In addition to studio coursework, students have the opportunity to take part in and integrate the wide range of areas of study available at the University of Michigan.
During the first year, students complete a foundation of studio courses and begin to explore their academic interests. In the second year, students begin taking elective studio courses and continue to pursue academic courses beyond the Stamps School, and are encouraged to make interdisciplinary connections that will inform their work for the next three years. Year three and four are extraordinarily flexible, as students continue with elective studios and interdisciplinary courses outside of the Stamps School, culminating with advanced, 400-level studio work.
| Studio Courses | 66 – 72 credits |
|---|---|
| Required Studio Courses | 21 |
| Elective Studio Courses | 45 – 51 |
| Non-Studio Courses | 56 – 62 Credits |
|---|---|
| Required Academic Courses | 17 |
| Elective Academic Courses | 39 – 45 |
| Milestone Requirements | no credit |
|---|---|
| Sophomore Review | |
| International Experience |
Total Credits: 128
Required Studio Courses
Foundation Studios
During the first and second years, BFA students complete a series of required Foundation Studio courses. These courses provide a foundation of skills in a wide variety of physical materials and processes.
| Course Title | Course # | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Studio: Drawing 1 | ARTDES 100 | 3 |
| Studio: Drawing 2 | ARTDES 105 | 3 |
| Studio: 2D | ARTDES 115 | 3 |
| Studio: 3D | ARTDES 120 | 3 |
| Studio: 4D | ARTDES 125 | 3 |
| Creative Process Strategies | ARTDES 130 | 3 |
| Second Year Studio | ARTDES 220 | 3 |
Elective Studio Courses
Students begin taking Elective Studio courses during their second year. These courses allow students to explore and develop specific areas of interest. Students will take a minimum of fifteen Elective Studios (45 credits) at the 200- to 400-level, from their second through their fourth years of study, distributed in the following way:
- One studio must be an Engagement Studio
- Four studios (12 credits) must be at the 200-level
- Four studios (12 credits) must be at the 300-level
- Five studios (15 credits) must be at the 400-level. Students may choose to take the 9‑credit 400-level Integrative Project course, a 2‑semester studio, which culminates in a senior project
- One studio (3 credits) is to be taken at any level (200−400). It is also possible to take three studio mini-courses (for a total of 3 credits)
Students have the choice of taking two additional studios at any level (for a total of 51 elective studio credits), or they can choose to put those 6 credits toward academic courses.
Six credits (2 courses) of elective studios may come from other UM schools or departments. Studio courses taken abroad during the required International Experience are considered as ARTDES credits.
Elective Studio courses vary each semester.
Required Academic Courses
Stamps academic and experiential requirements are designed to engage students in both the history of art and design and the current practice of emerging artists. The Penny Stamps Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor to conduct weekly public lectures and engagements with students.
Students in the BFA program must take four required Stamps Academic courses. To view more information about Stamps Academic courses for upcoming semesters, visit our course guide.
| Course Title | Course # | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Art & Design in Context | ARTDES 150 | 3 |
| Art & Design History | ARTDES 151 | 3 |
| Stamps Lecture Series | ARTDES 160 | 8 |
| Writing in Art and Design | ARTDES 399 | 3 |
Elective Academic Courses
Students in the Stamps School participate in the rich intellectual and academic life of a top tier university by taking University Academic courses. The Stamps School requires liberal arts coursework, but also allows for elective choices. Students may undertake coursework to complete a minor in an academic area or they may tailor their academic selections to complement their studio practice or other career goals. The BFA requires 39 Academic Elective Credits.
U‑M’s Liberal Arts Requirements are designed to develop basic familiarity with the three traditional components of liberal arts — humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences; to enhance analytical reasoning; to encourage empathy with other cultures; and to understand contemporary environmental issues. Students must earn at least three credits in each specific area of the liberal arts, but may use one course to meet two or even three requirements. Students may use required and elective courses in their pursuit of a minor. Students may use AP/IB credit to fulfill any of the academic requirements with the exception of First Year Writing. Questions about specific requirements should to be directed to the Smucker • Wagstaff Academic Programs Center staff.
| Requirement | credits |
|---|---|
| First Year Writing (FYWR) | 3 |
| Social Science (SS) | 3 |
| Natural Science (NS) | 3 |
| Analytical Reasoning (MSA, QR/1, QR/2) | 3 |
| Environmental Studies (ENVIRON) | 3 |
| Race and Ethnicity (RE) | 3 |
| 2 Art or Design History/Theory/Criticism electives | 6 – 8 |
Use the code next to the title (SS, NS, MSA, QR/1, QR/2, ENVIRON, RE, FYRW) to locate courses that satisfy Liberal Arts Requirements on Wolverine Access.
Sophomore Review
In the Sophomore Review, students present their work to date to a committee of faculty members.
The Sophomore Review is an opportunity for students to pause and take stock of how far they have come and what they can do to become the creative practitioners they aspire to be. While the Stamps faculty is always available to offer advice and suggestions, the Sophomore Review formalizes this process. It serves as part of their professional development and prepares them for other important assessments, such as performance reviews in their careers and/or critiques in graduate school.
Sophomore reviews create an opportunity for:
Students to have in-depth reflection on achievements, challenges, and risks taken within the program.
Students to define ideas, interests and future plans, and receive faculty feedback and advice.
Faculty to assess the student’s work and progress to date and provide in depth mentoring and recommendations.
Work will be evaluated by the faculty committee according to the following criteria:
Evidence of visual skills
Evidence of making skills
Evidence of creative and design process strategies
Evidence of critical reflection
Understanding how work fits into context
Articulation of future goals
Presentation
Participation in the Sophomore Review is required, and unless they are dual degree students, students must participate in April of their sophomore year; they will receive a copy of the Sophomore Review report by email in May. These reviews represent a significant professional and creative milestone.
International Experience
The International Experience prepares Stamps graduates to enter the globalized economy, makes them more competitive for graduate study, fellowship opportunities, and employment, and helps them to become informed global citizens. International study provides first-hand knowledge of other cultures, fosters creative insights and new life experiences, encourages independence and flexibility, and prepares students to negotiate difference, adapt to changing situations, and to solve problems from a new perspective.
Students are required to participate in a Stamps School-approved International Experience during their undergraduate study. The experience need not be credit bearing, but must occur after the student has matriculated. Students whose permanent address is not in the United States are exempt from this requirement. Requests for an exception to this policy should be directed to the Director of International Study Programs.