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Academic Catalog 2021-2022

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  • Studio Art, BFA

Studio Art, BFA

2021-2022 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
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    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
      • School of Architecture
      • Art + Design
        • Art, BA
        • Design, BFA
        • Game Design, BFA
        • Media Arts, BFA
        • Studio Art, BFA
        • Behavioral Neuroscience and Design, BS
        • Business Administration and Design, BS
        • Computer Science and Design, BS
        • Computer Science and Game Development, BS
        • Computer Science and Media Arts, BS
        • Communication Studies and Graphic and Information Design, BA
        • English and Graphic and Information Design, BA
        • Game Art and Animation, BFA
        • Architectural Studies and Design, BS
        • Game Design and Music with Concentration in Music Technology, BS
        • Graphic and Information Design and Mathematics, BS
        • Journalism and Interaction Design, BS
        • Media and Screen Studies and Media Arts, BA
        • Media Arts and Communication Studies, BA
        • Theatre and Interaction Design, BA
        • Theatre and Interaction Design, BS
        • Mechanical Engineering and Design, BSME
        • Animation, Minor
        • Art, Minor
        • Art History, Minor
        • Creative Fabrication, Minor
        • Experience Design, Minor
        • Game Art, Minor
        • Game Design, Minor
        • Graphic and Information Design, Minor
        • Immersive Media, Minor
        • Interaction Design, Minor
        • Photography, Minor
        • Photojournalism, Minor
        • Video Arts, Minor
      • Communication Studies
      • School of Journalism
      • Music
      • Theatre
      • Interdisciplinary
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
    • College of Science
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Faculty
    • Appendix
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

Our Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art is offered in partnership with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (SMFA at Tufts) across Huntington Avenue from our campus. In this major, your studio art classes are taken at the SMFA at Tufts, which allows students to explore a wide range of artistic media, including ceramics, drawing, film, metalsmithing, painting, performance, printing, sculpture, and sound in their extensive studio environments. Our students complete art and design history courses in our department and they have access to all the elective courses, co-op, and study-abroad programs; student resources; and activities that Northeastern students experience. 

The BFA in studio art degree is awarded by Northeastern.

Optional study abroad with University of Arts London, based in the heart of one of the world's creative capitals, London. Students from this program will have the opportunity to spend their second spring semester in London studying fine art at Central Saint Martins.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

University-Wide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

NUpath requirements Interpreting Culture (IC) and Societies and Institutions (SI) are met through the major course requirements.

NUpath requirements Natural and Designed World (ND), Creative Expression/Innovation (EI), Formal and Quantitative Reasoning (FQ), Analyzing and Using Data (AD), Difference and Diversity (DD), and Ethical Reasoning (ER)  must be met through general electives.

Note: The BFA in studio art is a joint degree program offered in collaboration with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (SMFA at Tufts), which is affiliated with Tufts University. Art and design history and general education requirements are offered at Northeastern University, and studio art courses, which are determined in consultation with academic advisers at the SMFA at Tufts, are targeted to each student’s unique program of study.

Art History Requirements for Studio Art

A cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.500 or higher is required for the art history requirements.

Course List
Code Title Hours
Art History Required Courses
ARTH 2210Modern Art and Design History4
ARTH 2211Contemporary Art and Design History4
Art and Design History Electives
Complete three of the following:12
ARCH 1310
Buildings and Cities, A Global History
ARCH 1350
American Architecture
ARCH 2330
Architecture and the City in the Nineteenth Century
ARCH 2340
Modern Architecture
ARTE 2301
The Graphic Novel
ARTE 2500
Art and Design Abroad: Studio
ARTE 2501
Art and Design Abroad: History
ARTE 3901
Art and Design Special Topics
ARTE 4901
Special Topics in Art and Design Studio
ARTH 1100
Interactive Media and Society
ARTH 1110
Global Art and Design History: Ancient to Medieval
ARTH 1111
Global Art and Design History: Renaissance to Modern
ARTH 1400
The Science of Art, the Art of Science
ARTH 2212
Survey of the Still and Moving Image
ARTH 2213
Nineteenth-Century Art
ARTH 5100
Contemporary Art Theory and Criticism
ARTH 5902
Special Topics in Art and Design History
CLTR 1240
Latin American Film
CLTR 1260
Japanese Film
ECON 1281
Economics of the Creative Industries
GAME 1110
Games and Society
MSCR 1220
Media, Culture, and Society
MSCR 2302
Advertising and Promotional Culture
MSCR 2336
American Film and Culture
MSCR 3392
Gender and Film
MSCR 3426
Popular Music as Media Form
MSCR 3600
Film Theory
MSCR 3920
Topics in Film Studies
MUSC 1113
Film Music

Studio Art Courses

Course List
Code Title Hours
Studio Art
Specific courses are targeted to each student’s unique program of study, which is determined in consultation with an academic adviser at SMFA at Tufts and CAMD. Optional credits for London study abroad or SMFA at Tufts. These courses generally have the following course number:68
SMFA 3000
Museum of Fine Arts Studio (4 to 12 SH)
Optional London study abroad for fine art at Central Saint Martins, University of Arts London. Complete the following:
ARTS 3510
Studio Practice and Exhibition
ARTS 3520
Critical Disclosures
ARTS 3530
Studio Practice, Cross-Pathway, and External Projects
Senior thesis is a self-directed studio practice and exhibition under consultation of senior thesis faculty at SMFA at Tufts. These courses are generally in the SMFA subject area.8
Senior Thesis Capstone
SMFA 4000
Museum of Fine Arts Capstone

Studio Art Major Credit Requirement

Complete 96 semester hours in the major.

Program Requirement

136 total semester hours required

Sample Four Years, Two Co-ops Plan of Study

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ARTF 10001SMFA 300010Elective4Vacation0
SMFA 300010ARTH 22104Elective4 
ENGW 11114ENGW 11114  
Art history elective4   
 19 18 8 0
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
SMFA 300010Co-op0Co-op0Elective4
SMFA 30004  Elective4
ARTH 22114   
EEAM 20101   
 19 0 0 8
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
SMFA 300010Co-op0Co-op0Elective4
SMFA 30004ENGW 3314 (Online)4 Elective4
Art history elective4   
 18 4 0 8
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
SMFA 300010SMFA 300010  
SMFA 40004SMFA 40004  
Art history elective4Elective4  
 18 18  
Total Hours: 138

Notes: 

Optional study abroad with University of Arts London, based at the heart of one of the world's creative capitals, London. Students from this program will have the opportunity to spend their second spring semester in London studying fine art at Central Saint Martins.

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