Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Major in Communication Design

Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours

Admission Requirements

  1. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree with a major in Communication Design requires admission to the university and admission to the program.
  2. Admission requirements for the B.F.A. major in Communication Design are more restrictive than those of the University, and enrollment is limited to provide students with a quality experience. All applicants who indicate Communication Design as their preferred major will be assigned a temporary status code of Pre-Communication Design. In addition to meeting Texas State’s general admission criteria, all students intending to major in Communication Design must pass ARTC 2000, earn a minimum grade of B in ARTC 1301 and ARTC 1302, and have a minimum Overall GPA of 2.75 to be admitted into the program. Admission Portfolio Review is a formal review of creative work exclusively from ARTC 1301 and ARTC 1302, conducted by Communication Design faculty, using the following rubric. A score of 60% or above is required to pass the portfolio review. Native and transfer students will register for ARTC 2000 during the earliest semester in which they will meet all eligibility requirements. Students who do not pass ARTC 2000 may register for a future review, but will be allowed only one more attempt. Pre-Communication Design majors will not be permitted to enroll in 2000 – 4000 level Communication Design courses until they have met all requirements and have been formally admitted to the program. Requirements for admission to the Communication Design program are:

General Requirements

  1. The major is a three-and-a-half year, sequenced curriculum that requires a minimum three-year residency at Texas State. 
  2. All Communication Design (ARTC) courses must be completed at Texas State.
  3. A minimum of 120 hours is required in this degree program including:

         a) US 1100. Check with your Academic Advisor prior to enrolling in this course because it is not required for all students.

         b) 42 hours in the General Education Core Curriculum. The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.

         c) 77 hours in the major.

      4.  All course requirements must be met.

      5.  All general graduation requirements must be met.

      6.  A minimum 2.75 Major GPA is required for graduation.

      7.  A maximum of 12 hours are recommended each fall and spring semester to allow time for intensive work in ARTC courses. Students who are required to take US 1100 will enroll in 13 hours in the first semester. 

         a) Attendance during summer terms is recommended for students who must complete more than 24 hours in an academic year, and for students who must graduate within 4 calendar years.

     8.  ARTC 4200 must be taken concurrently with ARTC 4315.

     9.  The required/sequenced ARTC courses, including ARTC 4200 and ARTC 4315, are not offered in the summer.

     10.  To meet degree requirements in four years:

         a) Complete ART 1301 and ART 1303 during the freshman year;

         b) Meet all admission requirements, no later than the first semester of the Sophomore year;

         c) Stay on sequence with ARTC courses and pass all ARTC courses on the first attempt; and

         d) Complete a minimum of 30 hours of coursework per academic year.

Course Requirements

Freshman
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours 
ART 1301 (TCCN ARTS 1311)3ART 1303 (TCCN ARTS 2348)3 
ARTC 13013ARTC 13023 
ARTH 2301 (TCCN ARTS 1303)3ARTC 20000 
US 110021ENG 1320 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1302])3 
ENG 1310 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1301])3ARTH 2302 (TCCN ARTS 1304)3 
 13 12 
Sophomore
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHoursSummerHours
ARTC 23033ARTC 33073ART 2313, DAN 2313, MU 2313, or TH 2313 (Creative Arts Component Code 050 [TCCN HUMA 1315])3
ARTC 23043ARTC 33203American History Component Code 0603
Mathematics Component Code 02033D Studio Art32D Studio Art3
2D Studio Art3American History Component Code 0603Component Area Option Code 0903
 12 12 12
Junior
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHoursSummerHours
ARTC 33013ARTC 33043Advanced ARTC Elective3
ARTC 33033ARTC 43083Advanced ART Elective3
ARTH 331632D Studio Art3Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 0803
Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2306])3
 12 12 12
Senior
Fall SemesterHoursSpring SemesterHours 
Advanced ARTC Electives6ARTC 420012 
Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 0403ARTC 43153 
POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2305])3Advanced ARTC Elective3 
 ENG Literature (Component Area Option Code 090/094) [TCCN ENGL 2322, 2323, 2332, 2333, 2327 or 2328]3 
 12 11 
Total Hours: 120
1

ARTC 4200 is a 2-hour course. Speak with your Academic Advisor prior to junior year if you will need to take more than 11 hours of coursework during the final semester.

2

To complete the minimum 120 hours required for this degree program, students who are not required to take US 1100 and who do not have credit for open elective hours, will need to make up that 1 hour of credit. Only students who are in a PACE Cohort are required to take US 1100.

Course Options

Choose 3 courses in 2D Studio Art from the following:
Photography Foundations I
Beginning Expanded Media (Will be used to meet one course requirement, as either a 2D Studio Art course or a 3D Studio Art course. It will not count in more than one area.)
Beginning Painting
Beginning Printmaking
ARTS 2391
Intermediate Printmaking
Graphic Novels and 'Zines
Any 2D ARTS Topics Course from ARTS 4308 or ARTS 4309
Choose 1 course in 3D Studio Art from the following:
Beginning Expanded Media (Will be used to meet one course requirement, as either a 2D Studio Art course or a 3D Studio Art course. It will not count in more than one area.)
Beginning Ceramics
Beginning Metals
Beginning Sculpture
Any 3D ARTS Topics Course from ARTS 4308 or ARTS 4309
Choose 1 Advanced Art Elective from:
3000-level or 4000-level ARTC, ARTH, ARTS, or ARTT courses which are not otherwise required in the major.
Transfer courses that are evaluated as Advanced Electives (ELADV) in ARTC, ARTH, ARTS and/or ARTT will meet this requirement.
Co-requisites and/or prerequisites will not be waived.
Choose 4 Advanced ARTC Electives from:
3000-level or 4000-level ARTC courses which are not otherwise required in the major.
This requirement can also be completed by a 4000-level capstone research project prior to ARTC 4315.
Co-requisites and/or prerequisites will not be waived.