Courses
The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.
View courses in
-
CFA AR 344: Painting 1 Elective
Extended work for the non-painting major. Concepts, structure, composition and analysis of painting; emphasis on working from nature as well as on original composition. -
CFA AR 345: Senior Painting Studio 4 credits Fall term
In this studio course for senior painting majors, students will work independently under faculty guidance to develop work that will be the foundation of their thesis project during the following semester. Emphasis is on personal expression and experimentation to significant forms, processes and contexts specific to each student's formal and conceptual interests and concerns. Students will continue developing their understanding of what it means to be a contemporary artist today, especially in the context of painting. -
CFA AR 346: Senior Painting Studio 6 credits Spring term
A continuation of AR 345, seniors will focus on developing a strong, cohesive body of work to be presented during the Thesis Exhibition at the end of the semester. Students will work independently under faculty guidance to build on forms and ideas developed during AR 345 to fully realize their projects in exhibition form. Students will learn the nuts and bolts behind mounting an exhibition of their work, from coordination, installation, and logistics to a visual and spatial awareness of how to situate their work within the parameters of a particular space. 6 credits. -
CFA AR 365: Practicum PreK-8
Undergraduate art education majors complete student teaching at the preK -- grade 8 levels. The student intern, who is supervised by art education faculty in collaboration with the cooperating teacher, completes an eight-week practicum. A preliminary visit by the supervising faculty member occurs during the first two weeks and is followed by three announced formal observations recurring on a two-week cycle during which the student assumes responsibilities for one-third, two-thirds, and the full cooperating teacher's duties. -
CFA AR 366: Practicum 5-12
Undergraduate art education majors complete student teaching at the grades 5-12 levels. The student intern, who is supervised by art education faculty in collaboration with the cooperating teacher, completes an eight-week practicum. A preliminary visit by the supervising faculty member occurs during the first two weeks and is followed by three announced observations recurring on a two-week cycle during which the student assumes responsibilities for one-third, two-thirds, and the full cooperating teacher's duties. -
CFA AR 369: Art, Community, and Social Engagement
The course provides opportunities for experiential learning, research, reflections, guest lectures, and discussions as tools to understand the creative approaches and philosophies represented in the community art engagement and social practices of cultural workers in contemporary, global and national contexts. A finely crafted final project allows for the demonstration of intercultural literacy, through an innovative execution- ready community- based project proposal designed in collaboration with peers or members of a local community. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Creativity/Innovation. -
CFA AR 381: Junior Graphic Design Fall: Audience, Authorship
Junior graphic design exercises a student's knowledge of graphic design fundamentals--form development and communication strategies--to solve more complex design problems. Variables such as audience, context, authorship and issues relevant to contemporary practice will be investigated and discussed. Context driven platforms for communication will be explored as students consider how to reach both narrow and broad audiences across multiple mediums. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration. -
CFA AR 382: AR382 Junior Graphic Design Spring: Audience, Authorship
Students examine design as cultural practice as they explore their own design sensibilities and interests through a sequence of self-authored projects in preparation for senior year. Projects and discussion focus on how narrow and broad social contexts/environments impact the way in which graphic design lives and functions. -
CFA AR 385: Sophomore Type Fall: Rules of Typography
In this introductory course for sophomore graphic design majors, students will study the fundamentals of typography, from its history and anatomy to organizational structures, legibility and hierarchy. Legibility and hierarchy will be examined with increasing complexity from the letterform, to the word, sentence, paragraph and page. Students will learn characteristics of major type families, how to create and use a typographic grid and to work with type in a dynamic environment. -
CFA AR 386: Sophomore Type Spring: Hierarchy, Composition
In the second sequence of sophomore typography, students will learn (1)aspects of working with and refining bodies of text, from letter spacing, word spacing and line spacing, (2) basic ideas associated with connotative typography and visible language and (3) how to create a simple typographic system and apply it to a sequence of pages. Students will develop a sensitivity toward defining and controlling multiple typographic hierarchies. Students will explore dynamic typographic variables like rate, pace and sound to express an abstract concept typographically. -
CFA AR 389: Graphic Design Elective
Study of basic principles, problems, and applications of graphic design and typography. Assignments include typographic compositions, visual language exercises, and basic layout problems. 4.0 credits. -
CFA AR 401: Directed Study Sculpture
Undergraduate only. With Permission of faculty. 2.0 credits. -
CFA AR 402: Directed Study Ceramics
Undergraduate only. By permission of faculty. -
CFA AR 403: Directed Study Printmaking
Undergraduate only. With permission of faculty. Credit amount varies. -
CFA AR 404: Directed Study Graphic Design
Undergraduate only. With permission of faculty. Credit amount varies. -
CFA AR 406: Directed Study Painting
Undergraduate only. With permission of faculty. -
CFA AR 410: Visual Arts Directed Study
Undergraduate only. With permission of faculty. Credit amount varies. -
CFA AR 412: Architectural Design 1
Introduction to architectural design at the scale of individual buildings. Students will learn how to analyze, represent, and create form and space through a series of projects that increase in complexity over the course of the semester. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation. -
CFA AR 425: The Artist and the Book (4 credits Spring term)
By creating artist's books, students explore developing the series image, written text, and spatial and conceptual aspects. Students may work with collage and drawing, photo-based and traditional print forms, and digital and polymer-based letter press processes to produce books. Studio work will be augmented with visits to the Houghton Library Rare Book Collection and the Fogg Museum. Open to non-majors. 4 cr, 2nd semester. -
CFA AR 428: Architecture Site Design 1
Introduction to architecture with a focus upon context and environment. Students will learn to analyze and design sited architecture in relation to various factors (e.g., climate, landscape, urbanism, and/or region). Work will incorporate drawing and modelling techniques, and will be advanced primarily through independent studio exploration guided by critical discussions and presentations with the instructor, guest critics, and the studio at large. 4cr Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
