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Study General Fine Arts

Explore endless possibilities through PNCA's general fine arts degree. Focus on an assortment of materials and processes while developing skills in a variety of studio art practices.

Program Snapshot

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Major

121

4 Years

PNCA Campus

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Our General Fine Arts Arts Major

Experience the freedom to determine your academic path. Explore painting, learn about sculpture, and even take a few printmaking courses. Our fine arts major allows students to thrive as skilled and versatile general artists.

Why choose Fine Arts at Pacific Northwest College of Art?

  • State-of-the-art facilities. General Fine Arts students will utilize all types of facilities and equipment on campus. Connect your art across multiple disciplines through our video editing suites, 3D fabrication shops, and high-end printers. We also offer a Creative Technology Lab.
  • An entrepreneurial outlook. Careers in the arts are constantly evolving. Our Fine Arts BFA embraces adaptability. Gain skills across different mediums and within our liberal arts courses.
  • Opportunities to push your creativity. Push your limits during your Senior Thesis or consider a residency at Leland Iron Works. Showcase your designs at First Thursdays or participate at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art Time-Based Art Festival.

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Student Work

PNCA offers student-run galleries and project spaces for student exhibitions. You can also install your work throughout the public areas of the building. Grow and learn from other artists in the community. View student work from our General Fine Arts BFA program.

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Alumni Stories

The General Fine Arts major offers you broad exposure to the studio arts with a focus on materials and processes. Our graduates go on to impact industries around the world.

  • Close-up portrait of a person with long black hair wearing a decorative headband, turquoise bead necklace, and patterned top,

    Steph Littlebird BFA '15

    Changing lives with art
    While at PNCA, Steph Littlebird discovered the power of speaking truth through art. She has utilized this to give voice to the Native American community as a writer and curator for the Oregon Arts Watch series Indigenous Resilience in Oregon, and illustrator for the children's book My Powerful Hair.

  • Young man in a white button-up shirt standing indoors with colorful rectangles and blurred windows in the background.

    Tabor Robak

    PNCA graduate partners with Microsoft
    PNCA graduate Tabor Robak has been commissioned by Microsoft to develop a work of scale for the facade of their flagship store on 5th Avenue. Robak's works have been acquired by a number of major museums including The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Fine Arts Faculty

Our faculty are more than just mentors, they're acclaimed artists. Work side-by-side with successful art and design professionals to create masterpieces. Students can also connect with visiting artists and meet workshop leaders to find inspiration.

  • Meet Kristin P Bradshaw

    Kristin P Bradshaw, PNCA's Associate Professor and Chair of BFA Creative Writing, explores poetic expression through various mediums. With degrees from Yale University, Brown University, and Converse College, her students are encouraged to explore writing through investigation and observation.

    Headshot of Kristin P Bradshaw

Curriculum

Our bachelor of fine arts degree embraces choice, artistic freedom, and expression. Explore studio courses, liberal arts courses, and creative arts courses to become a well-rounded artist.

  • TH300 Professional Practice

    Refine your professional strategies, enrich your portfolio, and align your creative endeavors with your future aspirations and goals. You'll emerge with a resource archive and visual and verbal presentation skills. Connect your education to your professional or postgraduate pursuits.

  • TH499 Thesis

    Create a major piece of work that showcases your artistic growth and deep understanding of your craft. Combine your vision and research to demonstrate your contextual awareness. You'll present this work, highlighting your skills and insights, during Focus Week events.

Program Requirements

Our General Fine Arts major requires 121 credits to complete the degree. This includes: 76 in studio, 30 in Liberal Arts and Sciences, and 15 in Art History. Of the studio credits, 16 are required courses in the Foundation program, at least 36 are the required courses in the studio major, and the remainder are available for studio electives. A minimum two-year residency at the College is required.

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Admissions Information

Our General Fine Arts program is open to first-year students, transfer students and international students. Learn more about PNCA’s undergraduate admissions process to get started.

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Financial Aid & Scholarships

Most students receive financial aid, ranging from scholarship opportunities to federal work study and need-based grants and loans. PNCA also considers general fine art students for full-tuition scholarships. PNCA is committed to a better future by providing fair and equitable admission processes. The BFA program automatically considers all students applying for merit-based scholarships. In addition, we also offer BFA Equity Scholarships, Juried Scholarships, Pre-College Scholarships, International Scholarships and Community College Transfer Partner/Transfer Agreement Scholarships.

 

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