Chart your own artistic course with a bachelor of fine arts in studio art. In our program, you'll be exposed to multiple mediums and can choose to concentrate in ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture or continue working in multiple modes. We also encourage collaboration with creatives in film, theater, dance and other areas.
Your instructors will provide you with essential tools and guidance as you develop your unique aesthetic. With your peers, you’ll practice the art of critique and learn to give and receive constructive feedback. In art history seminars, you’ll learn from the masters, turning your aesthetic inclinations and aversions into critical analysis. At the end of their program, students exhibit their work professionally in the Vicki Myhren Gallery. Our art BFA graduates go on to become professional artists, educators and arts managers.
Why Study Studio Art at DU?
Art students enjoy small class sizes in state-of-the-art facilities and open access to arts supplies, resources and technologies.
We provide local and national internships, enabling students to gain the experience needed to secure employment after graduation.
Our official partnerships with the Denver Art Museum, the University’s Vicki Myhren Gallery and Madden Museum of Fine Art give students opportunities for hands-on experiences that supplement their classroom learning.
We introduce students to internationally renowned visiting artists, curators and scholars to expand their professional network.
Students graduate with exhibition experience, offering professional exposure.
Degree Requirements
Studio Art BFA
- If admitted to the University and the School of Art and Art History (SAAH), all students will be entered into the BA program in their area of interest. Students interested in pursuing a BFA in studio art apply under the guidance of a faculty member once enrolled in SAAH.
- To major in studio art, students must complete 110 to 135 credits of art. Required coursework includes 20 credits of art foundations, 20 credits of art history and 70 credits of studio art.
- Requirements for a distinction include a minimum of 3.3 major GPA, minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA, completion of three classes studio art classes beyond the introductory level and completion of a special project with distinction and accompanying paper.
For more information about courses, degree requirements and the program, visit the DU Undergraduate Bulletin.
Studio Art Minor
- The Studio Art Minor offers students the opportunity to focus on Studio Art courses.
- The minor consists of six courses, including two required courses and four elective ARTS courses. Two of the elective courses must be upper division.
- Student may substitute one Art History Courses for an upper devision Studio Art courses if desired.
For more information about courses, minor requirements and the program, visit the DU Undergraduate Bulletin.
Featured Courses
ARTH 3834
Contemporary Art
About this Course
This course surveys the development of contemporary art, focusing primarily on recent decades, but making connections to earlier movements from 1970 to the present. This includes painting, sculpture, performance art, installations and new media art. Students become familiar with various issues of recent art theory and criticism to put these works into a theoretical perspective. In addition to an in-depth look at the broad stylistic movements of the past forty years, this course also examines those figures whose work has come to define the major approaches and concerns for the art of our time.
ARTS 3125
Figure Painting
About this Course
An intensive course in painting the human body--the most timeless subject of art. Students work mainly in oils and experiment with a variety of surfaces and techniques. Students also investigate line, proportion, light and shadow, composition and color. Final project: life-size painting of two figures. Lab fee.
ARTS 3348
Senior Practicum in the Visual Arts
About this Course
Required for all studio BFA candidates. Students are expected to begin research and investigation for work that may be included in the BFA exhibitions. Emphasis is placed on a three-pronged assessment consisting of Idea/Concept/Voice, Theory/History/Research and Craft/Technique. Lab fee.
Ready to gain strong foundational knowledge and key practical skills in Studio Art?
Become a creative leader in the study and practice of studio art.
