BFA IN ILLUSTRATION
2023-2024 | Curriculum | 4-year program
In the first year of the program, sophomores focus on developing both creative intelligence and technical facility. Courses in illustrative problem solving help nurture original thinking and conceptual clarity, while classes in drawing and painting strengthen basic image-making skills. Juniors choose among a broad range of electives in both traditional and digital media, along with image formulation for specific professional applications. Professional internships and independent study projects are also encouraged.
FOUNDATION YEAR | ||||||||
FALL | WINTERSESSION | SPRING | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | 3 | 15 | ||||||
SOPHOMORE | ||||||||
FALL | WINTERSESSION | SPRING | ||||||
Visual Thinking | 3 | Non-major Studio Elective or Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | Visual Strategies | 3 | |||
Drawing 1: Visualizing Space | 3 | Drawing 2: The Articulate Figure | 3 | |||||
Painting 1: Color Perception and Expression | 3 | Painting 2: Observation and Imagination | 3 | |||||
History of Illustration [b] or Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | History of Illustration [a] or Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | |||||
Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | |||||||
Total CREDITS | 15 | Total CREDITS | 3 | Total CREDITS | 12 | |||
JUNIOR | ||||||||
FALL | WINTERSESSION | SPRING | ||||||
Major Elective(s) [a] | 6 | Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | Major Elective(s) [a] | 6 | |||
Computer Literacy Requirement [c] | 3 | Illustration Concepts [d] | 3 | |||||
Non-major Studio Elective [a] | 3 | Liberal Arts [a] | 6 | |||||
Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | |||||||
Total CREDITS | 15 | Total CREDITS | 3 | Total CREDITS | 15 | |||
Senior | ||||||||
FALL | WINTERSESSION | SPRING | ||||||
Major Elective(s) [a] | 9 | Non-major Studio Elective [a] | 3 | Senior Portfolio | 3 | |||
Non-major Studio Elective [a] | 3 | Major Elective(s) [a] | 6 | |||||
Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | Liberal Arts [a] | 3 | |||||
total CREDITS | 15 | total CREDITS | 3 | total CREDITS | 12 | |||
Total Credits: 126 | ||||||||
Notes:
[a] Choose a Liberal Arts, Major or Non-Major Studio Elective, depending on unfulfilled degree requirements and class availability.
[b] Sophomores will be registered by the Illustration Department in the required History of Illustration in Fall or Spring. The History of Illustration partially fulfills the requirements for Liberal Arts Electives (LAEL).
[c] Students must complete a Computer Literacy Requirement in order to graduate with a degree in Illustration. Students may choose from the following classes to fulfill the Computer Literacy Requirement. Please note not all courses are offered each year:
ILLUS-3300 Merging Worlds
ILLUS-3304 Introduction to Digital Illustration
ILLUS-3306 Intermediate Digital Illustration+
ILLUS-3308 Advanced Digital Painting+ (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3310 Advanced Digital Projects
ILLUS-3316 Type in Motion
ILLUS-3320 Digital 3D for Illustrators
ILLUS-3328 Character & Environ. Design for 3D Gaming
ILLUS-3342 Virtual Reality Design for Palliative Care (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3340 Virtual Reality Design for Science (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3346 Augmented Design
ILLUS-3408 Illustrator as Designer
ILLUS-3412 Words, Images and Ideas (may count for either requirement but not both) (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3590 The Changing Narrative (may count for either requirement but not both)
ILLUS-3934 A Beautiful Corner
ILLUS-4402 WKSHP: Maya Basics*
ILLUS-4404 WKSHP: Z-Brush Sculpting and Illustration*
ILLUS-4406 WKSHP: Introduction to Game Engines*
*Must take three (3) 1-credit workshops to fulfill this requirement. Certain digital workshops in Graphic Design and Industrial Design may be combined with Illustration workshops to meet the Computer Literacy Requirement.
+ See course description for prerequisites
[d] The Illustration Concepts requirement is fulfilled by taking one of these classes. Please note not all courses are offered each year:
ILLUS-3000 Editorial Illustration
ILLUS-3004 Contemporary Illustration
ILLUS-3012 Style and Substance
ILLUS-3016 New York, New York(er)
ILLUS-3026 Stereotypes and Paradigms (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3028 Traditions, Trappings, Culture, Kitsch (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3032 XXXY
ILLUS-3036 What’s Your Story?
ILLUS-3040 Play at Work (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3046 Myth and Metaphor
ILLUS-3048 Voice + Vision (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3052 Animalia
ILLUS-3054 The Visual Essay
ILLUS-3104 Visible Cities
ILLUS-3400 Image Design
ILLUS-3412 Words, Images and Ideas (may count for Concept Elective or Digital requirement but not both) (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3590 The Changing Narrative (may count for Concept Elective or Digital requirement but not both)
ILLUS-3604 Cover to Cover
ILLUS-3632 Making Play: Games (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-3638 Picturing Sound: Music + Illustration
ILLUS-3912 Art of Communicating Science (not offered 2023 – 2024)
ILLUS-4014 Of Isms and Illustrations (not offered 2023 – 2024)
All Sophomores undergo a mandatory review during the Spring semester. Failure to undergo Sophomore Review will result in revoked privileges in subsequent semesters.
All Illustration majors are required to take Senior Portfolio in Spring of their Senior year.
Seniors have the option of undertaking a Senior Degree Project with the supervision of a full-time or part- time faculty member. The Degree Project Proposal must be approved by the department head in advance of registration, with the deadline coinciding with the published ISP/CSP deadline. Only projects with unusual merit and evidence of thorough preparation are approved.
Consult your Academic Advisor, the Liberal Arts Office or the Registrar for additional information.