Transfer Students
While colleges and universities make every effort to accept as many transfer credits as possible, it is sometimes difficult to receive full, or fair, credit for completed coursework in the major. This is particularly true because the content of a course varies greatly from school to school and degree programs are organized differently. In our department, your petition for transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis.
It is especially difficult to transfer credits in the major from schools with two-year degree or certificate programs to four-year degree programs. The BA and BFA degrees are much more specialized, and the first-year through fourth-year courses are structured to treat material in greater depth. The Department of Art and Art History evaluates as many transfer credits as possible, but transfer students should not be overly optimistic. You will often learn that transfer credit is accepted by the University but may not be accepted by the department for major credit.
In our Art History Program, our students begin with ARTH 2500 Introduction to the History of Art, and then go on to a range of upper-division coursework in the specialization of their choice. Potential art history majors will often get credit only for the Introduction class and will be expected to complete the rest of the major here.
In our Art Teaching and Studio Arts areas, you will take First-Year Studio courses of 21 credit hours (including the Introduction course) before any work in the art major emphasis area can begin. As a transfer student, you will usually be placed in the First-Year Studio sequence. Depending on the strength of your admissions portfolio, serving as a “placement” exam, you may not be required to take all five first-year studio classes.
The sophomore year in Graphic Design serves as a one-year design sequence. Students are not designing actual advertising or editorial material until junior and senior years. Acceptance into this emphasis is through portfolio review during Spring Semester.
Portfolios must be reviewed by the end of the first semester of classes at the University to receive any transfer credit for major requirements. The Department will not be responsible for portfolios left in the office two weeks after notification of results, unless special arrangements have been made. Please contact the department office with further questions.