Art/Art History

Art (AFA)

The Associate in Fine Arts degree (AFA) is designed to prepare students to transfer as juniors into a bachelor’s degree program (BFA) in Studio Art. Students are encouraged to complete their core courses in Art before enrolling in media-specific studio courses. A portfolio is usually required for transfer to a four-year institution. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their instructors and with counselors and advisors in the PSC Counseling and Advising Center (or with the university where they expect to transfer) for information regarding the most appropriate courses to take while at Prairie State College.

Art/Art History (AA)

Illinois colleges and universities offer two different bachelor’s degrees in Art: the professional Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a major in Art. In general, because the B.F.A. degree prepares students for graduate school, it requires 70 or more semester credits of art courses, while the B.A. degree (major in Art) requires about 40 to 50 semester credits of art courses. At some schools, a B.A. degree requires competency in a foreign language, while the B.F.A. usually does not.

Portfolio Review: Students planning to pursue a baccalaureate degree should be aware that transfer admission to art-related programs is competitive and most schools require a portfolio review for admission to B.F.A. programs, or for registration in a second studio course in a medium and/or for scholarship consideration.

Art Education (AA)

To teach art in Illinois public schools, teachers must be certified by the State of Illinois. To transfer into an approved baccalaureate program in art education as a junior, students must complete a minimum of 60 semester credits. Since admission is competitive, completion of the courses recommended below does not guarantee admission. Community college students are strongly encouraged to complete an Associate in Arts degree prior to transfer. Some colleges may require a portfolio as part of the admission screening process. Students should be aware that a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale is usually required for program admission. Students must pass the Illinois Basic Skills Test (www.icts.nesinc.com) which includes reading, writing, grammar, and math, as a university requirement for program admission. Most schools require a criminal background check prior to enrolling in field experience courses. Student should consult an academic advisor at the community college and senior university early and often.

Faculty

Paul Rinaldi
Professor
Coordinator, Arts
Phone: (708) 709-3679
email: prinaldi@prairiestate.edu
Office: 4145

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Louis Shields
Professor
Art History
Phone: (708) 709-7771
email: lshields@prairiestate.edu
Office: 4262