J o h n F K e n n e d y U n i v e r s i t y

BFA IN STUDIO ARTSThe BFA program is dedicated to the practice of creativityas a means of achieving increased awareness of personalidentity and connection to meaningful work in the world.The program combines studio practice and development ofskill with other activities—spiritual practice, ritual, academicresearch, and intensive self-inquiry. The BFA in Studio Art isdesigned for those who have already completed a significantamount of college-level work and have some backgroundin the arts. The BFA is designed to help move experiencedstudents to a deeper level of self-inquiry, technical skill,and cultural connection through art. The program is abridge to either the MA in Transformative Arts or theMFA in Studio Arts through a linking program that makespossible the simultaneous enrollment in undergraduate andgraduate programs in the final year. Students who alreadyhave undergraduate degrees in fields outside of the arts orwho fell they need some extra work on development of aportfolio before attempting graduate work in the art are alsoencouraged to enroll. In addition to technical and creativegrowth, BFA students gain important insights into how theyfit into the constantly changing worlds of contemporary art,healing, and community transformation.Admission RequirementsApplicants to the BFA program must complete and mail ina JFKU application for admission and pay the appropriateapplication fee. The priority deadlines are as follows: falladmission, September 1; winter admission, December 1;spring admission, March 1; and summer admission, June1. Two sets of academic transcripts from all colleges oruniversities attended are required. Applicants to the BFAprogram are normally expected to have completed at least 60quarter units at another college prior to admission. Applicantsshould check with an academic advisor as to the necessarycourse prerequisites. To schedule an interview with anacademic advisor, applicants should contact the departmentof Arts and Consciousness at arts@jfku.edu or (510) 649-0499.Applicants must submit a portfolio of 10–15 original artworksin any media that have been completed within the last twoyears. This may occur during the pre-admission interviewor through the mail in the following forms: 35 mm slidesin a slide sheet, with an accompanying list of the artworks,media, dimensions, and the year completed; CD or DVDof photographs of artwork; or DVD or VHS format videosof installations or time-based artwork, such as movementor performance art. Written material such as conceptualdocumentation, poetry, or other art forms of writtenexpression are appropriate for inclusion in the portfolio.Online portfolio submissions may also be made.A typed three- to five-page essay describing the applicant’sartistic background and aesthetic interests, as well as thereasons for applying to the BFA program, is required.References to sources of artistic inspiration, personal history,and interests in spiritual practice, philosophy, or communityinteractions are appropriate subjects for inclusion in thepersonal statement. In addition, a meeting with an AcademicAdvisor is required upon admission. At this meeting, theadvisor will discuss transfer credits, degree requirements,and courses necessary for entry into the program. Anindividualized education plan for completion of the BFAprogram will be developed.CurriculumThe BFA requires the completion of 189 units ofundergraduate credit. Of these, 60 units will have beencompleted at another college or university. These credits arenormally completed prior to enrolling in the BFA program,but in some cases may be completed concurrent withenrollment at JFK University. Current course offerings in theSchool of Education and Liberal Arts form the core of theBFA program’s academic requirements and are offered at theBerkeley campus as well as at the Pleasant Hill and Campbellcampuses. Arts and Consciousness (A&C) courses, offeredonly at the Berkeley campus, include special studio-intensivecourses in the painting; drawing; digital media; photography;improvisation, movement, and poetics; and sculpture andinstallation art.Other A&C courses required for the BFA include special academiccourses—A&C 4510 Visual Culture A and A&C 4520Visual Culture B—a two-quarter sequence of courses whichexplore identity, art, and spirituality. Studio-elective classesaimed at increasing personal creativity and expression arean important part of the BFA. A special course introducingnew students to self-inquiry techniques using the creativeprocess—A&C 4530 Art, Archetype, and Creative Process—isrequired in the first quarter of the program as are a richvariety of courses which combine studio, academic, andexperiential learning.116 SCHOOL OF HOLISTIC STUDIESJOHN F. KENNEDY UNIVERSITY