Boston University

Course Details

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting

Course Description

The Painting program promotes painting as a fundamental form of visual and artistic expression. The principal component of the Painting program is studio activity, and students explore various forms of painting in the first years of the major. Students also consider the roles of sight, insight, and perception in relation to processes of making from the foundation level onward. Critical dialogue and rigorous expectations about studio practice support work toward a young artistic vision in upper-level courses. The sequence of seven semesters of Painting courses is intended to provide a solid base for postgraduate involvement in the larger art world. In the foundation year, observational studio work is combined with inventive assignments as a means for students to learn about medium, form, content, broader artistic concepts, and the kinds of questions they wish to address with their work. The post-foundation sequence includes Painting II and Painting III in the sophomore year, Junior and Senior Painting Studios, Painting Techniques I, and three semesters of seminar courses. Students have their own studios in the upper level and work in individual conversation with the professor and in group critiques with one another to develop a cohesive and ambitious body of work and to refine artistic voices. The BFA Painting major culminates in the BFA thesis exhibition, which includes a written component.

Course Duration

NumberDuration
132credit

Career outcomes

Career In program related




Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting Boston University