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.

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  • CFA AR 505: Certificate Typography
    Graduate Typography examines the different ways visual language functions. Specifically, typography will be studied from an aesthetic and linguistic point of view--how does type look and how does it work? Building on fundamental elements of typography, students will explore advanced practical and hypothetical typographic applications. Projects rely on a mastery of traditional typographic methods as a basis to discover innovative typographic forms and concepts for print and screen.
  • CFA AR 508: The Experimental Photograph
    This course brings together the STEM disciplines with the art of photography through hands on experiments and explorations of neuroscience, engineering, and new media. From pinhole photography to 3D printing, students will gain skills in historical processes within the medium of photography as well as current technologies. Readings from both the natural sciences and critical theory will also be required. The interdisciplinary approach to the course aims to broaden students' understanding of the medium of photography and to appreciate an expanded view of the arts and sciences. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
    • Digital/Multimedia Expression
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CFA AR 512: Architectural Design 2
    This course builds upon the foundational knowledge that is covered in the introductory level and aims to achieve a higher degree of architectural design sophistication through a series of projects. These design challenges increase in complexity and duration over the course of the semester. You are expected to have advanced skills in drawing and model making, which enable you to devote your time to developing and critiquing your own design process. You will delve deeper into issues of form, program, and space, and you will be expected to draw upon previous design work from related courses such as architectural history, sculpture, drawing, and others. This course is intended for students who have already taken Architectural Design or its equivalent at another institution. 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.
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Digital/Multimedia Expression
    • Creativity/Innovation
  • CFA AR 515: Digital Photo
    Throughout this course you will gain a basic technical and conceptual understanding of the medium of photography. Students will learn the basics of RAW image capture using a 35mm DSLR camera, non-destructive image file management, input and output resolution management, establishment of a digital workflow, adjustment and editing in Adobe Photoshop and high-end archival inkjet printing. Lectures will also introduce historical and contemporary photographic practices. Students will have weekly photographing and printing assignments, and you should be prepared to develop your own ideas. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Critical Thinking.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Digital/Multimedia Expression
    • Critical Thinking
  • CFA AR 517: Digital Printmaking: Ink & Pixel 4 credits Spring term
    Digital media as a communicative tool in printmaking - digital imaging, mixed media processes, multimedia documentation, transformations with traditional print media. Course explores digital design/color, conceptual/technical skills, critique, and process-oriented project development through demonstrations, studio assignments, presentations, and critiques. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Digital/Multimedia Expression.
    • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • CFA AR 518: Silkscreen Print 4 Credits
    This course focuses on contemporary fine art silkscreen prints, the incorporation of fluid, solid and digital stenciling methods of silkscreen printing and the use of multiple approaches to the print. Drawing will be emphasized, and studio work will focus on formal visual issues and resolving visual ideas with an originality of approach. Through a coordinated sequence of projects, students will synthesize their conceptual and technical skills with this medium and study the application of hand printmaking.
  • CFA AR 521: Site Specific Art
    This elective will be interdisciplinary and open to students in all majors, both in the Visual Arts program and all other schools in the university. The course aims to instruct students in the professional practice of making site-specific art commissions for public and private clients. The students will gain professional skills in the development of a site-specific work of art that will require the utilization of a variety of media, an interdisciplinary approach and team work. Students will also learn how to work and negotiate with prospective clients who wish to contract site-specific art for particular settings and architectural environments. 4.0 credits.
  • CFA AR 524: Business Information Design
    This course is a hybrid lecture and studio course that explores presenting information visually. Students will learn to process, organize, symbolize and structure complex quantitative information. The coordinated business aspect of the course addresses how data visualization drives effective business decisions. The course will be taught by a graphic designer and business executive to ensure that information graphics are designed and evaluated from a visual and strategic point of view. This course is relevant to a wide range of students: graphic designers, managers, economists, scientists. This course meets curriculum needs as an advanced studio/liberal arts elective. The coursework benefits a range of audiences because 1) the amount of available data is increasing, 2) our ability to communicate is expanding and 3) well-designed information graphics enable clear and efficient communication, an increasingly critical skill for any student or professional. This course meets 2x/week during summer session 4cr
  • CFA AR 527: Drawing into Animation
    This course provides a convergence of contemporary performance, dance music, new media and visual arts projects that draw artists from across many traditional disciplines. The course will equip students with an understanding of how time based thinking can provide a natural extended practice, translating ideas through story boarding and scripting. Drawing concepts will range from informal sketches to full narrative graphic novels. Stop motion will be taught for sculptural ideas and time-lapse photography for painting and mix media production. Extensive use of Wacom tablets, mobile app based cameras, and the Adobe Suite will be utilized. This course is meant to bring digital technologies and 4D projects into the traditional studio practice. 4 credits.
  • CFA AR 528: Arch Site DES2
    This course description is currently under construction.
  • CFA AR 530: Des Ignts Chg
  • CFA AR 535: SP Tps: Vis Art
  • CFA AR 547: Principles of Painting Techniques 1 credit Fall term
    Lectures, studio demonstrations, and workshops concerning materials and techniques for oil painting: selection of tools and studio equipment; preparation of traditional and modern supports and grounds; principles of oil and alkyd painting; properties and interactions of pigments, binding oils, solvents, and protective coatings; paint-making and tubing procedures, toxicity of materials, safety issues and precautions; introduction to a variety of direct and indirect techniques; presentation of completed artwork, including photographing and framing completed artwork.
  • CFA AR 548: Principles of Painting Techniques 2 credits Spring term
    Lectures, studio demonstrations, and workshops concerning materials and techniques for painting: selection of tools and studio equipment; preparation of supports and grounds; principles of egg tempera, distemper, encaustic, watercolor, gouache, buon fresco, acrylic polymer, PVA, and vinyl painting; properties and interactions of pigments, binders, solvents, and protective coatings; paint-making procedures; toxicity of materials, safety issues and precautions; introduction to a variety of direct and indirect painting techniques; introduction to water gilding; presentation of completed artwork, including matting, photographing, and framing.
  • CFA AR 551: CFA AR 551 Processes and Structures I (2 credits; fall semester)
    This sequence of two courses provides future artist-educators an opportunity to investigate and develop rich, contextualized artmaking experiences for students in grades PreK to 12+ in schools and in other settings. It is designed to encourage reflective, practice-based research into art-making activities and curricula that support the objectives of the art education program; lessons developed demonstrate an understanding of diverse learners at different stages of development, global and cultural proficiency, art history and contemporary art, and interdisciplinarity. For students pursuing licensure in art education, it accompanies the development of students' capstone projects and is taken while completing their practicums, serving to enhance the development of the lessons and units they are creating and implementing in the schools. This course also provides students in other degree programs an opportunity for arts-based and/or pedagogy-related research.
  • CFA AR 552: Processes and Structures II (2 credits; spring semester)
    This sequence of two courses provides future artist-educators an opportunity to investigate and develop rich, contextualized artmaking experiences for students in grades PreK to 12+ in schools and in other settings. It is designed to encourage reflective, practice-based research into art-making activities and curricula that support the objectives of the art education program; lessons developed demonstrate an understanding of diverse learners at different stages of development, global and cultural proficiency, art history and contemporary art, and interdisciplinarity. For students pursuing licensure in art education, it accompanies the development of students' capstone projects and is taken while completing their practicums, serving to enhance the development of the lessons and units they are creating and implementing in the schools. This course also provides students in other degree programs an opportunity for arts-based and/or pedagogy-related research.
  • CFA AR 553: Curr&INSTRUCT1
  • CFA AR 554: Curr&INSTRUCT2
  • CFA AR 555: Practicum 1
  • CFA AR 556: Practicum 2

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