The Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) in Visual Arts program allows students the opportunity to explore their creative and technical skills while building a strong foundation in artistic practice.
Art history courses provide a grounding in the history and context of the visual arts, while studio courses provide hands-on experience in a variety of traditional and digital media:
The AFA in Visual Arts degree consists of at least 60 semester hours of University Transfer courses, including 15 required credits in studio and art history courses.
The program can be completed in two years of full-time study. Students are welcome to pursue the AFA on a part-time or evening basis as well.
Required art history classes
The two courses can be taken in any order. ENG-002 or equivalent must be taken before registering for either course.
Required studio classes
Studio art classes help students build their technical and composition foundation skills for transfer and provide opportunities for media exploration. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) transfer are often required to pass a portfolio review at their transfer institution. This will include artwork from the AFA program, as well as work completed during their first semester at the receiving institution. Taking one or two studio art classes each semester is important for creative development and portfolio preparation.
Students should take these core art studio courses before registering for elective studio courses:
Studio classes meet for six contact hours, are offered in the Fall and Spring semesters and can be taken in any order. They are restricted to AFA in Visual Arts students.
Elective studio classes
In addition to the five core art history and studio classes, a variety of elective studio and art history classes are offered for students pursuing an AFA degree or BFA transfer to build skills, enable creative exploration and meet the prerequisites required in the major area. Check the Course Descriptions page for more information.
Some studio classes are offered online with a required synchronous virtual component. Hybrid and in-person studio classes are offered at Southern Wake Campus and Scott Northern Wake Campus. Elective courses are not offered every semester or at both campuses.
Students have access to exhibition opportunities on both campuses, as well as access to the Triangle's dynamic arts and cultural resources. The Visual Arts Success and Engagement Center (VASE) provides students with access to resources and opportunities in the arts.
Students are encouraged to use the AFA advising checklist as a reference for determining AFA degree requirements.
The AFA in Visual Arts is a statewide curriculum with transfer agreements to university BFA programs, UNC System universities and independent colleges.
The AFA-to-BFA statewide agreement ensures that students can transfer seamlessly with 60-61 credits from the AFA into a BA or BFA program. Important criteria for this agreement include the following:
Students intending to transfer to a four-year university should thoroughly research the specific BFA requirements applicable to their program of choice: