Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Visual And Dramatic Arts and a Major Concentration in Studio Art
Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of a variety of materials and processes in a range of two and three-dimensional media as well as the ability to apply these acquired skills to other materials and ways of working. This includes students developing their own artistic vocabularies.
Demonstrate the ability to explore and hone a variety of techniques and materials while developing their own artistic vocabularies and creative vision. This involves gaining a familiarity with a wide range of skills, concepts, and approaches essential to artistic development.
Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning and potential purpose of the arts, a knowledge of art history, art's role and varied guises in contemporary society, and art's relationship and engagement with other disciplines including literature, music, philosophy, and the sciences.
Develop an understanding of self in the larger context of the practice of art.
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Visual and Dramatic Arts must complete:Â
A minimum of 11-13 courses (30-40 credit hours), depending on major concentration declared and whether or not the student is a single major or double major, to satisfy major requirements.
A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
A minimum of 60 credit hours outside of major requirements.
A minimum of 3-7 courses (9-21 credit hours), depending on major concentration declared, taken at the 300-level or above.
A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) of study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.Â
The requirements of a major concentration. When students declare the major in Visual and Dramatic Arts, students must additionally identify and declare one of three major concentrations, either in:
Studio Art, or
It is possible for students to change their major concentration at any time, even after initially declaring the major. To do so, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Students pursuing the major concentration in Studio Art are strongly encouraged to explore art-related courses offered in other departments that may enrich their selected major concentration, such as: philosophy, anthropology, science, history, cultural studies, language, writing, comparative studies, etc. Students should speak with their faculty advisor prior to enrolling.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor (or official certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Visual and Dramatic Arts and a Major Concentration in Studio Art (for single majors) |
40 |
|
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Visual and Dramatic Arts and a Major Concentration in Studio Art (for double majors) 1 |
37 |
|
Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in Visual and Dramatic Arts |
120 |
Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirements |
 |
|
BEGINNING SCULPTURE |
3 |
|
Select 1 from the following: |
3 |
|
DRAWING FOR THE NON ART MAJOR |
 |
|
CREATIVE 2-D DESIGN |
 |
|
BEGINNING DRAWING |
 |
|
Select 1 from the following: |
3 |
|
COMICS AND SEQUENTIAL ART |
 |
|
DRAWING STUDIO |
 |
|
LIFE DRAWING |
 |
|
SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN STUDIO ART: JUNIOR FIELD TRIP 2 |
1 |
|
BEGINNING PAINTING |
3 |
|
BEGINNING PRINTMAKING |
3 |
|
CRITICAL STUDIES FOR STUDIO PRACTICE |
3 |
|
SENIOR STUDIO (taken in both the fall and spring semesters of the senior year, fall semester) |
3 |
|
SENIOR STUDIO (taken in both the fall and spring semesters of the senior year, spring semester) |
3 |
|
Elective Requirements |
 |
|
Art History (HART) Electives |
 |
|
Select 2 electives from HART course offerings at the 100-level or above. |
6 |
|
Directed Electives in Visual Arts, Film, Photography, Theatre |
 |
|
Select 2 electives from Visual Arts (ARTS), Film (FILM), Photography (FOTO), or Theatre (THEA) course offerings at the 100-level or above. 3 |
6 |
|
Advanced Studio Arts (ARTS) 300-Level or 400-Level Elective |
 |
|
Select 1 from the following: |
3 |
|
MONOTYPE I |
 |
|
DRAWING STUDIO |
 |
|
PRINTMAKING STUDIO |
 |
|
SCULPTURE STUDIO |
 |
|
PAINTING STUDIO |
 |
|
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Visual and Dramatic Arts and a Major Concentration in Studio Art (for single majors) |
40 |
|
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Visual and Dramatic Arts and a Major Concentration in Studio Arts (for double majors) |
37 |
|
80-83 |
||
Total Credit Hours |
120 |
1. Double majors who drop the other major are required to meet the requirements listed for single majors.
2. The junior year field trip (ARTSÂ 294) is designed to help visual arts majors focus on the upcoming senior year of intensive studio work, and to get to know the Visual and Dramatic Arts faculty and staff. These are trips to cultural centers nationally and internationally, including visits to museums, galleries, artist studios, theaters, and meetings with creative professionals in the fields of film/photo, theater, and studio arts. It is required for students pursuing the major concentration in Studio Art.
3. Double majors must complete at least 1 course (3 credit hours) from Visual Arts (ARTS), Film (FILM), Photography (FOTO), or Theatre (THEA) course offerings at the 100-level or above.
No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the major. The 2 transfer credit courses should be studio, film, photography, or theatre practice courses required for all majors.Â
Transfer students who are transferring coursework from another accredited college or university should be allowed to transfer their undergraduate art courses. However, students must speak with the department chair or program advisor immediately upon transferring to Rice.
Academic work completed in the Spring at NYU program or the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center will be accepted as transfer credit to fulfill major requirements (following university transfer credit guidelines).
Transfer credit received via the articulation of advanced placement (AP) credit, international baccalaureate (IB) credit, or A-level credit will not be considered towards major requirements.
Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis.
For additional information, please see the Visual and Dramatic Arts website:Â https://arts.rice.edu/
Distinction in Research and Creative Work
Distinction in Research and Creative Work is a university award for select undergraduates, granted at commencement, which appears on the transcript and diploma. Students must apply within their department or program to be considered for the award, and a letter from a faculty member must support the application.
Eligibility for the award extends widely to include a variety of research, design, and other creative projects, as well as persistent dedication to research. Projects completed in part or entirely at other institutions or with community partners will be eligible for consideration.
Applicants must be in good academic standing and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 in courses completed at Rice.
Also, of further note: The award will be granted only to projects that produce a concrete outcome – e.g. an essay, invention, design, art exhibition, project or performance, or musical composition – and demonstrate commitment and/or achievement above and beyond the norm. Students who complete senior theses, senior design projects, or other required senior capstone projects shall not qualify automatically for consideration for this university distinction.
For the Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts, the application for Distinction in Research and Creative Work must include:
application form, including portfolio;
overall GPA of 3.30;
a written artist statement;
letter of support from a Visual and Dramatic Arts faculty member;
public exhibition, screening, publication, or performance that includes a lecture or artist talk component by applicant;
two-page description of how the project meets the requirements of Distinction.
The department requires exceptional evidence of success, as defined by completion of a project (body of artwork, film, theatrical design work, etc.). Support through the application process is available through the department – e.g. workshops, seminars and individual meetings with faculty mentors.
Contact the department or look online for deadline dates. No electronic submissions accepted. Please note that your project does not have to be already completed to apply for Distinction (all final materials will be due in Spring 2018). The department selects a very limited number of students for this university academic honor.
The department enjoys an ongoing close relationship with local theatres, museums, and galleries. The department offers opportunities for students to work and study with local art venues and alternative art spaces by way collaborative events and programs. The collections and exhibitions of local museums are often the subject of course lectures.
Lectures, symposia, and talks are sponsored by the department and are designed to bring local, national, and international scholars, actors, directors, critics, and studio artists to campus to speak on a broad range of topics and current interests.
During the academic year, Rice Cinema screens films from around the world—foreign features, shorts, documentaries, and animation—as part of our ongoing partnership with the diverse cultural communities of the City of Houston. Film at Rice reaches beyond the university’s hedges to create, engage, and encourage scholarly thought and dialog on the many issues that impact our world. Internationally known filmmakers who have appeared on our campus over the years include Werner Herzog, Rakhshan Banietemad, Atom Egoyan, Shirin Neshat, Martin Scorsese, Andy Warhol, George Lucas, and Dennis Hopper.
There are two main-stage productions (one fall and one spring) and the possibility of two student showcases offered each year in Hamman Hall, a 450-seat proscenium theatre facility. The department invites distinguished guest artists each semester to direct and produce the two main-stage productions. Participation in productions is open to all students.
Theatre Program faculty are actively involved in professional theatre and film locally, nationally, and internationally and actively pursue opportunities to involve advanced students in that work. In addition, advanced students are encouraged to apply for internship positions whenever possible. Rice students have been accepted in competitive internships at theatres such as The Alley Theatre, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. In addition, students are encouraged to study theatre abroad and transfer course credit back to Rice. Approval for transfer credit must be sought prior to enrollment in a study-abroad program by contacting the director of the Theatre Program.
In even numbered years, the Theatre Program, sponsored by the Alan and Shirley Grob Endowment for Shakespeare in Performance, hosts the Actors From the London Stage, one of the oldest established touring Shakespeare theatre companies in the world for a week-long residency of workshops, performances, and lectures. Each tour presents a full-length play by Shakespeare performed by five classically trained actors who come from such prestigious companies as the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
The National Theater Institute offers an extensive conservatory-based training program for the dedicated student. Distinguished master teaching artists guide the classes in courses in acting, directing, design, playwriting, stage combat, voice, and movement. The Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts will accept academic work completed at the National Theater Institute as transfer credit to fulfill major requirements (following university transfer credit guidelines).
See https://humanities.rice.edu/student-life for tables of fellowships, prizes, and internships/practica that may be relevant to this major.
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