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Drawing is a universal impulse that defines what is fundamentally human—from animals drawn on cave walls twenty millennia ago to every form of visual and spatial expression today. As a drawing major, you will be challenged to explore all possibilities of what a drawing can be and which conceptual approaches, tools, and techniques best convey your ideas and intentions.
a collection of images, positioned on two shelves, evenly spaced
Blue Ruthen BFA Fine Arts '23 Drawing, Photography credit: Cary Whittier
Type
Undergraduate, BFA
Courses
Plan of Study
School and Department
School of Art,
Fine Arts

All first-year students take the Foundation program’s core curriculum, along with required art history and liberal arts courses, and begin the fine arts major curriculum in the fall of the second year. While continuing with their required art history and general education coursework, second-year students take more focused courses in their chosen area of emphasis, whether painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and integrated practices, or jewelry. In addition to their studio requirements, all fine arts students take a series of departmental seminars that address social, historical, and critical issues in contemporary art.

Beyond their major requirements, students may use elective credits to take courses of their choosing, to pursue a minor in a second field or discipline, or to gain internship experience. The senior year is focused on developing a self-directed body of work for the senior thesis exhibition in the spring semester. Departmental courses in professional practice help students prepare their portfolios and make a realistic plan for sustaining their careers after graduation through approaching funders, galleries, residency opportunities, and employers.

a drawing consists of a figure, drawn abstractly
Brentleigh Greene BFA Fine Arts '23 Drawing, Photography credit: Cary Whittier
A brightly lit gallery space featuring two large columns in the foreground, intricately wrapped with fabric displaying eye patterns and colorful artwork. The background showcases wall-mounted mixed-media art pieces with organic and abstract shapes, including a large central piece resembling a stylized mask or shield. The gallery floor is concrete, with some painted elements that extend from the wall to the floor.
Drawing Thesis Exhibition by Sky Rattray, Ruby Murnik, Cyrus Berlinerblau Photography credit: Cary Whittier

Students will:

  • Understand basic design principles, concepts, media and formats;
  • Have knowledge and skills in the use of basic tools and techniques needed to work from concept to finished product;
  • Have a knowledge of historical and contemporary movements and issues in the field of drawing;
  • Understand the many possibilities for innovative imagery and the manipulation of techniques available to those who draw;
  • Complete a final project related to the exhibition of original work;
  • Achieve entry-level professional competence in the major area of specialization.​
 
photo of a sculpture
Bailey Rhodes BFA Fine Arts '23 Drawing, Photography credit: Cary Whittier
An installation in a gallery featuring a large, vertical piece of black fabric that extends from the wall to the floor, covered in expressive, abstract marks in white, black, and blue tones. The surrounding walls display other abstract artworks in muted colors, with textures suggesting layers of ink or charcoal. The floor is bare concrete, adding an industrial feel to the space.
BFA Fine Arts '24 Drawing Thesis Exhibition by Grayson Stearns, Jlynn Torres, Rafael Zygmuntowicz Photography credit: Cary Whittier