Art (BA)

This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.

Bachelor of Arts in Art
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (AS)
Department: Art and Design
Academic Plan Code(s): ART BA STA (Track in Studio Art), ART BA ARH (Track in Art History) 

Program Information

The Department of Art and Design, endowed as the Hite Institute of Art and Design, offers the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with two tracks: Studio Art and Art History.

The Studio Art track is a mixed-media program primarily intended for art students who wish to receive a broad experience in studio practice within the context of a liberal arts education. Areas of study include ceramics, drawing, fiber/mixed media, glass, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, video & sound, and special topics.

The Art History track introduces students to the history and appreciation of the visual arts and provides students with an in-depth understanding of the history of art, architecture, and visual culture — their production, circulation, and reception — while teaching them to interrogate visuality more broadly. Areas of study include Renaissance and Baroque Art in Italy, Spain, and Northern Europe; Mexican Art; 19th and 20th Century Architecture; American Art; Film; Modern, Contemporary western, and Contemporary Art and Theory; and Asian and Non-western Art and Architecture. Courses are also offered in curatorial studies, historic interiors, the history of drawing and prints, the history of photography, and the history of graphic design.

Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department’s Learning Outcomes Assessment. For details, contact the department.

Degree Summary

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Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. See the Degree Requirements tab for specific coursework.

Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.

Soaring Scholar Accelerated BA/MA in Art History

Students enrolled in the BA in Art, track in Art History who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Art History can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward the MA through the Soaring Scholar Accelerated BA/MA program in Art History.

Interested students must apply through the department for admission to the Soaring Scholar program no later than the end of their junior year in order to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework during their final year of the BA program.

Students accepted into the Soaring Scholar program will take one 600-level and two 500-level graduate courses (totaling nine (9) credit hours) during their final year of undergraduate studies. These courses will count toward both their bachelor’s degree and their eventual master’s degree.

Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA when applying to the Soaring Scholar program and must maintain this GPA once accepted.  Soaring Soaring Scholar students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and wish to transition into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the program during their final semester before graduation. Acceptance into the Soaring Scholar program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.  

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s program will graduate with a bachelor’s degree and immediately transition into the Accelerated MA in Art History program. Students in the accelerated program must meet all the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least fifteen (15) credit hours—exclusive of thesis guidance—of their 31-credit hour program in 600-level courses. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours per semester.

Soaring Scholar Accelerated BA/MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies

Students enrolled in the BA in Art, track in Art History who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Critical and Curatorial Studies can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward the MA through the Soaring Scholar Accelerated BA/MA ​program in Critical and Curatorial Studies.

Interested students must apply through the department for admission to the Soaring Scholar program no later than the end of their junior year in order to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework during their final year of the BA program. 

Students accepted into the Soaring Scholar program will take three 600-level graduate courses (totaling nine (9) credit hours) during their final year of undergraduate studies. These courses will count toward both their bachelor’s degree and their eventual master’s degree.

Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA when applying to the Soaring Scholar program and must maintain this GPA once accepted.  Soaring Soaring Scholar students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and wish to transition into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the program during their final semester before graduation. Acceptance into the Soaring Scholar program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.  

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s program will graduate with a bachelor’s degree and immediately transition into the Accelerated MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies. Students in the accelerated program must meet all the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least fifteen (15) credit hours—exclusive of thesis guidance—of their 31-credit hour program in 600-level courses. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours per semester.

Departmental Admission Requirements

To qualify for admission to the Department of Art and Design, students must:

1. Be admitted to the University in Good Standing,
2. Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5,
3. Meet the overall grade point standards for the College of Arts & Sciences.

In addition, a grade of D in any department course at the 300 level or above may not be used to fulfill a departmental requirement. A grade of C-minus or better is required in all 300- and 500-level courses in the major. 

Enrolled University of Louisville students may apply for major via ULink (the Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile). Incoming and transfer students must first be accepted by the University before they can apply for a major.

Studio art courses may be restricted to majors only.

Admission and Application to the Soaring Scholar Accelerated BA/MA in Art History

Interested students must apply through the department for admission to the Soaring Scholar program no later than the end of their junior year in order to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework during their final year of the BA program.

Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA when applying to the Soaring Scholar program and must maintain this GPA once accepted.  Soaring Soaring Scholar students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and wish to transition into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the program during their final semester before graduation. Acceptance into the Soaring Scholar program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.

Admission and Application to the Accelerated BA/MA in Curatorial Studies

Interested students must apply through the department for admission to the Soaring Scholar program no later than the end of their junior year in order to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework during their final year of the BA program. 

Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA when applying to the Soaring Scholar program and must maintain this GPA once accepted.  Soaring Soaring Scholar students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and wish to transition into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the program during their final semester before graduation. Acceptance into the Soaring Scholar program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program. 

General Education Requirements

*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Program/Major Requirements

A grade of C-minus or better is required in all 300-level and 500-level courses in the major.

40 hours minimum total for Studio Art track; 36 hours minimum total for Art History track.

At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.

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Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language.

²

In addition to courses counted toward General Education; 6 hours must be at 300 level or above.

³

May be incorporated into other degree requirements.

⁴

Fulfills General Education AH requirement.

⁵

Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

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For the track in Art History a maximum of 4 hours in Art History or Studio Art may be used in the free electives. 

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For the track in Studio Art the free electives must be outside Art History or Studio Art.

Track Requirements

Track in Studio Art 

Academic Plan Code(s): ART BA STA

Track in Art History

Academic Plan Code(s): ART BA ARH

Of the total 33 hours in Art History (inclusive of program/major requirements), 15 hours must be at the 300 level or above and 12 hours must be at the 500 level.
A maximum of 4 hours in Art History or Studio Art may be used in the free electives.
Total minimum electives: 14 hours

Accelerated BA-MA in Art History

Students accepted to the accelerated option must take the following courses during the final year of the BA program that will also count toward the MA program upon acceptance.

Accelerated BA-MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies
Students accepted to the accelerated option must take the following courses during the final year of the BA program that will also count toward the MA program upon acceptance.

Flight Pan

Track in Studio Art

Track in Art History

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Students accepted to the accelerated BA-MA in Art History or the accelerated BA-MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies will take ARTH 642 in lieu of ARTH 541.

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Students accepted into the accelerated BA-MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies will take CCS 647 in lieu of a 500-level art history elective.

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Students accepted into the accelerated BA-MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies will take CCS 648 in lieu of a 500-level art history elective.

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

1. Log into your ULink account.
2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
3. Select the appropriate report.
   1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
   2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
   3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.