Fine Arts
Associate of Fine Arts
Transfer Major
Decisions on the transferability of courses are made by the four-year colleges and differ from school to school. Students enrolled in this major should contact the Transfer Services Office early in their academic program to determine which courses will transfer to the college of their choice.
Arts Department
Hicks Art Center • Phone (215) 968-8425
Curriculum code No. 1001
Students interested in Fine Arts at Bucks need to meet with a Visual Arts faculty member for advising.
The Fine Arts major is designed to serve the fine arts major and the general college student. The major equips the art student with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary for further training in a four-year professional or liberal arts institution and develops mastery of arts, crafts, and design in the student whose formal education ends after two years at the College.
All full-time students entering as Fine Arts majors are required to schedule a portfolio review. In the absence of a portfolio, students will schedule an assessment interview for placement purposes. An art advisor will help select the appropriate sequence of courses.
For the non-art major many electives in art require no pre-requisite or portfolio evaluation.
Graduates of this program are able to
- demonstrate an understanding of the methods and materials associated with drawing, two-dimensional design, and three-dimensional design;
- use traditional and new media to begin to explore and express their own creative voice;
- read about, write about, and analyze art and art history using basic research, critical thinking skills, and a visual arts vocabulary; and
- prepare and present a formal, professional-quality portfolio of work which may be used to apply for admission to a four-year college.*
* In preparing and presenting a portfolio in VAFA250, students currently need an array of digital skills, such as, but not limited to, media capture, manipulation, and presentation. Students take at least one required digital course (e.g. VAMM100, VAPH110, or VACV140) and then reinforce/develop their digital skills across the major. Essential digital competencies associated with portfolio preparation and presentation will be assessed within this course.
Note: Studio courses can be expensive. Lab Fees may be required .
Degree Course Requirements*
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| COLL101 College Success Seminar | 1 |
| COMP110 English Composition I A,H,2,10 | 3 |
| COMP111 English Composition II H,2,4,10 | 3 |
| VAFA100 Drawing I 1 | 3 |
| VAFA101 2-D Design Fundamentals | 3 |
| VAFA102 3-D Design Fundamentals | 3 |
| VAFA103 Drawing II H | 3 |
| VAFA104 2-D Design Color H | 3 |
| VAFA105 3-D Design Materials/Modeling H | 3 |
| VAFA202 Figure Drawing H | 3 |
| VAFA250 Fine Arts and Design Portfolio Studio H,5,9 | 3 |
| Social Science/Diversity B,3,8 | 3 |
| Art History C,H,1 | 6 |
| Elective G | 3 |
| Math/Science A,D,6,7 | 3/4 |
| Digital Elective E | 3 |
| Studio Electives F | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 61/62 |
Recommended Semester Sequence
The recommended course sequence is designed for full- time students who average l5 credit hours per semester. Students may need more time to complete major requirements based on placement testing. This additional time will entail some adjustments to the sequence recommended.
First Semester
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| COLL101 College Success Seminar | 1 |
| VAFA100 Drawing I 1 | 3 |
| VAFA101 2-D Design Fundamentals | 3 |
| VAFA102 3-D Design Fundamentals | 3 |
| COMP110 English Composition I A,H,10 | 3 |
| Art History C,H,1 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 16 |
Second Semester
| Course | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| VAFA103 Drawing II H | 3 |
|
| VAFA104 2-D Design Color H | 3 |
|
| VAFA105 3-D Design Materials/Modeling H | 3 |
|
| COMP111 English Composition II H,2,4,10 | 3 |
|
| Art History C,H,1 | 3 |
|
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
Third Semester
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| VAFA202 Figure Drawing H | 3 |
| Math/Science A,D,6,7 | 3/4 |
| Digital Elective E | 3 |
| Studio Elective F | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15/16 |
Fourth Semester
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| VAFA250 Fine Arts and Design Portfolio StudioH,5,9 | 3 |
| Elective G | 3 |
| Social Science/Diversity B,3,8 | 3 |
| Studio Elective F | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
A Placement testing required.
B Any of the following may be chosen: COMM111, ECON111, GEOG110, MUSC103, POLI111, PSYC110, SOCI110, SOCI120.
C Any of the following may be chosen: VAFA191, VAFA192, VAFA193.
D Any of the following may be chosen: SCIE101, SCIE102, SCIE104, CHEM101.
E Any of the following may be chosen: VAMM100, VAPH110, VAMM130, VACV140.
F Any 3-credit studio course with the prefix of VAFA, VACV, VAGD, VAPH, VAFW, and/or VAMM may be selected.
G Any college-level course may be chosen..
H Course requires prerequisite and/or co-requisite.
1 Satisfies Arts/Humanities.
2 Satisfies Critical Thinking.
3 Satisfies Diversity.
4 Satisfies Information Literacy.
5 Satisfies Oral Communication.
6 Satisfies Quantitative Literacy.
7 Satisfies Scientific Literacy.
8 Satisfies Social Sciences.
9 Satisfies Technological Competence.
10 Satisfies Writing.
Credits exceeding the required minimum cannot be used to satisfy required credits in other course requirements.