College of Fine Arts
Department of Art & Art History
Department Office: 161 Art Building
Mailing Address: 375 S 1530 E Rm 161, Salt Lake City UT 84112-0380
Phone: 801-581-8677
Fax: 801-585-6171
ART Website: www.art.utah.edu
Email: info@art.utah.edu
Department Chair: Temma Balducci, Ph.D. - temma.balducci@utah.edu
Click HERE to learn more about College of Fine Arts Academic Advisors or make an academic advising appointment. advisor@finearts.utah.edu
Specific Degree Information
The department, through the College of Fine Arts, offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Art History Program offers a BA, an Honors BA, and an MA in Art History. The studio art area offers a BFA and Honors BFA in Art, Art Teaching, and BFA Graphic Design. The department offers an MFA in Art and an MFA in Community-Based Art Education.
Art, Art Teaching, Graphic Design and Art History majors as well as undergraduate students with a major in another department may declare a minor in Art History, Arts Technology, Book Arts, Ceramics, Drawing, Printmaking, Photography or Sculpture/Intermedia. Certificates in Arts Technology and Book Arts have been developed in partnership with the Arts Technology Program and the Marriott Library, respectively.
The dynamic environment created within the department is fertile ground for those serious about art making, research, critical discourse, and teaching. Our faculty is dedicated to excellence and provides an open, respectful center for diversity and creative expression. The department mentors students in innovation, critical thinking, craft, and exploration and creates exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations. The Department of Art & Art History is an outstanding place for students interested in creating a life in the arts.
Undergraduate Programs
Admission Requirements
Beyond the application to the University, the department does not require a separate admissions process for the BA or BFA; except in Graphic Design, which requires a portfolio review.
Studio Art Transfer Students
While colleges and universities make every effort to accept as many transfer credits as possible, the content of courses 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.
The Department or Art & Art History degrees are designed with a scaffolded curriculum and are structured to treat the material in greater depth as one progresses from first-year through fourth-year courses. The Department of Art & Art History evaluates as many transfer courses as possible, but sometimes transfer courses accepted by the University may not be accepted by the department for major requirements. Regardless of how many transfer courses the Department of Art & Art History accepts to count toward your major requirements, the credits you received from your previous accredited institution will count toward your overall credit requirement for the university (a minimum of 122 credits are required to graduate with a bachelor’s degree).
Financial Aid & Scholarships
The University office of Financial Aid and Scholarships offers a range of funding packages. The department offers competitive scholarship assistance to undergraduate students declaring a major in Art, Art Teaching, or Art History. For specific information on procedures and deadlines, please see the Art History Program.
Graduate Programs
The department administers a competitive two-year program for matriculated students for the MA in Art History, the MFA in Art, and the MFA in Community-Based Art Education.
Admission Requirements
In general, students who apply to the graduate programs in Art History, Art, and Community-Based Art Education will hold an undergraduate degree in the specific field from an accredited college or university. For department admissions committee recommendations on preparation and requirements for each degree, see the Program and Course Offerings sections.
All applicants for the MA in Art History, MFA in Art, and MFA in Community-Based Art Education apply through the Graduate School, which sets minimum admissions criteria for all applicants.
For additional admission requirements specific to these programs, please see the program pages for specific recommendations regarding admission, please see the websites for Art History and for Art.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Financial assistance through the department for incoming and matriculated students in art history and studio art is increasing. There are opportunities for students to serve as graduate assistants or teaching assistants during the two-year residency. For MA students in Art History, see the Art History Program. For MFA students in Art, consult with the Director of MFA Graduate Studies.
Graduate students in good standing are eligible to apply for a graduate research fellowship for the second year of residency through the Graduate School. Other funding and subsidized packages such as health insurance is offered through the Graduate School.