The Department of Art & Design has four comprehensive undergraduate degrees and a minor in art.

The undergraduate programs include:

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is a professional degree program that prepares the student for competency in art and art-related careers and provides opportunities for further in-depth research and study in art and design. The various studio art programs consist of courses in the disciplines of: foundations/design
, all levels of drawing & figure drawing, 
ceramics, 
graphic design, illustration & web design, painting / mixed media, jewelry / metalsmithing, 
photography, 
printmaking, 
sculpture, art history and art criticism, gallery operations and more. Students enrolled in this Bachelor of Fine Arts degree are expected to develop the knowledge, skills, concepts, and sensitivities essential to the professional life of the artist or designer. In any of many possible roles, the professional must exhibit not only technical competence, but also broad knowledge of art and design, the ability to integrate knowledge and skills, and an insight into the role of art and design in intellectual and cultural life. 

In addition to the foundations courses, the BFA requires 24 hours of art studio major curriculum, professional preparation and senior exhibition classes, 9 hours of art history and 27 hours of art studio electives which includes up to 9 hours of additional coursework in art history.

The BFA with a major in Art is a comprehensive degree, which focuses on a common body of knowledge and skills in art studio and art history coursework. This is a 120-hour degree program.

Interior design addresses the visual, technical, and aesthetic aspects of inhabited spaces. Interior design services involve the integration of art and design concepts; space analysis and planning; and knowledge of materials, furnishings, and construction to produce finished interior environments that interpret and serve the specific needs of a client. This degree curriculum focuses on the standards for professional interior design programs established by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

The BFA ID major is designed to offer learning opportunities structured to prepare the student for a variety of careers in the interior design profession or for graduate school. Students interested in this major are advised that the degree requires six major studios, which must be taken in sequence, one per semester. The program of study includes a required internship to be taken in the summer after the completion of 90 hours. Students should plan to be advised in the Department of Art & Design as soon as they identify an interest in this major. Students must apply to be admitted to the major based on a spring semester portfolio review of Area F courses and as Department of Art & Design resources permit.

All students, including transfer students, must have an overall grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale after completion of 30 semester hours of college credit. This is a 120-hour degree program.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Major in Art Education prepares students for Teacher Certification, grades P-12. The program is designed to prepare professional art educators with knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to be successful in an array of potential career choices, from the art classroom to a museum education setting to graduate school. 

National accrediting agencies include the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teachers Education, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The National Art Education Association provides program standards, curricular guidelines, and assessment tools that help to insure a quality program in art education. Students in the program must meet all criteria published in the Catalog as established by the College of Education and the College of the Arts. The degree program consists of 129 hours of course work and requires that the student carry 17 hours for seven of the eight semesters in school and/ or take 12 hours in summer school to graduate within a four-year period. 

Professional Art Education courses are to be taken in sequence, and a minimum grade point average of 2.75 must be maintained throughout the program. A grade of “C” or better must be earned in the required English courses and in all art, art education, and education courses in the professional sequence. Certification depends on passing the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators exam (GACE Content Assessments), which must be taken prior to the student teaching semester. All course work must be completed before a candidate begins the student teaching semester. This is a 129-hour degree program.

This liberal arts degree with a major in art enables students to develop the range of knowledge, skills, and competencies expected of those holding a liberal arts baccalaureate degree in art. This degree differs from the Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in that it allows the flexibility to design a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum that may include a minor outside of art. Ultimately, the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Art degree is a versatile degree for art students interested in foreign languages and in investigating subjects outside of art.

Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree must meet all requirements set by the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of the Arts, including a foreign language sequence (6 hours or 2 courses, see catalog requirements). In addition to the required art studio and art history requirements (54 total hours), the BA degree offers flexibility in course work with 6-18 hours of electives in art studio or art history and 6-18 hours in guided electives outside of art (6 of the hours outside of art must be comprised of course work at the 3000- or 4000- level). These two areas should total 24 hours of credit.

The BA with a major in Art may be an appropriate selection for a transfer student or a change of major, whereas the student may have accumulated many credit hours at another institution or in another degree program. The BA degree may be able to utilize some of those hours already completed. The BA degree may be the appropriate degree choice for students who are interested in preparing for advanced specialized degree programs. This is a 120-hour degree program.

The minor in art is designed for students with an interest in art or art history who do not wish to pursue a degree program in one of these areas of inquiry. Note: Most ART and ARTH courses have prerequisites (see current catalog). The art student MUST take one of the following course options: ART 1100 - Introduction to the Visual Arts, ARTH 2121 - Art History Survey I, or ARTH 2122 - Art History Survey II. Most ART, ARTH and ARED courses have prerequisites which count towards the art minor. Art minors require 15 semester hours of course work, with at least 12 hours from courses numbered 3xxx or above. Courses taken to satisfy Core Areas A through F may not be counted as coursework in the minor. Courses taken in Core Area F may be counted as coursework in the minor, if departmental policies allow. A grade of “C” or better must be earned in each course comprising the minor, and all prerequisites for specific upper division courses must be met.

The BFA degrees with majors in art, interior design, and art education are professional degrees. The goal of the professional programs is to develop the knowledge, skills, concepts, and sensitivities essential to the professional life of an artist, designer, or educator, and to prepare students for a variety of occupations or further educational experiences.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in art enables students to develop the range of knowledge, skills, and competencies expected of those holding a liberal arts baccalaureate degree with a major in art and allows the flexibility to design a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum with an optional minor outside of art. The BA in art may lead to graduate school or develop into entrepreneurial careers in the visual arts. 6 hours of foreign language is required.

The Minor in Art is designed for students with an interest in art or art history who do not wish to pursue an undergraduate degree.

Each program of study has a sequentially based curriculum beginning the first semester of the freshman year, which includes foundation courses leading to advanced courses. Students should plan to be advised in the Department of Art & Design as soon as they identify an interest in an art degree program. Students who delay entering the major until completion of the Core Curriculum may prolong their academic careers. Students in each program have the opportunity to pursue in-depth study in one or more disciplines taught in the department. Some upper-division courses may be repeated for advanced content to allow further development within the discipline. Studies, practice, and experiences in studio subjects are of prime importance in the preparation of students for professional careers in art and design. Studio courses are scheduled as double period classes, and students are expected to work in area studios during scheduled class sessions and outside of class. A studio materials fee is assessed for studio classes at the time of registration, and the individual purchase of art materials is required for many studio courses. All majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in all foundation classes (Area F), professional, and major classes. Thirty-nine semester hours must be earned at the 3000-level or above in each degree program. An understanding of safety and proper studio practices is considered essential for the practicing professional and is emphasized in all studio courses. All students must participate in a safety orientation and pass a safety exam before taking studio courses in the major. The orientation and exam are part of the course content in foundations classes. Transfer students must participate in supplemental safety orientation sessions and pass the safety exam during their first semester in the department.

Valdosta State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

** All of the degree programs require 18 hours of Area F - Foundations coursework including: 
2D Design & 3D Design, Drawing 1 & Drawing 2, Computers in Art, and Art History Survey.

Art Degree Links

Students are encouraged to read the Valdosta State University undergraduate catalog to obtain current detailed information which pertains to the Department of Art & Design and the degrees offered. See the links below.