Pre-Art Therapy Portfolio Emphasis
The Pre-Art Therapy Emphasis is recommended for those planning to do graduate work in art therapy and to enter that profession. Work as an art therapist requires a master’s degree in Art Therapy. The Pre-Art Therapy Emphasis may require additional semesters of course work.
The Pre-Art Therapy Emphasis is the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with an emphasis in Fine Arts, students in this emphasis must follow the Fine Arts Portfolio Emphasis requirements.
In addition to the BFA degree most graduate programs require up to 15 credits of Psychology course work. We recommend PSYC 101 , PSYC 301 , PSYC 410 , PSYC 454 and PSYC 460 . Because course requirements vary, the Pre-Art Therapy student should check the prerequisite requirements of the schools to which they intend to apply. Most art-therapy master’s programs also require up to one year of work experience with mentally or physically disadvantaged people prior to acceptance.
Admission Procedures and Academic Standards
BFA Professional Degree in Design, Documentary Film, Photography or Visual Art
Students seeking to pursue the BFA Professional Degree in Design, Documentary Film, Photography or Visual Art must first submit an Andrews University undergraduate application for acceptance to the University. Students admitted to the University on regular standing are eligible to begin the first two years of the BFA degree.
Upon completetion of the Common Core and the Studio Electives (typically at the end of the Sophomore Year) students must:
1. Apply for a BFA Review. All work created in the Common Core and Studio Electives program should be available for review. The BFA review is a critique of the student’s portfolio by the faculty of the Department of Visual Art & Design. The application packet may be obtained from the Department Office and must be submitted directly to the Department Office by the application deadline. Minimum requirements to be considered for admission to these programs are outlined in the packet., And
2. Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in all coursework.
Transfer Students
Transfer students entering the BFA program must have a BFA Review. Students who have no previous work in art must complete the Common Core and Studio Electives and go through the BFA Review application process before they are officially in the BFA program. Students who are transfering in art courses will need to have their art courses evalutated by the department to verify equivalent course content (this may require the course description and course syllabus).
Academic Standards
Academic Standards apply to the BFA Professional Degree in Design, Documentary Film, Photography or Visual Art. No BFA courses with a final grade below C- will be accepted toward the completion of the BFA. A grade of less that C- requires the student to repeat the course before it can apply toward the degree. Students accepted to the BFA Professional Degree in Design, Documentary Film, Photography or Visual Art are expected, by the end of the BFA degree program, to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all BFA Emphasis coursework. Students whose GPA falls below this miniumum requirement are not allowed to graduate with the BFA. The completion of the BFA includes a senior thesis, senior exhibition and portfolio of the student’s work.
