Bachelor of Fine Arts

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Academics / Departments & Programs / Art and Design / Academics / BFA

Bachelor of Fine Arts

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Degree Overview

If you’re going to shape the world with your art, you need a university where you'll hone your creative voice and master your craft.

That university is Calvin.

Calvin's BFA program will stretch you in ways you never expected, and prepare you for careers you never imagined. In a supportive, tight-knit community, you'll build a portfolio that highlights your work. You'll forge relationships with experienced Christian faculty who want you to succeed. You'll take advanced art courses and get personal guidance from your professors.

You'll cap all this with an exhibition that showcases your best work. You'll step into the world with a career-making portfolio and confidence in your creative skills.

Program Distinctives

Builds on Calvin's art framework - The BFA program is a highly selective program you'll apply to join during your sophomore year. As a BFA student, you'll build on a studio art or graphic design major with additional upper-level classes, a focus on your portfolio, and a more intense experience.
Diverse expression - At Calvin, you'll find the tools, facilities, and community support to bring your vision to life, whether you work with ceramics, paint, pencils, cameras, or the latest design software.
Deeply Christian - Faith and justice live at the heart of every art class you'll take and every project you do. You'll be challenged to see art as a way to enact real, meaningful change in your community and the world beyond.
Incredible community - You'll find your niche at Calvin in thriving student groups like Artist Collaborative, Visual Arts Guild, and others. From Calvin's on-campus art gallery to the Dialogue literary magazine, you'll find channels of expression both inside and outside class.

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Degree Information

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Create in community

At Calvin, you won't work alone—you'll create alongside peers who are cheering for your success. Learn how the two-year Arts Collective program can plug you into Calvin's vibrant art community.

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You can afford a Calvin education.

You’ve heard a lot about the high cost of a university education. But a Calvin education is much more affordable than you think. Most Calvin students pay far below the sticker price—and graduate with less debt than you might expect.

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U.S. News & World Report ranks Calvin as a Best Midwest Regional University for 2022.

A reputation for excellence.

There’s a reason Calvin gets top marks from U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and more. Calvin graduates are in demand at grad schools, med schools, and careers in every field.

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Costs & Financial Aid

Families from all economic backgrounds—many just like yours—are making Calvin work. Scholarships, grants and loans are the tools that make Calvin possible.

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