Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Major in Communication Design
Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours
Admission Requirements
- 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.
- 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:
- A minimum Overall GPA of 2.75
- A passing grade of "CR" in ARTC 2000
- A minimum grade of "B" in ARTC 1301
- A minimum grade of "B" in ARTC 1302
General Requirements
- The major is a three-and-a-half year, sequenced curriculum that requires a minimum three-year residency at Texas State.
- All Communication Design (ARTC) courses must be completed at Texas State.
- 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 Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours | ||
| ART 1301 (TCCN ARTS 1311) | 3 | ART 1303 (TCCN ARTS 2348) | 3 | ||
| ARTC 1301 | 3 | ARTC 1302 | 3 | ||
| ARTH 2301 (TCCN ARTS 1303) | 3 | ARTC 2000 | 0 | ||
| US 11002 | 1 | ENG 1320 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1302]) | 3 | ||
| ENG 1310 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1301]) | 3 | ARTH 2302 (TCCN ARTS 1304) | 3 | ||
| 13 | 12 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| ARTC 2303 | 3 | ARTC 3307 | 3 | ART 2313, DAN 2313, MU 2313, or TH 2313 (Creative Arts Component Code 050 [TCCN HUMA 1315]) | 3 |
| ARTC 2304 | 3 | ARTC 3320 | 3 | American History Component Code 060 | 3 |
| Mathematics Component Code 020 | 3 | 3D Studio Art | 3 | 2D Studio Art | 3 |
| 2D Studio Art | 3 | American History Component Code 060 | 3 | Component Area Option Code 090 | 3 |
| 12 | 12 | 12 | |||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| ARTC 3301 | 3 | ARTC 3304 | 3 | Advanced ARTC Elective | 3 |
| ARTC 3303 | 3 | ARTC 4308 | 3 | Advanced ART Elective | 3 |
| ARTH 3316 | 3 | 2D Studio Art | 3 | Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 080 | 3 |
| Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 030 | 3 | Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 030 | 3 | POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2306]) | 3 |
| 12 | 12 | 12 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours | ||
| Advanced ARTC Electives | 6 | ARTC 42001 | 2 | ||
| Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 040 | 3 | ARTC 4315 | 3 | ||
| POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2305]) | 3 | Advanced ARTC Elective | 3 | ||
| 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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 3 courses in 2D Studio Art from the following: | ||
| Photography Foundations I | ||
| Expanded Media I (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.) | ||
| Painting I | ||
| Introduction to Printmaking: Screen and Relief | ||
| Watercolor I | ||
| Introduction to Printmaking: Intaglio and Lithography | ||
| Graphic Novels and 'Zines | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 1 course in 3D Studio Art from the following: | ||
| Expanded Media I (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.) | ||
| Ceramics I | ||
| Metals I | ||
| Sculpture I | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | ||
