About

Do you want to advance your creativity, artistic skills, design thinking and leadership in the visual arts and design? Are you interested in many possibilities of art and design? We have the programs, facilities, support and outstanding faculty to help you achieve your goals.

Become immersed in the arts at the largest BFA in art program in the University of North Carolina System, with concentrations in animation/interactive design, ceramics, film and video production, graphic design, illustration, metal design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textile design.

Work side-by-side with talented students and faculty in the expansive Jenkins Fine Arts Center, a 142,000-square-foot-facility dedicated just to art and design. From digital weaving looms to laser cutters, a foundry, state-of-the-art computer labs, printmaking presses, photography darkrooms, a digital darkroom, a wood shop and more, you will be part of a community of artists who create, and nearly live, in Jenkins Fine Arts Center.

The Wellington B. Gray Gallery provides opportunities for students to show work and see the creative activity of professors and artists. Each concentration is supported by a guild that in turn provides enhancement to the curriculum. Guild activities include bringing in a variety of visiting artists and designers for artist's talks and workshops, supporting student travel to conferences and for research, and supporting the creative work of students. Partnerships with a variety of arts organizations across the state provide opportunities for internships, hands-on learning and professional development, from the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove to the Pitt County Arts Council right here in Greenville.

ECU Advantage

When you study art and design at ECU, your ideas have a voice. You have a place to think and make. You are part of a community of outstanding artists, designers, scholars and educators.

We believe everyone should have access to art and design in higher education, so we don't require a portfolio for admission as an incoming student. Instead, you work with outstanding faculty to develop your interests and apply to your concentration of choice during your second year of study.

Our alumni make a living by making a life in art and design. Our graduates run arts councils, have successful private studios and potteries, work in the textile and furniture design industries, and walk across the stage with cap in hand to land jobs in marketing, advertising, design firms, the gaming industry, film and video production houses and more.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Daniel Kariko (2000 Jenkins Fine Arts Center; 252-328-4063; karikod@ecu.edu)

The Art, BFA offers concentrations in animation and interactive design, ceramics, film and video production, graphic design, illustration, metal design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and textile design. 

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

1. General education requirements including courses listed below - 40 s.h.

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

  • ARTH 1906 - Art History Survey
  • ARTH 1907 - Art History Survey
  • PHIL 2271 - Introduction to Philosophy of Art
2. Common core - 30 s.h.

(Students must complete ART 1011, ART 1012, and two out of following three courses: ART 1013, ART 1014, ART 1020, before taking 3000 level or higher ART courses. Students must also earn a grade of C- (1.7) or better in these courses.)

  • ART 1011 - Visual Organization
  • ART 1012 - Form, Space, and Color
  • ART 3005 - Translation as Making
  • ART 3010 - Topics in Multidisciplinary Art
  • ART 4050 - Art and Design Capstone
  • Choose two courses from the following:

    (Intended painting concentration students should take ART 1020. All other concentration areas require both ART 1013 and ART 1014.)

    • ART 1013 - Process in Studio Arts
    • ART 1014 - Narrative in Art and Design
    • ART 1020 - Drawing
    Choose three courses from the following:

    (Intended film and video production concentration students should take FILM 3900 and/or FILM 3901. Intended graphic design concentration students should take ART 3090.)

    • Any
    • FILM 3900 - American and International Film History, Part I
    • FILM 3901 - American and International Film History Part II
    • Any course(s) with the art history (ARTH) prefix
    • Any design and theory criticism (ART) course(s): ART 2090, ART 3090 
3. Areas of concentration - 30 s.h.

See Section 7 for requirements that must be met prior to acceptance into an area of concentration.

    a. Animation and interactive design
    • ART 2070 - Animation/Interactive Design Survey
    • ART 2470 - Introduction to Digital 3D Modeling and Animation
    • ART 3070 - Electronic Interactive Multimedia
    • ART 3080 - Introductory Video Art
    • ART 3081 - Intermediate Video Art
    • ART 3082 - Motion Graphics Studio
    • ART 3470 - Digital 3D Animation
    • ART 4070 - Advanced Interactive Media
    • ART 4411 - Professional Practice
    • ART 4470 - Digital 3D Lighting and Rendering
    b. Ceramics
    • ART 2105 - Ceramics Survey
    • ART 2115 - Ceramics Studio I
    • ART 2125 - Ceramics Studio II
    • ART 3100 - Ceramics Studio III
    • ART 3110 - Ceramics Studio IV
    • ART 3120 - Ceramics Studio V
    • ART 4100 - Ceramics Studio VI
    • ART 4110 - Ceramics Studio VII
    • ART 4120 - Ceramics Studio VIII
    • ART 4130 - Ceramics Studio IX
    c. Film and video production
    • ART 2205 - Film and Video Production Survey
    • ART 2411 - Introduction to Scriptwriting
    • ART 3420 - Cinematography, Lighting and Audio Capture
    • ART 3435 - Film and Video Thesis I
    • ART 3450 - Post-Production Editing
    • ART 3462 - Short-form Narrative Production
    • ART 3464 - Client-Based Production
    • ART 3466 - Documentary Production
    • ART 4440 - Film and Video Thesis II
    • Choose one course from the following:
      • ART 3082 - Motion Graphics Studio
      • ART 3468 - Advanced Television Studio Production
      • ART 3480 - Film and Video Sound Production
      • ART 4430 - Advanced Film and Video Post-Production
      • ART 4490 - Senior Seminar/Senior Show
    d. Graphic design
    • ART 2200 - Graphic Design Survey
    • ART 2210 - Graphic Design Studio I
    • ART 3200 - Graphic Design Studio II
    • ART 3205 - Topics in Graphic Design (Repeat
    • ART 3210 - Graphic Design Studio III
    • ART 4200 - Graphic Design Studio IV
    • ART 4205 - Graphic Design Studio V
    • ART 4210 - Graphic Design Studio VI
    • ART 4215 - Graphic Design Studio VII
    e. Illustration
    • ART 2230 - Illustration I: Survey
    • ART 3240 - Illustration II: Concepts and Metaphors
    • ART 4230 - Illustration III: Illustration Principles
    • ART 4330 - Illustration IV: Professional Practice
    • ART 4340 - Illustration V: Portfolio
    • Five additional courses are required from a combination of foundation and area of emphasis courses.
        Choose up to three courses from the following foundation courses:
        • ART 2540 - Intermediate Drawing
        • ART 2550 - Intermediate Figure Drawing
        • ART 2560 - Painting Survey: Materials and Methods
        • ART 2561 - Painting: Composition - Design for Painting
        • ART 3554 - Figure and the Environment
        • ART 3555 - Drawing Media and Technique
        • ART 3561 - Painting Studio I
        • ART 3562 - Figure Painting
        Choose up to three courses in one of the following areas of emphasis:

        (If an area of emphasis has a required course, the course must be taken before additional courses.)

          Animation
          • Required course:
          • ART 2070 - Animation/Interactive Design Survey

          • Choose up to two courses from the following:
          • ART 2470 - Introduction to Digital 3D Modeling and Animation
          • ART 3470 - Digital 3D Animation
          • ART 4470 - Digital 3D Lighting and Rendering
          Graphic design
          • Required course:
          • ART 2200 - Graphic Design Survey

          • Select up to two courses from the following:
          • ART 2210 - Graphic Design Studio I
          • ART 3200 - Graphic Design Studio II
          • ART 3205 - Topics in Graphic Design
          • ART 3210 - Graphic Design Studio III
          Painting
          • Choose up to three courses from the following:
          • ART 3561 - Painting Studio I
          • ART 3563 - Painting Studio II
          • ART 3564 - Advanced Figure Painting
          • ART 4560 - Advanced Painting I
          • ART 4561 - Advanced Painting II
          • ART 4562 - Advanced Painting III
          Printmaking
          • Required course:
          • ART 2010 - Printmaking Survey

          • Choose up to two courses from the following:
          • ART 2600 - Printmaking Studio I
          • ART 3600 - Printmaking Studio III
          • ART 4600 - Printmaking Studio V
          • ART 4610 - Printmaking Studio VI
          Textile design
          • Required course:
          • ART 2303 - Textile Design Survey

          • Choose up to two courses from the following:
          • ART 2326 - Screen Printing on Cloth
          • ART 2335 - Weaving Design II
          • ART 2336 - Dye and Paint Applications to Cloth
          • ART 3315 - Dimensional Textiles
          • ART 4326 - Contemporary Issues in Surface Design
          • ART 4335 - Contemporary Issues in Weaving
    f. Metal design
    • ART 2300 - Metal Design Survey
    • ART 2301 - Metal Design Studio I (Jewelry)
    • ART 2311 - Metal Design Studio II (Enameling)
    • ART 2321 - Metal Design Studio III (Raising, Spinning, Chasing, Repousse, Forging)
    • ART 3301 - Metal Design Studio IV
    • ART 3311 - Metal Design Studio V
    • ART 3321 - Metal Enameling Studio II
    • ART 4301 - Metal Design Studio VI
    • ART 4311 - Metal Design Studio VII
    • ART 4350 - Metal Design Studio VIII
    g. Painting
    • ART 1030 - Figure Drawing
    • ART 2540 - Intermediate Drawing
    • ART 2560 - Painting Survey: Materials and Methods
    • ART 2561 - Painting: Composition - Design for Painting
    • ART 3555 - Drawing Media and Technique
    • ART 3561 - Painting Studio I
    • ART 4560 - Advanced Painting I
    • Choose 3 courses from the following:
      • ART 2550 - Intermediate Figure Drawing
      • ART 3551 - Problems in Figure Drawing
      • ART 3552 - Problems in Figure Drawing
      • ART 3553 - Problems in Figure Drawing
      • ART 3554 - Figure and the Environment
      • ART 3562 - Figure Painting
      • ART 3563 - Painting Studio II
      • ART 4551 - Selected Problems in Drawing
      • ART 4561 - Advanced Painting II
      • ART 4562 - Advanced Painting III
      • ART 4563 - Advanced Painting IV
      • ART 4564 - Advanced Painting V
    h. Photography
    • ART 2225 - Introduction to Darkroom Photography
    • ART 3250 - Introduction to Digital Photography
    • ART 3270 - Color and Light Photography
    • ART 3280 - Concepts in Photography
    • ART 4250 - Professional Practices in Photography
    • ART 4260 - Introduction to Alternative Photographic Processes
    • Choose twelve semester hours from the following:
      • ART 2220 - Photography Survey
      • ART 3260 - Intermediate Darkroom Photography
      • ART 4225 - Methods and Research in Photography: Special Topics
      • ART 4240 - Inquiries in Advanced Digital Photography
      • ART 4290 - Alternative Photographic Process: Special Topics
    i. Printmaking
    • ART 2010 - Printmaking Survey
    • ART 2600 - Printmaking Studio I
    • ART 3600 - Printmaking Studio III
    • ART 3610 - Printmaking Studio IV
    • ART 4600 - Printmaking Studio V
    • ART 4610 - Printmaking Studio VI
    • ART 4620 - Printmaking Studio VII
    • ART 4630 - Printmaking Studio VIII
    • ART 4640 - Printmaking Studio IX
    j. Sculpture
    • ART 2705 - Sculpture Survey
    • ART 2715 - Sculpture Studio I
    • ART 2725 - Sculpture Studio II
    • ART 3700 - Sculpture Studio III
    • ART 3710 - Sculpture Studio IV
    • ART 3720 - Sculpture Studio V
    • ART 4700 - Sculpture Studio VI
    • ART 4710 - Sculpture Studio VII
    • ART 4711 - Sculpture Studio VIII
    • ART 4712 - Sculpture Studio IX
    k. Textile design
    • ART 2303 - Textile Design Survey
    • ART 2326 - Screen Printing on Cloth
    • ART 2335 - Weaving Design II
    • ART 2336 - Dye and Paint Applications to Cloth
    • Choose five courses from the following:
      • ART 3305 - Traditional Felt Making
      • ART 3315 - Dimensional Textiles
      • ART 3316 - Fabric Manipulation and Construction
      • ART 4305 - Material and Woven Structure
      • ART 4306 - Garment Construction and Fashion Design I
      • ART 4315 - Surface and Woven Structure
      • ART 4316 - Garment Construction and Fashion Design II
      • ART 4326 - Contemporary Issues in Surface Design
      • ART 4335 - Contemporary Issues in Weaving
      • ART 4336 - Senior Project in Surface Design
      • ART 4345 - Senior Project in Weaving
4. Electives - 18 s.h.

(Electives may be in any art (ART) prefix or art history (ARTH) prefix, including art education. Choose a minimum of 6 s.h. outside the area of concentration. Electives may also include FILM 3900 or FILM 3901.)

    5. General elective - 2 s.h.
      6. An approved senior show is required for graduation.
        7. Acceptance into a concentration is by portfolio review.

        Individual concentrations require portfolio review for acceptance into the area. Entrance is competitive and space may be limited. Students not accepted into their preferred area of concentration should be prepared to seek alternative areas of concentration and/or degree programs. Students should speak with faculty in their desired concentration to receive detailed instructions regarding the portfolio review process and requirements.

        Students apply to concentrations after successfully completing the following courses:

        • -  (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course) 
        • -  and  
        • -  (with a minimum 2.6 GPA)
        • -  and  (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in both courses)
        • -  (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in course and in any illustration concentration courses taken)
        • -  
        • -  or ;  and ; or  (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in course and in any painting concentration courses taken)
        • -  (with a minimum 2.6 GPA in the course)
        • -  and either  or  
        • -  
        • -  and a minimum of one course from the following: , , ,  
          For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.