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AAU Home > Degrees/Classes > Liberal Arts BFA Graduation Requirements

Liberal Arts Program BFA Requirements

45 Units of Liberal Arts are required for BFA graduation (up to 30* may be transferred in *Effective Spring 2008)

Written Communication (3 courses)   Transfer & exam waiver options available
LA108: English Composition for the Artist ~ required (Effective Spring 2006)
LA110: English: Narrative Storytelling ~ required

Choose one:
LA202: English: Narrative Documentary          LA280: Perspective Journalism

Art History & Appreciation (3 courses) Transfer & exam waiver options available
LA120: Art History through the 15th Century ~ required
LA121: Art History through the 19th Century ~ required

Choose one:
LA118: History of Industrial Design      LA229: Survey of Contemp. Interiors           LA276: Seminar in Europe
LA123: American Art History                  LA236: Survey of Bay Area Architecture    LA281: History of Film: Pre 1940
LA127: Topics in World Art                     LA243: History of Illustration                          LA282: History of Film: Post 1940
LA222: 20th Century Art                          LA244: History of Fashion                              LA307: History of Aesthetics

[Note: the BFA degree requires a 4th Art History, which may be taken as a major, art elective or LA from the above list]

Historical Awareness (1 course)    Transfer & exam waiver options available
Choose one:
LA171: Western Civilization                       LA276: Seminar in Europe
LA270: US History                                        LA359: Urban Sociology

Quantitative Reasoning (1 course) (Effective Spring 2007)   Transfer & exam waiver options available
Choose one:
LA124: Natural Phenomenon                           LA256: Topics in Contemporary Math
LA175: Astronomy Exploring the Cosmos      LA352: Golden Section and Sacred Geometry
LA254: Introduction to Ergonomics
LA255: College Math

Comparative Ideas & Influences (1 course) (Effective Fall 2007) Transfer & exam waiver options available
Choose one:
LA127: Topics in World Art                               LA238: World Literature             LA359: Urban Sociology
LA155: Music and the Visual Arts                   LA276: Seminar in Europe         LA368: Experiencing Culture:
                                                                                                                                                         Anthropology
LA180: Geography and Museum Cultures   LA343: Comparative Religion    LA462: Myth and Symbol
LA260: Beginning French                                LA262: Intermediate French        LA267: Beginning Italian
LA 268: Beginning Spanish                             LA269: Intermediate Italian         LA273: Intermediate Spanish

Employment Communications and Practices (1 course) (Effective Fall 2008)
LA291: Designing Careers ~ required

Remaining 5 Liberal Arts courses are electives by advisement
(note: classes in the above categories may also be taken as LA electives.)

LA    151    Seminar for Acad. Success           LA     237    Popular Culture
LA      95    Fundamentals of English               LA    239    Materials & Processes
LA    119    Intro to Fabrics                                 LA    272    Fundamentals of Drama
LA    126    Seminar in the Arts                         LA    281    History of Film 1: Pre-1940
LA    140    Music Appreciation                         LA    282    History of Film 2: Post-1940
LA    190    History of Opera                              LA    285    Gestures & Emotions in Art
LA    210    Contemporary American Fiction LA    287    Product Sales and Promotion
LA    216    Science Fiction and Fantasy        LA    300    Public Speaking & Oral Comm.
LA    217    Writing for Comics                          LA    303    Critical Thinking & Philosophical
                                                                                                   Concepts
LA    223    I Act, Therefore I Am                       LA    305    Philosophy/Understanding Logic
LA    228    Topics in Modern Science            LA    312    Creative Writing
LA    236    Survey of Bay Area Architecture LA    315    Strategic Communications (Ill 491)

LA    322    Trend Forecasting
LA    345    Art of Science, Science of Art
LA    347    Business Law
LA    365    General Psychology
LA    368    General Cultural Anthropology
LA    381    Marketing Essentials
LA    410    E-Commerce
LA    435    The Power of Signs
LA    462    Power of Myth and Symbol
LA    480    Small Business Management
LA    499    Special Topics: Art of Music
LA    499    Special Topics: Nutrition, Body Sculpt
LA    499    Teaching: Principles & Practices

Above Liberal Arts requirements can be met in the following ways:

   1. Take the AAU course and earn a passing grade
   2. Transfer* in a comparable course from a previous institution
   3. Waiver through comparable non-transferable coursework from previous institution
   4. Passing score on AP, IB or SAT exam
   5. Passing score on AAU English Placement Exam

*Please note: Students who successfully transfer in required courses from a previous institution will receive AAU units towards graduation for those courses. However, students who place out of a required English or Quantitative course via the AAU Placement Exam, AP, IB, SATs or non-transferable coursework will have that requirement waived but must make up the units with a Liberal Arts elective

Coursework from a Previous Institution:

Students who transfer in courses from a previous college or university will be placed out of the corresponding AAU course and receive the appropriate unit credit for each course they transfer in. On occasion, when students are unable to transfer in a required course, similar courses from other colleges and universities will be considered for waiver. Please send your transcripts in early to allow for ample processing time.

SAT, AP and IB Scores:

Students who have earned the following SAT and AP scores will automatically place out of LA108 and the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Students with AP or IB exam scores in the appropriate subject may also have Art History and Historical Awareness requirement (s) waived. Please send your test scores in early to allow for ample processing time:

    * SAT I score (before April 1995) of 510(written) 600(mathematics) or higher
    * SAT I score (after April 1995) of 590(written) 600(mathematics) or higher
    * SAT II (Writing Subject Test) of 660 or higher
    * SAT II (Mathematics Subject Test) of 500 or higher
    * Advanced Placement (AP) exam score of 3 or higher
    * International Baccalaureates (IB) exam score of 5 or higher

AAU English Placement Exam:

Students who take the AAU English Placement exam will be placed into one of three English courses depending on their score on the exam:

    * Score of 1 or 2, students will place into LA108
    * Score of 3 or 4, students will place out of LA108 and into LA202
    * Score of 5 or 6, students will place out of both LA108 and LA202, into LA110

**Please Note: ALL students are required to take LA110: Narrative Storytelling and are not tested for its creative writing content in the English Placement Exam.

The Placement Exams are offered weekly during the school year in the Liberal Arts Department and online only students may take the exam at a proctoring site in their area. Please contact the Liberal Arts Department to schedule an exam. (415) 618-3664.

Upcoming English and Quantitative Placement exams on the AAU campus:

Placement Exam Dates During Summer Intersession:
•    May 28, 10:00 am -12:00 pm at 491 Post Street, M50 (Wednesday)
•    June 4, 10:00 am -12:00 pm at 491 Post Street, M50 (Wednesday)
•    June 11, 10:00 am -12:00 pm at 491 Post Street, M50 (Wednesday)

Placement Exam Dates During Summer 2008:
•    June 18, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    June 25, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    July 2, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    July 9, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    July 16, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    July 23, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    July 30, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)
•    August 6, 10:00 am – 12:00 am at 491 Post Street, Room M50 (Wednesday)

Exams are by appointment (No drop-ins).
Please contact the Liberal Arts Department (415) 618-3664 or email liberalarts@academyart.edu to reserve a seat.