecture Studies, which requires a minimum of 11 courses (33 credits).
Information for First-Year Majors
First-Year Art History majors should take ARTH1101 Art from Prehistoric Times to the High Middle Ages with ARTH1103 Art History Workshop. First-Year Studio Art majors are advised to select two studio courses from ARTS1101, ARTS1102, ARTS1104, ARTS1107, ARTS1150, ARTS1155, or ARTS1161 before taking ARTS1103. First-Year Film Studies majors should take FILM2202 Introduction to Film, a required foundation course to ground the student in film language, history, and criticism.
Minor in Studio Art
The minor in studio art offers students the opportunity to pursue a course of study in ceramics, creative thinking, design, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, or sculpture. There are features of the minor program that resemble, in an abbreviated way, aspects of our major studio program that we have found to be successful. The required Senior Minor Project class, for example, will function analogously to our major鈥檚 Senior Project. Students should focus on one medium, choosing from ceramics, design, drawing, painting, photography, or sculpture. Mixed media allows for an exploration in multiple media combined. The course structure of the minor aims at having the individual student develop the artistic techniques, critical thinking and creative skills, and conceptual visual sensibility necessary for working as an artist today. Students must declare the Studio Art minor by the end of their junior year. Students who are interested in declaring the minor should contact Prof. Hartmut Austen.
Requirements
The Studio Art Minor requires 6 courses (18 credits):
- ARTS1103 Issues and Approaches to Studio Art
ONE听of the following introductory courses:
- ARTS1101 Drawing I
- ARTS1102 Painting I
- ARTS1104 Design: Seeing is Believing
- ARTS1107 Design 1: Foundations
- ARTS1141 Ceramics I
- ARTS1150 Painting Plus Collage
- ARTS1155 Introduction to Digital Arts
- ARTS1161 Photography I
- ARTS1163 Intro to Digital Photography
Electives and Senior Project:
- Elective 1 (1000 or 2000 level)
- Elective 2 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 3 (3000 or 4000 level)
- ARTS3328 Senior Minor Project
The听three electives should be concentrated in one of the following areas:
- ceramics
- design
- digital art
- drawing
- mixed media
- painting
- photography
Additional stipulations for the minor:
- Students are allowed only one independent study in their field of concentration
- Courses to be counted for the minor must be taken for a grade (not pass/fail)
- Students who wish to strengthen their minor are strongly encouraged to take additional offerings in their field of concentration
The Studio Art minor requires 7 courses (21 credits):
Required
- ARTS2238 Issues and Approaches to Studio Art (Note: former course # was ARTS1103)
- ARTS3328 Senior Minor Project
听
ONE听of the following introductory courses
- ARTS1101听 Drawing I
- ARTS1102听 Painting I
- ARTS1104听 Design: Seeing is Believing听
- ARTS1107 Design 1: Foundations
- ARTS1105听 Making Prints/Making Books: An Introduction to Printmaking and Book Arts
- ARTS1125/UNAS10听 Innovation through Design Thinking
- ARTS 1138听 Intro to 3-D: Sculpture听
- ARTS1141听 Ceramics I
- ARTS1156 Image making: Photoshop and Illustrator (Note: course has been renamed. Formerly Introduction to Photoshop and Illustrator )
- ARTS1161听 Photography I
- ARTS1163听 Intro to Digital Photography
- ARTS/EQ1701听 Art of Creativity
- ARTS/EQ 1702 Masks of Identity and Culture: Multimedia Tactics of Representation听
One Art History class from the following courses听
- ARTH2204 Postwar: Art After 1945听
- ARTS2211 Ideas in Contemporary Art
- ARTH2258 Modernism and the Avant-Garde, 1900-1945听
- ARTH3010 Intro to Contemporary Art, 1975-Present
- ARTH3356 Art Since 1945
- ARTH1101 Intro to Art History: Prehistory to Middle Ages
- ARTH1102 Intro to Art History: Renaissance to Modern
- ARTH2257 Nineteenth-Century Art
听
Electives and Senior Project
- Elective 1 (1000 or 2000 level)
- Elective 2 (2000 or 3000 level)
- Elective 3 (3000 or 4000 level)
听
The听three electives should be concentrated in one of the following areas:
- ceramics/sculpture
- design/graphic design
- digital art
- drawing
- painting
- photography
- mixed media (electives in different media)
Additional stipulations for the minor
- Students are allowed only one independent study听
- Courses to be counted for the minor must be taken for a grade (not pass/fail)
- Students who wish to strengthen their minor are strongly encouraged to take additional offerings in their field of concentration
Students who are interested in declaring a minor can contact Professor Hartmut Austen, Director of Undergraduate Studies, austenh@bc.edu.
Requirements for the Studio Art Major with a concentration in Architectural Studies
The Studio Art major can also be completed with a concentration in Architecture Studies, which requires a minimum of 11 courses (33 credits):
- ARTS1101 Drawing I
- ARTS1103 Issues and Approaches to Studio Art
- ARTS1125 Innovation Through Design Thinking (cross-listed as UNAS1025)
ONE of the following courses:
- ARTS1155 Introduction to Digital Arts
- ARTS2276 Arts and Digital Technology
- ARTS2250 Introduction to Digital Design
THREE of the following courses, at least one of which must be at the 3000 level:
- ARTS2250 Introduction to Digital Design
- ARTS2252 Architectural Design I
- ARTS2207 Urban Design for Complexity and Sustainability (cross-listed as BSLW2207)
- ARTS3335 Advanced Digital Design: Designing Spaces
- ARTS3334 Advanced Mixed-Media
TWO of the following Art or Architectural History courses, at least one of which must be at the 1000 or 2000 level:
- ARTH1107: History of Architecture (World Architecture)ARTS2211: Ideas in Contemporary Art
- ARTH2251: Modern Architecture
- ARTH2267: Salt Box to Skyscraper: American Architecture 17th-20th centuries
- ARTH3311: Greek Art and Archaeology
- ARTH3314: Egyptian Art and Archaeology
- ARTH3332: The Age of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Beyond: Sixteenth-Century Art in Italy
- ARTH3344: Venetian Art and Architecture
- ARTH3346: Architecture in East Asia
- ARTH3347: The Age of the Baroque: Seventeenth-Century Art in Italy
- ARTH3356: Art Since 1945
Senior Projects:
- ARTS4498 Senior Project I (This requirement may be substituted with an internship or an Independent Study. Please consult with Prof. Mark Cooper
- ARTS4473 Senior Project II
We also recommend that students in the Architecture Studies Concentration engage in career discovery in the form of summer courses and internships.
Requirements for the Studio Art Major with a concentration in Architectural Studies
TWO of the following intro courses
- ARTS1101听 Drawing I
- ARTS1104听 Design: Seeing is Believing OR ARTS1107 Design 1: Foundations
- ARTS1125/UNAS10听 Innovation through Design Thinking
- ARTS 1138听 Intro to 3-D: Sculpture
听
All Studio Art Majors in the Architectural Studies Concentration are required to take the following THREE courses
- ARTS1156听 Imagemaking: Photoshop and Illustrator (Note: course has been renamed. Formerly Introduction to Digital Arts or Introduction Photoshop and Illustrator)
- ARTS2238 Issues and Approaches to Studio Art (Note: previous course # was ARTS1103), offered every semester
- ARTS2252 Architectural Design 1* only offered in fall semester
听
FOUR electives at the 2000 or 3000 level, one of which must be at the 3000 level from following classes:
- ARTS2207 Urban Design: Designing for Complexity and Sustainability * cross-listed with CSOM/BLS *only offered in fall and highly recommended for the architecture concentration
- ARTS2210 Intermediate 3-D Space and Form
- ARTS2215 Collage and Mixed Media* next offered fall 2026
- ARTS 2250 Graphic Design 1
- ARTS/FILM2287 Creative Webdesign
- ARTS 2297 Motion Graphics听
- ARTS 3334听 Advanced Mixed Media: Material Art *听 offered every other year听
- ARTS 3335 Advanced Digital Design w/Rhino: Designing Spaces * only offered in the spring semester, highly recommended for the architecture concentration
- ARTS3330 Pandora's Box
- ARTS #TBD 听 New Print/Mixed Media Jams * offered every other year听
- ARTS3712 Graphic Design 2: Type and Image
- ARTS 3385/6 Independent Study * 听with permission of architectural studies advisor, Prof Sheila Gallagher
听
One of the following Art or Architectural History courses:
- ARTH1107: History of Architecture (World Architecture)
- ARTH2204 Postwar: Art After 1945听
- ARTS2211 Ideas in Contemporary Art
- ARTH2258 Modernism and the Avant-Garde, 1900-1945听
- ARTH2251: Modern Architecture听
- ARTH2267: Salt Box to Skyscraper: American Architecture 17th-20th centuries
- ARTH3311: Greek Art and Archaeology
- ARTH3314: Egyptian Art and Archaeology
- ARTH3332: The Age of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Beyond: Sixteenth-Century Art in Italy
- ARTH3344: Venetian Art and Architecture
- ARTH3346: Architecture in East AsiaARTH3347: The Age of the Baroque: Seventeenth-Century Art in Italy
- ARTH3010 Intro to Contemporary Art, 1975-Present
- ARTH3356听 Postwar Art Since 1945
听
Senior Projects
- ARTS4498 Senior Project I, Fall semester听
- ARTS4473 Senior Project II, Spring semester
听
We also recommend that students in the Architecture Studies Concentration take additional courses in art history and engage in career discovery in the form of summer courses and internships and independent studies with professionals. Please contact Professor Sheila Gallagher, Advisor for the Architectural Studies Concentration,听 for advising or questions.
Students interested in Studio Art should contact
Professor Hartmut Austen听or Professor Sheila Gallagher
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Studio Art
Associate Professor, Studio Art
hartmut.austen@bc.edu
617-552-4898
Student Work
By the end of their senior year, the student who majors in Studio Art at Boston College will be expected to:
- Know the basic definitions, concepts, and techniques in visual arts
- Create a coherent and original body of work
- Demonstrate an awareness of art history within the larger human context
- Be able to work independently
- Display technical proficiency in a medium of their choice
- Have developed the ability to write, speak, and think clearly about their work and that of other artists
- Demonstrate an understanding of installation and exhibition standards
- Have excellent presentation skills, as evidenced by听participation in a public exhibition and the creation of a professional artist鈥檚 website
The Studio Art Major offers students a course of study that includes introductory and advanced investigations in a variety of media, an exploration of the conceptual approaches inherent in artworks, and background knowledge of art history. Through a course of directed study, advanced students create a body of work equivalent to a visual thesis, which is exhibited.
The Studio Art major will be assessed on their ability to:
- Create a body of work equivalent to a visual thesis. These artworks should display a mastery of technique, an individual visual and conceptual sensibility, and historical understanding of the issues relevant to their work.
- Effectively communicate issues and aspects of visual experience and culture in oral and written arguments.
- Discuss and articulate knowledge of contemporary artists and understanding of the current ideas and concepts generated by visual artworks in global cultural discourse.
They should also:
- Develop technical abilities and fundamental knowledge with a variety of media.
- Develop a self-reflective and critical approach in making artworks.
- Develop creative thinking and problem solving skills.
- Develop the ability to research ideas, and to make one鈥檚 work accessible to others thru clear, well organized visual thinking.
- Acquire the ability to verbally express the ideas and concepts with which one works visually.
- Acquire standards for a visually critical and contextualized practice.
- Develop skills in the preparation and use of presentational strategies.
- Develop documentation skills consistent with professional practice.
- Acquire a familiarity with artists and their practice in a variety of historical periods.