Ceramics
Ceramics
Student Built Fast Fire Wood Kiln
The ceramics department offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of building techniques from hand-built sculptural construction and throwing on a potter's wheel to making plaster molds and slip casting. The students achieve a technical understanding of the material by mixing their own clays and glazes and firing a variety of kilns. Students are simultaneously encouraged to experiment and to develop their visual and conceptual skills.
The art department has a fully equipped ceramics studio with materials that allow for making and firing every type of clay body from earthenware to porcelain. There are multiple electric kilns plus two gas kilns, one large enough for single pieces up to 4 feet tall, and a recently built wood kiln. There is at least one nationally or internationally known visiting artist per year on a rotating schedule of potters, sculptors and slip casters, often these are linked to an exhibition of the artists work in the UCA Baum Gallery. Recent visitors include Justin Novak, Lisa Orr, Jeff Oestrich, Tony Hepburn, Tomio Fujita, Heather Alexander, Jeannie Hulan, Adam Posnak, Edie Tsong, and Gina Bobroski.
The studio atmosphere is one of exploration, excitement, hard work and fun. Many topics are covered, from the technical; mixing our own clays and glazes and firing a range of kilns at a variety of temperatures, to the conceptual; idea based projects that push students to think deeply and creatively about their reasons for making and their aesthetic choices. There is an active Clay Club which students who have taken ceramics are encouraged to join.
Degree Requirements
Core Curriculum
Core (18 hours)
These four classes are required:
-ART 1310 Design I, 2-D Offered fall, spring, summer
-ART 1321 Drawing I Offered fall, spring, summer
-ART 2312 Design II, 3-D Offered fall, spring
-ART 2322 Drawing II, Life Offered fall, spring
Plus 6 hours from the following:
-ART 2325 Asian Art Survey Offered fall
-ART 2335 Art History, Ancient Offered fall, spring
-ART 2336 Art History, Renaissance-Modern Offered fall, spring
Area Studies (17 hours)
Area studies requirements -ART 3324; 3 hours 3000-level art history; 3 hours from Category A; 3 hours from Category B; 3 hours from Category A or B or ART 3304; and ART 2140 and ART 3140. BFA students and BA art education emphasis students must complete Sculpture I or Ceramics I in Category A.
-ART 3324 Drawing III, Advanced Life Drawing Offered spring
Prerequisites: Art 1310, 1321, and 2322
-ART 2140 Portfolio Assessment Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 1310, 1321, 2312, 2322;
3 hours from 2325, 2335, 2336
-ART 3140 Portfolio Assessment II Offered spring
Prerequisite: ART 2140
-Three hours from Category A and three from Category B
Category A:
ART 3361 Sculpture I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3379 Ceramics I Offered fall, spring
Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3000-level Art History (see list below)
Category B:
ART 3318 Photography I Offered fall, spring
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3330 Illustration I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3332 Painting I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3334 Watercolor I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3353 Graphic Design I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
ART 3343 Printmaking I Offered spring
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
-Three more hours from category A or category B, OR
ART 3304 Introduction to Art Education Offered spring
Prerequisites: ART 1310 or 2312, 1321
-Three hours 3000-level art history (choose 3 hours from the following):
ART 3301 Modern Art Offered fall
ART 3302 History of American Art Offered spring
ART 3303 Nineteenth Century Art History Offered spring
ART 3307 Arts of Africa Offered spring, odd years
ART 3311 Ancient South American Art Offered spring
ART 3329 Ancient Mesoamerican Art Offered spring, even years
ART 3335 Art Museum Studies Offered fall
ART 3365 Women in Art Offered fall
ART 3385 Art of India Offered on demand
ART 3395 Art of Japan Offered on demand
BFA Major in Studio Art
Students must complete the 35 hours of core and area studies (see above), and add 3 additional hours of upper division art history elective for a total of 12 art history hours, 21 hours in an approved studio emphasis (see below), and 21 hours in BFA required courses (see below) to complete 80 hours. Acceptance to the BFA degree program requires faculty approval of the BFA application which includes the application form, a typewritten statement, slides or digital images of at least 12 works, and a copy of a current UCA transcript. Students with a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 major GPA on a minimum of 24 hours of art may apply for entrance to the program after successfully completing the Sophomore Major Advancement Interview (SMAI). Applications are accepted each fall and spring semester. A minumum of 23 hours in art is required after acceptance to degree candidacy, including ART 4600, 4675, 4150, 4160, 4372, and 6 hours of art in a special degree plan.
BFA Required Courses (21 hours)
-ART 3150 BFA Folio Offered fall, spring
Prerequisite: Acceptance to the BFA program
-ART 4150 BFA Professional Orientation Offered fall, spring
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
-ART 4325 Drawing IV, Experimental Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 2140, 3324
-ART 4372 Senior Seminar Offered fall
Prerequisites: Senior standing and 9 hours of art history
-ART 4675 BFA Intership Offered fall, spring, summer
Prerequisites: Written proposal and departmental approval
semester prior to enrollment
Note: A maximum of 12 hours of variable credit courses in art
may be applied to the to the BFA degree
-ART 4600 BFA Problem Offered fall, spring
Prerequisite: Written proposal and departmental approval
semester prior to enrollment
-ART 4160 BFA Exhibit Offered fall, spring
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
Ceramics Emphasis (21 hours)
If one or more of the courses below have been taken as part of the Area Studies coursework under Category A, select additional courses from the studio emphasis electives.
-ART 3379 Ceramics I Offered fall, spring
Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing
-ART 3390 Ceramics II Offered spring
Prerequisite: ART 3379
-ART 4388 Advanced Studio: Ceramics Offered fall, spring
Prerequisites: ART 2140, 6 hours in one studio area, and
faculty permission
Note: May be repeated for credit.
-ART 4388 Advanced Studio: Ceramics Offered fall, spring
Prerequisites: ART 2140, 6 hours in one studio area, and
faculty permission
Note: May be repeated for credit.
-ART 3361 Sculpture I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing
-ART 3362 Sculpture II Offered spring
Prerequisites: ART 3361
Select one (1) of the following electives:
-ART 3325 Color Offered spring
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing
-ART 3343 Printmaking I Offered spring
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
-ART 3350 Fibers Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 2312 and 3 hours drawing
-ART 3353 Graphic Design I Offered fall
Prerequisites: ART 1310 and 3 hours drawing
-ART 3315 Contemporary Media in 3-D Offered spring
Prerequisites: ART 2140, 3 hours 3000-level studio
-ART 4371 Directed Studio Problem Offered fall, spring
Prerequisites: 3 hours ART 4388, written proposal and
departmental approval semester prior to enrollment
Note: A maximum of 12 hours of variable credit courses in art may
be applied to the BFA degree
*For more information see the Undergraduate Bulletin
For detailed course information and descriptions, see Courses in Art
Downloads
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To download BFA/Ceramic Emphasis Checklist, click here: Ceramics Checklist
To download pdf of the General Education Checklist, click here:
General Education Checklist.
To download BFA Studio Program Completion Plan, click here: BFA Studio
To download BFA application, click here: BFA Application
To download BFA Problem Guidelines (ART 4600), click here: BFA Problem
To download Individual Study Guidelines, click here: Individual Study
To download Directed Study Guidelines (ART 4102, 4202, 4302), click here:
Directed Study
To download Art Internship Guidelines (ART 4375, 4675), click here: Art Internship
Note: Program information updated on January 2009.