Design, BFA (Boston)
Source: https://catalog.northeastern.edu/undergraduate/arts-media-design/art-design/design-bfa/ Parent: https://catalog.northeastern.edu/undergraduate/arts-media-design/art-design/
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
NUpath requirements Creative Expression/Innovation (EI), Interpreting Culture (IC), and Societies and Institutions (SI) are met through the major course requirements. All other NUpath requirements must be met through electives.
Students interested in design PlusOne programs should consult with faculty coordinator and advisor during sophomore year to register for 5000-level courses in junior and senior years.
Art and Design Core
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Introduction to College | | | | ARTF 1000 | Art and Design at Northeastern | 1 | | Art + Design Fundamentals Required | | | | ARTF 1220 | Elements of Visual Composition (with optional ARTF 1221) | 2 | | Art + Design Fundamentals Electives | | | | Complete 6 semester hours of the following: | | 6 | | ARTF 1200 | Representational Drawing | | | ARTF 1210 | Abstract Drawing | | | ARTF 1230 and ARTF 1231 | Making with Form and Materials and Making with Form and Materials Tools | | | ARTF 1240 and ARTF 1241 | Making with Video, Sound, and Animation and Making with Video, Sound, and Animation Tools | | | ARTF 1250 and ARTF 1251 | Designing Interactive Experiences and Designing Interactive Experiences Tools | | | Art and Design History | | | | ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002 | Visual Intelligence and Seminar in Visual Intelligence | 4 | | ARTH 3000 | Topics in Visual Studies | 4 | | ARTH 4000 | Topics in Visual Studies | 4 | | Complete 4 additional semester hours of ARTH courses. | | 4 |
Design Requirements
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Design Course | | | | ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | Design Perspectives: An Introduction to Design in the World and Seminar for Design Perspectives | 4 | | ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271 | Design: Process + Practices and Studio for Design: Process + Practices | 4 | | ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291 | Typographic Systems and Studio for Typographic Systems | 4 | | ARTG 2262 and ARTG 2263 | Prototyping with Code and Lab for ARTG 2262 | 4 | | Degree Project | | | | ARTG 4550 | Design Degree Project | 4 |
Design Electives
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Art and Design Elective | | | | Complete 8 semester hours of ARTD, ARTE, ARTF, ARTS, EXRE, or GAME courses not already required and as long as prerequisites have been met and not used to fulfill other requirements of the program. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subjects listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be applied toward the electives. | | 8 | | Media Arts Elective | | | | Complete 4-5 semester hours of the following: | | 4-5 | | ARTD 2360 and ARTD 2361 | Introduction to Photography and Photo Tools | | | ARTD 2370 and ARTD 2371 | Animation Basics and Animation Tools | | | ARTD 2380 and ARTD 2381 | Video Basics and Video Tools | | | ARTD 3000 | Topics in Media Arts | | | Design Electives | | | | Complete 16 semester hours of ARTG courses as long as prerequisites have been met. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subject listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the electives. | | 16 |
Concentrations or Electives Option
A concentration is not required. Students may complete the electives option in lieu of a concentration.
- Creative Fabrication
- Experience Design
- Graphic Design
- Information Design
- Interaction Design
- Electives Option
Program Requirements
128 total semester hours required
Concentration in Creative Fabrication
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Required Courses | | | | ARTG 2810 | Creative Fabrication Design Principles | 4 | | ARTG 3810 | Topics in Creative Fabrication Inquiry | 4 | | ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 4 | | Elective | | | | Complete 4 semester hours of the following: | | 4 | | ARTG 2290 | Fashion and Wearable Technologies | | | ARTG 3100 | Physical and Digital Fabrication | | | ARTG 3250 | Physical Computing | | | ARTG 5640 | Prototyping for Experience Design | |
Concentration in Experience Design
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Required Courses | | | | ARTG 3462 | Experience Design Principles | 4 | | ARTG 3464 | Topics In Experience Design Inquiry | 4 | | ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 4 | | Elective | | | | Complete 4 semester hours of the following: | | 4 | | ARTG 3100 | Physical and Digital Fabrication | | | ARTG 5640 | Prototyping for Experience Design | |
Concentration in Graphic Design
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Required Courses | | | | ARTG 2252 | Graphic Design Principles | 4 | | ARTG 3452 | Topics In Graphic Design Inquiry | 4 | | ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 4 | | Elective | | | | Complete 4 semester hours of the following: | | 4 | | ARTG 3470 | Topics in Typographic Inquiry | | | ARTG 4554 | Typography 3 | |
Concentration in Information Design
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Required Courses | | | | ARTG 2242 | Information Design Principles | 4 | | ARTG 3444 | Topics in Information Design Inquiry | 4 | | ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 4 | | Elective | | | | Complete 4 semester hours of the following: | | 4 | | ARTG 5150 and ARTG 5151 | Information Visualization Principles and Practices and Information Design Critique Seminar | | | ARTG 5320 | Statistics for Design | |
Concentration in Interaction Design
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Required Courses | | | | ARTG 2400 | Interaction Design Principles (with optional ARTG 2401) | 4 | | ARTG 3400 | Topics In Interaction Design Inquiry | 4 | | ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 4 | | Elective | | | | Complete 4 semester hours of the following: | | 4 | | ARTG 3250 | Physical Computing | | | ARTG 5640 | Prototyping for Experience Design | |
Electives Option
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 4 | | Complete 12 semester hours of any of required concentration courses above. At least one course needs to be at the 3000 level or higher. | | 12 |
Sample Plans of Study
Four Years, One Co-op in Spring/Summer First Half
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTF 1000 | 1 | ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271 | 4 | A+D elective | 4 | Vacation | |
| ARTF 1220 (with optional ARTF 1221) | 2 | ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| ARTF elective | 2 | ARTF elective | 2 | ||||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | 4 | ARTF elective | 2 | ||||
| ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective (writing NUpath) | 4 | EEAM 2000 | 1 | ||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTG 2262 and ARTG 2263 | 4 | Design elective 2 | 4 | A+D elective | 4 | Vacation | |
| ARTH elective | 4 | ARTD elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Design concentration principles | 4 | Topics in design concentration inquiry | 4 | ||||
| Design elective 1 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ENGW 3314 | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Vacation | |
| ARTH 3000 level | 4 | ||||||
| Design concentration course 3 | 4 | ||||||
| Design elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| ARTH 4000 level | 4 | ARTG 4550 | 4 | ||||
| Design concentration course 4 | 4 | Design elective 4 | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 130 |
Four Years, One Co-op in Summer Second Half/Fall
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTF 1000 | 1 | ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271 | 4 | A+D elective | 4 | Vacation | |
| ARTF 1220 (with optional ARTF 1221) | 2 | ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| ARTF elective | 2 | ARTF elective | 2 | ||||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | 4 | ARTF elective | 2 | ||||
| ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective (writing NUpath) | 4 | EEAM 2000 | 1 | ||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTG 2262 and ARTG 2263 | 4 | Design elective 2 | 4 | A+D elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| ARTH elective | 4 | ARTD elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Design concentration principles | 4 | Topics in design concentration inquiry | 4 | ||||
| Design elective 1 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | 0 | ENGW 3314 or 3315 | 4 | Vacation | Vacation | ||
| ARTH 3000 level | 4 | ||||||
| Design concentration course 3 | 4 | ||||||
| Design elective 3 | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| ARTH 4000 level | 4 | ARTG 4550 | 4 | ||||
| Design concentration course 4 | 4 | Design elective 4 | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 130 |