Studio Art

The Honors Tutorial College studio art program of study balances a commitment to breadth and rigor with an opportunity for self-disciplined and highly motivated students to explore fundamental and cutting-edge issues creatively. There are two degree options within this program of study: a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).

The BA program in Studio Art is a four-year program which requires students to take a tutorial each term, along with two years of a language, collateral studies and upper-division studio courses. This enables students to acquire the full range of skills necessary to successfully continue in graduate study. Students will have excellent opportunities for intensive study with the studio artists in the School of Art. The senior year culminates with a written thesis and a BA exhibit. The BA is preferable for students who do not wish to specialize in one area or who are interested in working in areas outside the School of Art as well, such as in creative writing, theater, dance and music.

In addition, students are expected to apply to one of the six fine arts areas in the School of Art: Printmaking, Photography, Ceramics, Painting, Sculpture, or Graphic Design at the end of their sophomore year. Upper division classes and tutorials will be concentrated in the area in which the student is earning the BFA. This enables students to acquire the full range of skills necessary to successfully continue in graduate study. Students will have excellent opportunities for intensive study with the studio artists in the School of Art. The senior year culminates with a written thesis and a BFA exhibit. Students in the BFA option are expected to have more substantial work in order to produce a portfolio for application to an MFA program.

Program Goals

Tutorials during the first two years have fixed content. The tutorials in the first year cover general knowledge of art history but through a more intense and in-depth experience than would otherwise be available to students. HTC studio art students are not required to take the art history survey classes. Second year tutorials focus on studio areas covered by studio professors. This exposes students to a wide variety of contemporary studio practice.

In the third year, one tutorial concentrating on contemporary studio practice is required. Students then decide on a topic for the written thesis/BA exhibition and begin research through a review of the literature on the topic. This is followed by a proposal for the written thesis/BA exhibition in an interdisciplinary arts context (students might combine two areas within the School of Art or painting and theater stage design, for example) that will become the focus of the students’ tutorials in the remainder of the third year and throughout the fourth.

Tutorials and courses in the fourth year enable students to pursue areas within their specialization in depth. Students use tutorials to develop a body of work for the BA exhibition and write a thesis based on original research that is related to their artistic interests. The written portion of the BA thesis is expected to be more in-depth than that of the BFA thesis.

BFA in Studio Art: Tutorials during the first two years have fixed content. Tutorials in the first year cover general knowledge of art history but through a more intense and in-depth experience than would otherwise be available to students. HTC BFA studio art students are not required to take the art history survey classes. Second year tutorials focus on studio areas covered by studio professors. This exposes students to a wide variety of contemporary studio practice. Students who wish to pursue the BFA in studio arts will also apply for an area of concentration at this time.

In the third year, one tutorial concentrating on contemporary studio practice is required. Students then decide on a topic for the written thesis/BFA exhibition and begin research through a review of the literature on the topic. This is followed by a proposal for the written thesis/BFA exhibition in an area of specialization that will become the focus of the students’ tutorials in the remainder of the third year and throughout the fourth. Tutorials and courses in the fourth year will enable students to pursue areas within their specialization in depth. Students use their tutorials to develop a body of work for the BFA exhibition and write a thesis based on original research that is related to their artistic interests.

Eligibility

Applicants are selected on the basis of superior academic ability, the potential for self-motivated study and research and a superior portfolio that must include at least 20 images/actual works, including 5 drawings done from life, 5-10 objects (or images of the objects) that display the applicant’s ability to think and work conceptually and technically, and 5 images of the applicant’s choice. Applicants must submit an initial portfolio in electronic format for review with their HTC application. If selected for an interview, applicants are required to bring a portfolio that includes images and actual work. A high school class rank in the upper 10%, high scores on standardized tests ( a minimum 30 ACT, 1300 SAT) and a personal interview with the Director of Studies in Studio Art are all required for entry.

Requirements

BA: 
Tutorials: 12 tutorials: 3 general surveys of art history; 4 studio-specific tutorials; 5 thesis related tutorials.  
Foreign Language: 2 years of foreign language 
Art History Courses: 4 art history upper-division courses, 1 each of western, nonwestern and theory. 1-2 internship courses: AH 468 
Studio Courses: 12+ upper division and studio courses 
Collateral Courses approved by the Director of Studies 
Freshman English 
Junior Composition 
HTC Freshman Seminar 
Thesis comprised of exhibition and written component

BFA: 
Tutorials: 12 tutorials: 3 general surveys of art history; 4 studio-specific tutorials; 5 thesis related tutorials. 
Art History Courses: 4 art history upper-division courses, 1 contemporary, 1 contemporary non-western, and 2 theory 
Studio Courses: 12+ upper division and graduate level studio courses 
Collateral Courses approved by the Director of Studies 
Freshman English 
Junior Composition 
HTC Freshman Seminar 
Thesis completed in topic area approved by the Studio committee comprised of an exhibition and written component

Evaluation and Grading

The Director of Studies consults with tutors about progress, strengths and weaknesses, so that the subsequent tutorials can address problems and build on strengths. Tutors determine specific evaluation criteria and assignments, and students receive letter grades consistent with the university grading system.

Tutors complete quarterly course evaluations and descriptions of students’ work which are a part of students’ official academic record. All Honors Tutorial College students have a progress review spring semester of the first and penultimate years.

Further Information

For further information, contact:

Vincent Wojtas
Director of Studies 
Studio Art Program of Study 
Ohio University 
Grover Center W321A
Athens, OH  45701 
(740) 593-4492
wojtas@ohio.edu