Studio Art - Sculpture

Bradley’s sculpture program equips you to be a creative 3D-maker comfortable in a variety of materials and processes. The degree will strengthen your problem-solving skills and manual dexterity while your ideas mature.

Preparing You For Success

As a studio art major, you dive into the creative process through classes in history, drawing, and interactive media. While building this foundation, you also take hands-on sculpture courses that introduce you to multiple methods of working three-dimensionally. These show you how to model in clay and wax, learn mold-making processes and cast works in bronze and aluminum. Steel fabrication, woodworking, stone carving, and 3D computer modeling are also taught.

Each sculpture degree is available in three paths — a B.A., B.S. or B.F.A. The B.S. and B.A. emphasize a liberal arts background, while the B.F.A. is considered the professional degree. As a result, the B.F.A. provides a studio-intensive experience encouraging focused work on the mediums of your choice. Hands-on courses introduce you to clay, wax, bronze, aluminum, steel, wood and stone techniques. If you’re interested in broadening your career options, you can pair sculpture with another major or minor.

By the time you graduate, your experiences may include:

  • Networking and professional development through the International Sculpture Center, Chicago Sculpture International, community art projects and participation in national, regional and local iron pours
  • Workshops and individual critique sessions with internationally-acclaimed sculptors through the Professional Lecture Series
  • Study abroad in Costa Rica, Italy, England, France, and other global hot spots
  • Exhibitions with local and regional galleries and public art locations

Making Your Mark

Sculpture degrees are good preparation for careers as professional sculptors, product designers, exhibition designers, furniture designers, and gallery directors. Recent Bradley graduates are pursuing graduate degrees in art and design while others are working as professional sculptors, fine art foundry owners, furniture and cabinetry makers, gallery directors and automotive designers.

Major Requirements

Art History Core - 6 hrs.

  • ART 140: Survey of Art History I - 3 hrs.
  • ART 142: Survey of Art History II - 3 hrs.

Art History Elective Courses (choose three) - 9 hrs.

  • ART 243: Non-Western Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 245: American Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 332: History of Graphic Design - 3 hrs.
  • ART 335: Medieval Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 340: Renaissance Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 350: 17th and 18th Century Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 360: 19th Century Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 375: 20th Century Art - 3 hrs.
  • ART 390: History of Photography - 3 hrs.
  • ART 480: Seminar in Art History - 3 hrs.

Studio Core - 19 hrs.

  • ART 101: Drawing I - 3 hrs.
  • ART 102: Drawing II - 3 hrs.
  • ART 105: Two-Dimensional Design - 3 hrs.
  • ART 106: Three-Dimensional Design - 3 hrs.
  • ART 220: Professional Lecture Series - .5 hr.
  • ART 221: Professional Lecture Series - .5 hr.
  • ART 230: Life Drawing - 3 hrs.
  • IM 113: Introduction to Multimedia - 3 hrs.

Studio Courses - 12 hrs.

  • Four studio courses from areas other than the student’s concentration, including at least one from the 2-D areas and at least one from the 3-D areas.

Studio Electives – 12 hrs.

  • Students are required to take an additional 12 hours of elective art credits from any field of study (including their own).

Concentration Courses - 18 hrs.

  • ART 213: Beginning Sculpture I - 3 hrs.
  • ART 214: Beginning Sculpture II - 3 hrs.
  • ART 313: Intermediate Sculpture I - 3-6 hrs.
  • ART 314: Intermediate Sculpture II - 3-6 hrs.
  • ART 413: Advanced Sculpture I - 3-6 hrs.
  • ART 414: Advanced Sculpture II - 3-6 hrs.

Professional Orientation/Seminar Courses - 3 hrs.

  • ART 421 - BFA Seminar II - 3 hrs. (Spring semester only)

Total Hours: 79