Art FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A DEGREE IN STUDIO ART?

There is no secondary admissions process to the School of Art. Students admitted to UNCG may select the BA major in Studio Art.

HOW DO I GAIN ADMISSION TO THE BFA PROGRAMS IN STUDIO ART?

All incoming students with an interest in studio art must complete the requirements of the Foundations Program, generally within their first year at UNCG. Admission to the BFA programs (with concentrations in Painting, Printmaking and Drawing, Ceramics and Sculpture, Photography, New Media and Design, and Art Education) is by portfolio review only. Students submit their work in the Fall or Spring term following the completion of the Foundations Program. The Foundations Program includes intensive advising about the BFA program, the admissions process, and the advantages to both the BA and the BFA programs. See here for more information about the School of Art’s Foundations Program and the process for applying to the BFA.

CAN I REAPPLY TO THE BFA PROGRAM IF DENIED THE FIRST TIME?

Students not admitted to the BFA program may reapply once more, after working with faculty to improve and enlarge their application portfolio. Revised applications must be made in the term immediately following that in which the initial application was denied.

WHY PURSUE A BA IN STUDIO ART?

The BFA is a first professional degree in the visual arts, and is generally intended for students committed to a career in fine or applied visual art. The BA in Studio Art is ideal for students interested in exploring their visual creativity within the context of a liberal arts education, for students who might wish to pursue opportunities after college outside the arts, or for students who wish to pursue a double major, combining an interest in the visual arts with other academic fields.

I AM A TRANSFER STUDENT. WHEN CAN I APPLY FOR THE BFA PROGRAM?

Transfer students make up a significant portion of our art majors. Each student, however, represents an individual case. Studio courses from a different institution do not always transfer as required courses in our curriculum. All transfer students must, if admitted with all Foundations requirements completed, or when they are completed at UNCG, apply to the BFA program through the School of Art’s regular BFA application process. Transfer students are encouraged to seek advising as soon as they are admitted to UNCG in order to understand and plan for a timely path to graduation.

WHY DON’T I SEE A BFA CONCENTRATION IN GRAPHIC DESIGN OR VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS?

UNCG’s School of Art is committed to a fine arts education for all its students. We do not currently offer degrees in applied or commercial art. Students interested in design should consider the New Media and Design concentration, which gives students the requisite skills in design at all levels, and can result in a portfolio that allows a graduate to be highly competitive in the design job market or in applications to graduate programs. Students may also seek for-credit internship experiences in the industry that offer the real-world experience so crucial to first-time job seekers after graduation.