have graduated or will graduate from high school with a minimum 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale
have earned a minimum ACT composite of 18 or SAT equivalent (minimum SAT score range of 860-890 when combining Critical Reading plus Math)
must meet the minimum high school subject requirements of 4 years of English, 3 years of Math, 2 years of Lab Sciences, 2 years of Social Sciences, 2 years of Fine Arts or 2 years of a Foreign Language and 2 years of Elective Academic Units
Applicants are required to submit official high school transcript(s) and official ACT or SAT score reports (if younger than 21 years old), or official GED. Final high school transcripts must be submitted after graduating or freshman applicants will be unable to begin courses.
English requirements
The IELTS minimum acceptable score is 6.0
International students should have TOEFL score 500 on paper based with 53 on reading, 54 on writing, 53 on Listening, 173 on computer based with 20 on reading, 21 on writing, 19 on Listening and IBT score of 68 with 19 on reading, 16 on writing, 18 on Listening and 15 on speaking.
Explore the coursework, career options, and lifelong skills you’ll receive with a BFA from Governors State University. Take steps toward your dream of becoming a professional artist or find out how creative and design skills can serve you in another career. Launch your career and ignite your passion at GSU.
There’s something immeasurably rewarding about the study, practice, and creation of art. This essential part of modern society encourages introspection, sparks joy, and reminds communities of special moments in history. Join artistic movements in your community or around the world to help shape the way individuals, groups, and countries think about themselves and communicate with others. Explore the career options of a professional in the art industry or find out how your degree can help you foster real-world skills in other industries.
Art does not only enrich individual lives—it is essential to the health of any society, as it is practiced and experienced collectively. Governors State’s Bachelor of Fine Arts offers an interdisciplinary approach in the visual arts with concentrations in Studio Arts or Film, allowing students to explore and create within the discipline of their interests. Moreover, the GSU campus is located within the internationally renowned Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park. This “museum in the prairie” serves as a living laboratory for the union of art, nature, and university life.
With coursework in art history, ceramics, drawing, digital imaging, film, graphic design, glass, painting, printmaking, photography, and sculpture, students are free to explore one or several disciplines as they begin to formulate their individual vision. And in the senior year, BFA students conclude their studies by presenting a senior project of their creative work, which provides an opportunity to share the visual result and evidence of their creative investigations and research.
Studying art at GSU means an immersive experience that helps you hone your talents while also giving you a breadth of knowledge. We offer plenty of studio opportunities to practice your craft in a welcoming space. Every artist needs tools, so find a studio that has the raw materials you need.
The program covers courses including non-Western art, film, drawing, painting, photography, and other aspects of Fine Art. Some courses are required to build a substantial foundation of art knowledge and experience, while others are elective. Customize your coursework with electives that point you toward your career goals and expand your knowledge of subjects you’re passionate about.
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General Education Requirements (37 Hours)
Art Foundation (15 Hours)
For All Students:
ART - 1210 Two-Dimensional Design (3)
ART - 1211 Three-Dimensional Design (3)
For Studio Arts:
ART - 1110 Survey of Art History I (3)
ART - 1111 Survey of Art History II (3)
ART - 1300 Introduction to Drawing (3)
For Film Arts:
IFDI - 1101 Film Appreciation (3)
IFDI - 2908 Film History (3)
FILM - 2909 Film History II: American Independent Film (3)
Core Art Requirements: (36 Hours)
Required (9 Hours)
For All Students:
ART - 3099 Art Seminar: Concepts and Practice (3)
For Studio Arts:
ART - 2304 Intermediate Drawing (3)
ART - 3104 Modern to Contemporary Art History (3)
For Film:
IFDI - 1910 Film And Literature (3)
IFDI - 4040 Film Seminar: (3)
Application Courses (18 Hours)
Studio Arts
Select six of the following courses:
ART - 2200 Introduction to Painting (3)
ART - 2330 Sketchbook and Field Study Drawing
ART - 2400 Introduction to Digital Photography (3)
ART - 2401 Introduction to Traditional Photography (3)
ART - 2450 Introduction to Graphic Design (3)
ART - 2500 Introduction to Sculpture (3)
ART - 2600 Introduction to Glass: Stained Glass (3)
ART - 2700 Introduction to Ceramics: Handbuilding (3)
ART - 2701 Introduction to Ceramics: Wheel Throwing (3)
ART - 2800 Introduction to Printmaking (3)
ART - 2811 Introduction to Screen Printing (3)
ART-2900 Introduction to Film Production
Film Arts
Select six of the following courses:
ART - 1300 Introduction to Drawing (3)
ART - 2400 Introduction to Digital Photography (3)
ART - 2401 Introduction to Traditional Photography (3)
ART - 2450 Introduction to Graphic Design (3)
FILM - 2702 Digital Film Production I (3)
FILM - 2703 Digital Film Production II (3)
FILM - 2731 Screenwriting (3)
FILM - 3734 Video Editing (3)
Art History (9 Hours)
Select three of the following courses (may substitute a 4XXX level course for one of the following):
ART - 3101 Survey of Non-Western Art (3)
ART - 3102 Worlds of Art (3)
ART - 3103 Women in Art (3)
ART - 3104 Modern to Contemporary Art History (3)
ART - 3105 Gender and Sexuality in Art (3)
ART - 3106 Sculpture Parks and Public Art (3)
ART - 3107 Survey of Asian Art (3)
ART - 3307 Art Images of Social Justice Movements (3)
ART - 3314 American Art: Diverse Views (3)
IFDI - 2908 Film History (3)
Junior Requirements (18 Hours)
For Studio Art - Selectives must be taken at the 3XXX level or above.
For Film Art - Selectives must be taken at the 3XXX level or above in FILM, IFDI, ART, or MCOM.
Senior Requirements: (13 Hours)
ART - 4980 Senior Project (3) (co-register for 1 credit per 3 faculty members).
ART - 4981 Senior Project Workshop (1)
For Studio Arts - Select 9 hours of Studio Art Selectives at the 4XXX level;
For Film Arts - Select 9 hours of courses at the 4XXX level in FILM, IFDI, ART, or MCOM.
Independent Studies must be selected through consultation with the program advisor and they must be a different topic if used multiple times to meet degree requirements;
Students wishing to emphasize in a Studio/Art History hybrid may substitute 3XXX and 4XXX Studio Requirements
with 3XXX and 4XXX Art History courses, with advisor approval;
Art courses up to 75 hours may be transferred based on portfolio review only;
A second portfolio review must be performed successfully before enrollment in the Art Program capstone course ART - 4980 Senior Project (3).
Electives (1 Hour)
Total - 120 Hours
Reach Your Career Goals
A BFA prepares visual artists with an emphasis on the lifelong production of professional creative work. Graduates who continue to produce often go on to build a professional exhibition record, showing in galleries and museums, while others choose to enter careers utilizing skills developed in the program, such as entrepreneurship, critical thinking, marketing, and problem-solving. Advanced study at the master’s and Master of Fine Arts level is also common, especially for students interested in teaching at the university level.
Fine artists work in a range of careers to provide stunning products using various media. Whether you’re passionate about painting, sculpting, drawing, or digital designs, an art degree from Governors State University can give you the training and professional connections you need to succeed.
Your coursework will dive into principles of art design, criticism, history, and an in-depth practice in your chosen medium. Spend time in a fully equipped studio practicing your craft and participate in lively discussions about what it means to be an artist in the modern world.
Teaching art at the university level is an incredibly rewarding experience. Use your knowledge and abilities to not only practice your craft but also train up a new generation of passionate artists and art advocates. A BFA from GSU is a stepping stone to a career in art in Chicago, the United States, and around the world.
