Art

B.F.A. Degree Requirements

Students matriculating in Fall 2021 must complete the following degree requirements:

* P.E. classes do not count as academic credit.

B.F.A. Requirement Areas

Eligibility Requirements

B.F.A. students in good standing with a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.000 or better and who are on track with the B.F.A. degree requirements are eligible to apply to study at Cornell in Rome and/or AAP NYC. Students apply to the Cornell in Rome and AAP NYC semesters through a competitive application process determined by the department. Meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the off-campus option, and off-campus study is contingent on the student’s continued good academic standing, adequate program enrollment, and other factors.

AAP NYC

The AAP NYC semester utilizes the remarkable resources of New York City. Faculty members include practicing artists, theorists, critics, and curators. Within the context of AAP NYC’s course offerings and immersive exposure to contemporary art and artists, students get an inside look at the urban NYC art world. Each student has access to studio space where they are encouraged to develop work according to their independent practices and may take advantage of group exhibitions in the AAP NYC space. Learn more about AAP NYC. 

Cornell in Rome

The Cornell in Rome semester draws upon the extensive contemporary and cultural resources of Italy and greater Europe. Each student has access to studio space where they are encouraged to develop work according to their independent practices. The semester provides an experience unparalleled for artistic, intellectual, and personal growth where students may develop their studio practice in any medium. Learn more about Cornell in Rome.

Good Standing

To be in a good academic standing in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, a B.F.A. student must:

• Successfully complete a minimum of 12 academic credits each semester
• Earn a minimum semester grade point average (GPA) of 2.300
• Comply with department curriculum and program policies

At the end of each semester, the college’s ARC goes over the record of each student who is not in good academic standing and decides an appropriate action. For additional information, refer to Academic Review  section.

Credit Limit

All B.F.A. students are required to take a minimum of 12 and not more than 20 academic credits per semester.

To enroll in more than 20 credits, students must petition for permission. Petitions must be submitted prior to enrollment. All petitions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Studio Enrollment

B.F.A students in the first three semesters are required to enroll in a minimum of two and a maximum of three 2000-level art studios each semester to be in good standing with the department. B.F.A. students are required to enroll in a minimum of one and a maximum of three art studios each semester from the fourth semester through to the end of the program. Students are expected to be present during regular class hours for instruction and critiques.

Grading

All required classes must be taken for a letter-grade. A maximum of nine elective credits may be taken for an S/U grade. In addition, all college and university grading policy  apply to B.F.A. students.

Course Numbering

• All Cornell courses numbered 1000–1099 do not count toward graduation.
• All ART courses numbered 1100–1999 count as elective credit only.

Additional information regarding the ART course numbering scheme can be found below under Art Course and Fee Information.

Advanced Placement Credit

For B.F.A. students, advanced placement credit is applied as elective credit only, with the exception of up to one First-Year Writing Seminar. B.F.A. students may apply a maximum of nine advanced placement credits toward their degree requirements. In addition, all college and university advanced placement credit policies  apply to B.F.A. students. Please refer to the Advanced Placement section of this catalog for additional university guidelines  regarding AP credit.

Independent Study

Independent study classes in the Department of Art are offered on the Ithaca campus in the Fall and Spring semesters only, and are open to students in the 3rd-year or higher. Students enroll for variable credit, for up to a maximum of 4 credits. Students can choose Independent Studio, Directed Reading, or Directed Research with a Cornell full-time faculty member. Enrollment in an independent study requires an approved Independent Study Form, which is found online on the AAP Academic Forms page.

Eligibility requirements for enrolling in an independent study (independent studio, directed readings, directed research ): 

• Third-year (junior) standing or higher;
• Successful completion of the 2000-level and one 3000-level ART studio in the studio practice area;
• A cumulative GPA of 2.700 or better; and
• Enrollment in Ithaca during the Fall or Spring semester

The above information must be verified by the Department of Art on an Independent Study Form prior to enrollment. The Independent Study Form are found online on the AAP Academic Forms page. Standard University add/drop deadlines apply to enrollment in an Art independent study. Any exception to the above eligibility requirements or add/drop deadlines must be approved by petition. The petition form is found online on the AAP Academic Forms page.

Residency Requirement

• The B.F.A. program is an eight-semester program.
• Students who transfer into the B.F.A. program must complete a minimum of four semesters in residence (Ithaca/Cornell in Rome/AAP NYC).
• B.F.A. students are required to spend the last three semesters of candidacy in residence in Ithaca.

Transfer Credit

The general college transfer credit policies  apply to B.F.A. students. In addition, the following B.F.A. requirements cannot be satisfied with transfer credit and must be successfully completed at Cornell:

• Studio: ART 3006 , ART 4003 , and ART 4004  
• Shop/Tech: ART 2900  
• Introduction to B.F.A. Program and Advising: ART 2910  
• Theory and Criticism: ART 2103  and ART 4100  

Further, the modern/contemporary art history and global/underrepresented art history/visual studies requirements cannot be fulfilled with transfer survey of art history courses. Such courses will be applied toward the elective plan requirement.

Deviating from Curriculum, Policies, or Procedures

Students wishing to deviate from requirements or and/or policies must petition the art department for permission. Petitions should be submitted only if there are clearly extraordinary circumstances that merit special consideration. Petition forms, which are found online on the AAP Academic Forms page, are submitted to AAP Office of Student Services, B01 W. Sibley Hall. Petitions must be submitted prior to the act. Once submitted and acted upon, petitions can only be reversed by subsequent petition.

Appeals: A student has ten days from the time of the petitions decision to appeal the decision in writing. Appeal forms are found online on the AAP Academic Forms page. Appeals should be submitted directly to the Department of Art, 224 Tjaden Hall, for review and vote by the full tenure/tenure-track art faculty.  The faculty decision on the appeal is final. No further appeals will be considered.

Specific Course Requirements for the Minor:

Required courses: 3 courses; 12 credits

• Two art studio class at the 2000-level  (8 credits)
• One art studio class at the 3000-level  (4 credits)

Choose one from the following elective courses: 1 course; 3-4 credits

• One art studio class at the 1000-level  (3 credits)
• One art studio class at the 2000-level  (4 credits)
• One art studio class at the 3000-level  (4 credits)
• One VISST course at the 2000-level (3-4 credits)

Minimum total credits: 15

Application Process

Interested students must complete an Intent to Minor form in order to receive priority in the studio enrollment process. Completed forms should be submitted to the Department of Art. Upon successful completion of all minor requirements, students must submit an Application to Graduate with a Minor in Fine Arts to the Department of Art at least one month prior to graduation. The Department of Art will verify completion of the minor and the minor will be recorded on the official transcript at the time of degree completion. Both the Intent to Minor form and the Application to Graduate with a Minor in Fine Arts are found online on the AAP Academic Forms page.

Questions regarding the minor can be directed to the Department of Art, 224 Tjaden Hall.