# 2026-2027 Course Catalog
**Source**: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/faa/studio-art-bfasa/sculpture/
**Parent**: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/
*for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Sculpture Concentration*
---
Students in the BFASA who choose the concentration in Sculpture will focus on methods and concepts related to three-dimensional art, form-making, and expanded spatial practices. Contemporary sculpture practice is informed by multiple modes of ideation, making and fabrication, and utilizes a dynamic and ever-expanding set of tools, materials, techniques and approaches. The outcomes are endlessly varied, from the most traditional to the wildly experimental, in scope, scale and content. The Sculpture concentration allows students to explore the multitude of art making options available, by encouraging individual growth, collaborative engagement, and collective accomplishments.
Courses in sculpture introduce students to a variety of materials and fabrication methods with explorations in three dimensional form, concepts and ideation, including wood fabrication, mold making and casting, and metal fabrication and welding. Advanced courses allow for more independent practice, and encourage a more singular approach to the use of materials and methodologies, ensuring students develop their own unique path via elective courses in ceramics, fiber and soft sculpture, experimental fashion, time-based practices, video, photography, and special topic courses and seminars. We offer experiences in a variety of classrooms and shops designed to support an expansive material practice, including well-equipped wood-shops, ceramic studios, plaster and casting rooms, welding and cold metal fabrication, small-scale foundry, sewing and fiber, and digital output technologies including 3D printers, water jet and laser cutting, CNC machining, vacuum-forming, digital imaging, and sound and video editing.
Students in the School of Art and Design must complete the [Campus General Education requirements](https://courses.illinois.edu/gened/DEFAULT/DEFAULT). Some Art and Design courses will also apply toward the [General Education requirements](https://courses.illinois.edu/gened/DEFAULT/DEFAULT).
Students majoring in this degree program must complete the First Year Curriculum requirements before beginning other major requirements.
Students in the BFA Studio Art degree, major in Studio Art, must declare one concentration and students may not declare more than one concentration.
A portfolio review is required for admission to the School of Art and Design.
*for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Sculpture Concentration*
---
**Graduation Requirements**
Minimum hours required for graduation: 122 hours.
**University Requirements**
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the [Student Code](https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article3/part8/3-801/) (§ 3-801) and in the [Academic Catalog](http://catalog.illinois.edu/general-information/degree-general-education-requirements/).
**General Education Requirements**
Follows the [campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements](https://courses.illinois.edu/gened/DEFAULT/DEFAULT). Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in Art and Design.
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Composition I | | 4-6 |
| Advanced Composition | | 3 |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | | 6 |
| fulfilled by [ARTH 110](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTH%20110 "ARTH 110") and any other course approved as Humanities & the Arts | | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | | 6 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | | 6 |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | | 3 |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | | 3 |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | | 3 |
| fulfilled by [ARTH 110](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTH%20110 "ARTH 110") | | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | | 6-10 |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | | 0-15 |
**First Year Curriculum**
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [FAA 101](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=FAA%20101 "FAA 101") | Arts at Illinois | 1 |
| [ARTF 101](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20101 "ARTF 101") | Contemporary Issues in Art | 2 |
| [ARTE 101](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTE%20101 "ARTE 101") | Art, Design, and Society | 2 |
| [ARTH 110](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTH%20110 "ARTH 110") | Introduction to the History of Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
| [ARTF 103](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20103 "ARTF 103") | Design I | 3 |
| [ARTF 105](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20105 "ARTF 105") | Design II | 3 |
| Select one Drawing course: | | 3 |
| [ARTF 102](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20102 "ARTF 102") | Observational Drawing | |
| [ARTF 104](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20104 "ARTF 104") | Expressive Drawing | |
| [ARTF 106](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20106 "ARTF 106") | Visualization Drawing | |
| Total Hours | | 17 |
**Art History Requirements**
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 200 level and above ARTH courses | | 9 |
**Sculpture Concentration Requirements**
*Students must declare one concentration, students may not declare more than one concentration.*
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [ARTS 280](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20280 "ARTS 280") | Beginning Sculpture | 3 |
| [ARTS 210](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20210 "ARTS 210") | Ceramics Sculpture I | 3 |
| or [ARTS 252](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20252 "ARTS 252") | Making and Meaning | |
| [ARTS 310](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20310 "ARTS 310") | Ceramics Sculpture II | 3 |
| or [ARTS 457](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20457 "ARTS 457") | Art in Context | |
| [ARTS 381](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20381 "ARTS 381") | Intermediate Sculpture | 3 |
| [ARTS 456](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20456 "ARTS 456") | Advanced Sculpture | 3 |
| Additional 200-level ARTS course | | 9 |
| Additional 300- or 400- level ARTS course | | 24 |
| Total Hours | | 48 |
**Capstone Requirements**
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [ARTS 392](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20392 "ARTS 392") | Current Art Issues Seminar | 3 |
| [ARTS 451](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20451 "ARTS 451") | BFASA Capstone Studio | 4 |
**Summary of credits for Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts**
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| General Education | | |
| First-Year Curriculum | | 17 |
| Art History | | 9 |
| Concentration | | 48 |
| Capstone | | 7 |
| Free electives to bring the total hours earned to 122, including a minimum of 40 credits at the 300- or 400-level. | | |
| Total Hours | | 122 |
*for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Sculpture Concentration*
---
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the [Degree and General Education Requirements page](https://catalog.illinois.edu/general-information/degree-general-education-requirements/).
| First Year | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| [FAA 101](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=FAA%20101 "FAA 101") | 1 | [ARTE 101](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTE%20101 "ARTE 101") | 2 |
| [ARTF 101](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20101 "ARTF 101") | 2 | [ARTF 105](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20105 "ARTF 105") | 3 |
| [ARTH 110](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTH%20110 "ARTH 110") | 3 | ARTF ### (Drawing Category) | 3 |
| [ARTS 280](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20280 "ARTS 280") | 3 | Composition I or Language Other than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| [ARTF 103](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTF%20103 "ARTF 103") | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Composition I or Language Other than English (3rd level) | 4 | | |
| | 16 | | 15 |
| Total Hours 31 | | | |
| Second Year | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| [ARTS 210](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20210 "ARTS 210") or [252](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20252 "ARTS 252") | 3 | [ARTS 381](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20381 "ARTS 381") | 3 |
| Additional 200-level ARTS course | 3 | Additional 200-level ARTS course | 3 |
| ARTH 200-400 level course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Total Hours 30 | | | |
| Third Year | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| [ARTS 310](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20310 "ARTS 310") or [457](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20457 "ARTS 457") | 3 | [ARTS 392](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20392 "ARTS 392") | 3 |
| ARTH 200-400 level course | 3 | Additional 200-level ARTS course | 3 |
| Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 | Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 |
| Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 | Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Total Hours 30 | | | |
| Fourth Year | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| [ARTS 456](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20456 "ARTS 456") | 3 | [ARTS 451](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=ARTS%20451 "ARTS 451") | 4 |
| Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 | Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 |
| Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 | Additional 300- or 400-level ARTS course | 3 |
| ARTH 200-400 level course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| | 15 | | 16 |
| Total Hours 31 | | | |
**Total Hours: 122**
*for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Sculpture Concentration*
---
## BFASA Studio Art:
Upon completion of BFASA curriculum:
1. Students will apply basic principles of multi-dimensional and multi-sensory communication across diverse mediums to achieve a desired aesthetic in their creative work.
2. Students will experiment with and critically analyze the expressive possibilities of various media and conceptual strategies, demonstrating engagement with emerging technologies and investigation of broader social questions and challenges.
3. Students will implement concepts of visual rhetoric and meaning making in the development of artworks that acknowledge and demonstrate empathy toward diverse social histories and lived experiences.
4. Students will develop and articulate a self-directed creative practice that synthesizes existing knowledge, personal perspectives, and collaborative opportunities to engage audiences in a variety of social and institutional settings.
5. Students will demonstrate adaptability for varying professional roles across artistic, cultural, and commercial contexts.
**In addition, each concentration has discipline specific learning outcomes:**
### Sculpture Concentration:
1. Students concentrating in Sculpture have knowledge and skills in the use of basic tools, techniques, and processes to work from concept to finished product, leading to preparation of three-dimensional objects and installations using the broadest possible range of techniques and concepts.
2. Students concentrating in Sculpture will demonstrate mastery in one or more sculptural media, processes and presentational strategies.
*for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in Studio Art, Sculpture Concentration*
---
## **School of Art & Design**
[School of Art & Design](https://art.illinois.edu/)\
[Art & Design faculty](https://art.illinois.edu/about/faculty-directory/)\
Academic Coordinator of Undergraduate Academic Affairs: [Michael Foellmer](mailto:foellme1@illinois.edu)\
143 Art and Design Building, Champaign, IL 61820\
(217) 244-8462
## **College of Fine & Applied Arts**
[Fine & Applied Arts](https://faa.illinois.edu)
## **Admissions**
[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions](https://admissions.illinois.edu/myillini-apply)\
[FAA Undergraduate Advising](https://faa.illinois.edu/student-resources/current-students/academic-affairs-office/undergraduate-advisors/)\
[admissions@illinois.edu](mailto:admissions@illinois.edu)