Art B.F.A.
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Art B.F.A.
UAA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. It provides an intensive studio arts education to prepare undergraduate students for a professional career in fine arts.
Explore the fine arts bachelor’s degree program at the University of Alaska Anchorage
UAA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program focuses on the study and production of art.Fine arts scholarships and financial aid
General scholarships available at UAA can help you pay for college tuition, fees and other expenses. Plus, program scholarships are available for qualified students in UAA’s fine arts program.
Selective admissions process
Apply for admission into the B.F.A. program in the fall of your junior year. Acceptance is based on application materials, demonstrated ability in coursework and a portfolio presentation, as well as approval by UAA and the B.F.A. Committee. You can enroll in upper-level B.F.A. courses any time after you’ve finished the Foundation Core Courses and Beginning Studio Electives, with fine arts faculty approval.
Fine arts student advisors
UAA’s Department of Art provides faculty advising in each of the seven areas of study. With exceptional care and mentoring, faculty help you complete degree program requirements while encouraging artistic expression. An academic advisor in art is also dedicated to helping fine arts majors graduate on time while providing answers to questions about general education and university requirements.
Student art exhibitions
Take advantage of opportunities to exhibit work in art galleries on and off campus. A written thesis and exhibition at the Kimura Gallery in the UAA Fine Arts Building culminates the completion of the degree program.
Did you know..
UAA has hosted two international conferences on art education in which artists and educators from Arctic countries gather to present seminars and lectures.
What can you do with a fine arts degree from UAA?
Devoted to studio work, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program at the University of Alaska Anchorage will prepare you for graduate degree programs or a professional career in the arts.Fine arts graduate programs
Follow in the footsteps of UAA alumni by continuing your art education at institutions such as these:
- Institute of American Indian Art
- SUNY New Paltz
- University of Hawaii
- New York University
- Alfred School of Art and Design
- Ohio University
- University of Montana
- Arizona State University
Build your career as a professional studio or resident artist. You can also find success working as an art administrator or art educator for programs, organizations and colleges and universities such as these:
- 1% for Art
- Lawrence Art Center
- Seward Park Art Center
- University of Alaska Anchorage
- University of West Virginia
- Appalachian State University
- University of Missouri Kansas City
By the numbers..
Fine arts bachelor’s degree program highlights
Supported by program faculty who are accomplished artists in a variety of media, you’ll have countless opportunities to get the most from your education at the University of Alaska Anchorage.- Develop close relationships with faculty and other undergraduate students while working on creative projects. Fine arts majors collaborate in the studio, with other UAA departments and throughout the Anchorage community.
- Receive instruction and mentoring from faculty who are renowned for artistic work in Alaska and beyond. Program faculty and instructors have completed residencies and exhibited work all over the world, from Montana and Michigan to Norway, Iceland and Finland to China and Korea.
- Study abroad or complete an internship to gain first-hand experience. You could spend a semester in Italy studying art and art history or develop professional and technical skills while interning with UAA departments and local organizations. B.F.A. majors have interned with the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the municipality of Anchorage’s 1% for Art program, UAA’s Publicity Center and Student Life and Leadership, as well as the Anchorage-based design firm, Spawn.
- Get out of the studio and into the community. Coursework and student clubs incorporate service learning into classrooms and activities. You could teach classes, curate exhibitions, participate in lectures from visiting artists and professors and attend workshops and conferences. UAA art majors have also painted the Gorsuch Commons mural, contributed to the tobacco-free campus initiative, taught education workshops at the Anchorage Museum and developed programming for the Boys & Girls Clubs Alaska.
- Participate in independent studies and undergraduate research to make an impact on the future of art and design. B.F.A. majors have been invited to participate in week-long landscape painting workshops hosted by the Alaska Geographic Society in Denali National Park and taught by renowned Alaskan painter David Mollet. A UAA art student recently completed a workshop on design and marketing taught by internationally known designer Molly Hatch at the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts in Montana.
Amazing stories from fine arts majors
I am so incredibly lucky to have studied in the fine arts program at UAA. The professors and student leaders in our arts community have propelled and sustained a culture that challenges the status quo. This community creates activists and visionaries. It has made me want to be a better artist and a better leader. I am proud to be a graduate of the UAA fine arts program.
The UAA Department of Art and its student clubs host nationally and internationally renowned artists on the Anchorage campus to teach workshops, present lectures, demonstrate creative techniques and critique student work.
The Kimura Gallery and Arc Gallery feature work from local, national and international artists. The Hugh McPeck Gallery features invitational and juried exhibitions of student work.
Fine arts bachelor’s degree program curriculum
UAA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program provides a thorough education that reflects the commitment necessary for a productive career in the fine arts.A Bachelor of Fine Arts vs. a Bachelor of Arts in art
Requiring a third-year application process, the B.F.A. restricts the number of elective courses you can take and doesn’t offer the Alaska Native art or graphic design areas of study. Instead, you’ll get an art-intensive education that combines studio coursework with supplemental classes in graphic design, Alaska Native Art, and art and design history and culture. The curriculum culminates in a written thesis and student exhibition at the Kimura Gallery in the Fine Arts Building.
Top classes for fine arts majors
- Explore ceramics as a medium for personal creative expression in Advanced Hand-built Ceramics.
- Problem solve with illustration production methods in Illustration I and II.
- Use wet and dry media to explore design and composition while drawing from live models in Life Drawing and Composition.
- Fully experience preparing for a show through scheduling, budgeting and grant writing in Thesis Exhibition.
- In Senior Seminar, fine arts majors build professional development skills, from designing a promotional website to writing grant proposals.
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