Requirements

BFA Graduate Profile

Each graduate will:

• Effectively communicate ideas visually, orally and in writing.
• Understand one's personal creative process, and apply appropriate materials and design methodologies to content.
• Create a self directed and distinct body of work.
• Demonstrate core proficiencies within one's chosen discipline.
• Apply critical, analytical and creative thinking to problem solving.
• Appropriately contextualize one's work into a broader historical and cultural framework.
• Have command of information literacy skills in order to develop and carry out research to support academic and studio inquiries.
• Understand and implement best professional practices within one's field of study.

Based on 120 credits for student entering MECA&D after 2009

• 121 credits required if matriculated between Fall 2003 and Spring 2007
• 129 credits required if matriculated between Fall 2002 and Spring 2003
• 132 credits required if matriculated between Fall 1999 and spring 2002
• 134 credits required if matriculated prior to Fall 1999.

Part-time students take less than 12 credits per semester and must follow the prerequisite structure of the program.

Degree requirement control sheet = graduation tracking plan

At the end of each semester the Registration & Academic Advising Office records your completed courses (course number and semester completed) and credits earned on your graduation tracking plan, which is given to you during registration. Any questions about the accuracy of your graduation tracking plan should be directed to the Registration & Academic Advising Office. Questions regarding course selection should be directed to your Academic Advisor or Faculty Mentor. Please keep your graduation tracking plan handy when making enrollment decisions. Tracking your courses in relationship to your requirements is critical in both following the sequential learning necessary to successfully complete all course work and to graduate on time.

Years One & Two: Synthesis

In your first two years at MECA&D you will acquire the language and skills common to all art making, whatever the medium. You will learn to be disciplined about your work and will be challenged to take risks and to push your limits. Foundation reviews (critiques) of your work at the end of each semester will give you valuable feedback from both faculty and your peers, helping you to understand and evaluate your strengths and areas for growth.

Art History Requirements

Students must take 15 credits of Art History courses, as follows:

6 credits: Art History Survey
3 credits: AH 250 Critical Approaches to Contemporary Art
6 credits: Art History electives of your choice

Liberal Arts Requirements

Students must take 30 credits of liberal arts courses, as follows:

6 credits: EN 100 English Composition & EN 105 Introduction to Literature
3 credits: World History (WH)
3 credits: Philosophy (PL)
6 credits: Natural Science (NS)
6 credits: Humanities or Social Science (HU/SS)
6 credits: your choice (NS, SS, HU, WP or WH; (note: Art History electives do not meet this requirement))

Studio Requirements

First year students take 6 credits of studio electives in their first year of study along with:

FYL 100 (PE) FY-IN: This seminar involves studio work, academic research, and involvement with a community partner. Its intent is to fully immerse you in art and design, to involve you in the MECA&D and Portland communities, and to place your creative efforts into a real-world context. FY-In teaches the critical importance of combining research and practice, and serves as an introduction to collaborating with one another and with a community partner. Students read, write, research, make art, discuss and critique while working on specific projects in their section. The course is required of all First Year students: 3 credits/semester; 6 hours/week.

Sophomores take 12 credits of studio electives in their second year of study along with:

SYL 200 – SECOND YEAR LAB: Second Year Lab is designed to immerse students in a sustained project in order to combine and advance objectives from their foundation year, develop the ability to take an idea from inception to completion, and introduce professional skills necessary to be an artist at work. Students will research, write, make, revise, remake, and present their work in a professional context. Within this interdisciplinary class, required of all second-year students, structured parameters create an environment in which students have the opportunity to work both individually and collaboratively while developing the skills to self-direct. Elective: 3 credits/semester; 6 hours/week. Prerequisite: Foundation courses completed.

Choice of Studio: 3D Fabrication / Drawing Elective above DR 100 / Media Electives

Foundation Studio courses
3 credits: FN 113 Two Dimensional Design
3 credits: FN 115 Three Dimensional Design
3 credits: DR 100 Introduction to Drawing - see Drawing Curriculum below
3 credits: FN 101 Digital Imaging- see descriptions below

Digital Imaging Requirements - Students can one class from the following:

3 credits: FN 101-B Digital Imaging: Basics
3 credits: FN 101-DPT Digital Imaging: Drawing & Painting
3 credits: FN 101-PH Digital Imaging: Photography

The Drawing Curriculum

The Drawing curriculum at MECA&D is sequenced to provide progressive challenges within a flexible structure, allowing students to make an educated choice about the path of their studies within this diverse discipline. After beginning with a common perceptual dialog in the required DR 100 Introductory Drawing, students are encouraged to choose courses that match their representational, non-objective or professional aspirations. At each successive level, courses are structured to build upon what came before, culminating in advanced courses in very specific topics. While only one class from each level of drawing is required to proceed to the next, a student may choose to expand their technical expertise by continuing to take second and third level electives at any time in their academic career.

Year Three & Four: Majoring

MECA&D offers eleven majors and five minors. Students declare their majors in the spring of their sophomore year. They must meet with the department chair of their chosen major and obtain the chair’s signature to start the approval process.

To enter a major, you must have achieved satisfactory academic progress and be in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 2.0 [C]), have completed their first two years (60 credits), and also have completed a minimum of two semesters of electives in your chosen major department with a grade of at least 2.7 (B-) in your second semester major studio elective. The Registrar will continue the approval process after the spring term grades are recorded. The Registrar will then send a report to the appropriate Program Chair regarding the academic standing of the incoming majors. Program Chairs can decide to allow a student into a major on a probationary basis. This student then must achieve a GPA of 2.0 [C] or better within the studio major in the first term of majoring. Enrollment in a studio major may occur before the last four semesters if all prerequisites are met and departmental permission is obtained.

A minimum of nine major credit hours per semester is required while majoring. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 semester GPA in the major studio courses. However, if a student’s major GPA falls below 2.0 during the first semester of the first year of majoring, the student may remain in the major if at least a 2.0 semester major GPA is achieved during each semester thereafter. Failure to maintain a 2.0 major GPA in any other semester will result in the student’s ineligibility to continue in that major.

Prerequisites

Many courses have prerequisites, which are noted at the end of each course description. Be sure you have completed the prerequisites for any courses for which you want to register. In addition, please note that many courses are sequential from fall to spring.

Independent study

MECA&D students have the opportunity to design their own independent study course and explore areas of interest not currently offered in our curriculum. To be eligible, a student must be at least a sophomore and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Interested students must complete an Independent Study application form, available at the Registration & Academic Advising Office. The Scholastic Affairs Committee and the Dean of the College will approve all Independent Studies during the semester prior to the semester in which they will be performed; deadlines are strict and are printed in the Academic Calendar. Upon receipt of appropriate approval, the Registrar will automatically register the student in the course and provide documentation to the student. A lab fee will be applied.

Internships

Internships are available in a wide range of both studio and art administration settings, and provide opportunities for students to explore first-hand the different venues in which their art knowledge and skills may be applied to be eligible, a student must be in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of at least 2.0) Students may receive course credit while gaining professional, hands-on experience and building relationships with practicing professionals not infrequently, internships lead to summer or post-graduation employment opportunities, and become the basis for life and career defining decisions.

If you are interested in doing an internship, contact the Career Services Office for information on available placements. All internship applications must be completed and approved by the Dean of the College during the semester prior to the semester in which they will be performed; deadlines are printed in the Academic Calendar. Upon receipt of appropriate approval, the Registration & Academic Advising Office will automatically register the student in the course and provide documentation to the student.

Curriculum Fair

The Annual Curriculum Fair, held each spring, marks the beginning of the registration process for the following year. Faculty from each department and area are available to answer questions and discuss courses and majors. Staff from the Registrar’s Office distribute the fall and spring course schedule and registration materials, and are available to assist students.

Policies

Mid-term Grades: Midterm grades reflect a student’s academic progress at about six weeks into the semester. Although midterm grades are not part of a student’s permanent record and will not be reflected in the semester grade point average (GPA), they are important indicators of how they are doing academically. Midterm grades are meant to encourage students to get in touch with their instructors and to request academic assistance if it is needed. The Registrar will contact any student who receives three or more grades below 2.0 (C) in a semester.

Students Admitted on Probation -The Director of Admissions will determine if a student is to be admitted to the college on Academic Probation and will notify that student in writing. A student who achieves a 2.0 or better in his/her first semester will be removed from Academic Probation. If a student's GPA falls below 1.7 (C-) during their first semester, s/he will be academically dismissed. Students who fail to comply will be subject to dismissal.

Academic Probation

All students who earn a semester grade point average below 2.0 [C] are placed on Academic Probation for the following semester.* Note Students Admitted on Probation must follow the policy above.

Academic Dismissal

Students who are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress, as measured by either of the College’s measures, will be academically dismissed. Any student who has attended Maine College of art for at least two semesters and who has earned a semester grade point average (GPA) below 2.0 for the two most recent consecutive semesters will be dismissed from the college. Any student who fails to meet the 67% quantitative standard at the end of the academic year will be academically dismissed without a probationary period.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, the use without attribution of languages, images, ideas, or the organization of ideas not one’s own, is a fundamental breach of basic academic principles and is prohibited in all courses. The development of original thinking and intellectual honesty is regarded as central to MECA&D’s pedagogy. Although in the pursuit of these goals students will continually consult existing works, it is expected that they will acknowledge the debt owed to others by citing all sources. Unless group work is assigned, coursework is normally completed independently. If books, journals, magazines, or any other sources are reviewed and the ideas or language therein used, they must be cited. Students should consult a reference source on proper notation. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a grade of "F" for the assignment and may, at the discretion of the faculty, lead to a grade of "F" in the course. In addition, the Dean of the College may impose further sanctions (such as probation or dismissal). For complete information, see the Student Conduct Code.

Add / Drop / Withdrawal

As a BFA student you have the opportunity to make changes to your schedule, see below.

Add – A student may add a class during the “add / drop period” with the written consent of their faculty member after classes have begun for the semester.

Drop– A student may drop a class during the “add / drop period” without the written consent of their faculty member after classes have begun for the semester, as long as it is done before two weeks. After this date, students must withdraw from courses they no longer wish to attend.

Withdrawal – from a single course after the Drop Period:
A student who withdraws from a course after the Drop Period but during the Withdrawal Period (the fifth through the eighth weeks of the semester,) will receive an automatic grade of "W." The instructor’s signature is not required to withdraw from a course during the Withdrawal Period. This grade will be reflected on your transcript. After this date the instructor controls the grade.

Important: Information on this form is used in determining tuition billing and enrollment status for financial aid reporting. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of his-her credit load status, refund deadlines and their effect on tuition billing and financial aid awards.