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Studio Track Major Requirements  

Visual and Dramatic Arts
School of Humanities
Degree Requirements for BA in Visual & Dramatic Arts, Studio Track

Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts majors are students who concentrate their focus of study in the visual and dramatic arts, with emphasis in the studio arts, film and photography, or theatre tracks.  Each student should discuss with their faculty advisor the selection of courses and any other matters of concern in the student’s academic life such as study and travel abroad, scholarships and internships, career goals or options, etc.
 
(For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements in the Rice University General Announcements.)

Studio Art Track
Single Major
(13 courses required)

 
Freshman and Sophomore Years 

ARTS 225, Basic Drawing, (ARTS 101 and ARTS 103 accepted as equivalent)
ARTS 325, Life Drawing
ARTS 388, Critical Studies for Studio Practice
One art history (HART) elective
Two theatre (THEA) electives
One studio arts (ARTS) Special Problems (may be taken any year of undergraduate study)

Junior Year
Two studio arts (ARTS), photography (FOTO), or film (FILM) electives
Two art history (HART) electives
Junior Field Trip (spring semester)

Senior Year
ARTS 499, Senior Studio (3 credit hours fall; 3 credit hours spring). Students must enroll in ARTS 499 in both the fall and spring semesters of their senior year.

Studio Art Track
Double Major
(11courses required)
Freshman and Sophomore Years
ARTS 225, Basic Drawing (ARTS 101 & ARTS 103 accepted as equivalent)
ARTS 325, Life Drawing
ARTS 388, Critical Studies for Studio Practice
One art history (HART) or theatre (THEA) elective
One studio art (ARTS) Special Problems (may be taken any year of undergraduate study)

Junior Year
Two studio arts (ARTS), photography (FOTO), or film (FILM) electives
Two art history (HART) electives
Junior Field Trip (spring semester)

Senior Year
ARTS 499, Senior Studio (3 credit hours fall; 3 credit hours spring) Students muse enroll in ARTS 499 in both the fall and spring semesters of their senior year.

Visual and Dramatic Arts majors are strongly encouraged to explore arts-related courses offered in other departments that may enrich the studio major such as: philosophy, anthropology, science, history, cultural studies, language, writing, comparative studies, etc. Students should speak with their faculty advisor prior to enrolling.  

The junior year field trip will be 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.  Trips may include local Houston alternative art, theatre, and film venues, museums, artist studios, and exhibitions as well as travel to destinations within the United States to visit significant arts sites and works.
 
Transfer Credit
No more than two courses may be transferred for the single or double major to satisfy degree requirements for BA in Visual and Dramatic Arts degree. The two transfer credit courses must be studio, film, photography, or theatre practice courses required for all majors. Advanced placement credit may not be used by Visual and Dramatic Arts majors to fulfill department degree requirements. 
 
Entering transfer students who are transferring coursework from another accredited college or university will be allowed to transfer their undergraduate art courses. Students must speak with the department chairman immediately upon transferring to Rice.
 
The Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts will accept academic work completed in the Spring at NYU program as well as the National Theater Institute program, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, as transfer credit to fulfill major requirements (following university transfer credit guidelines).

See also Transfer Credit in the Information for Undergraduate Students section of the Rice University General Announcements.