BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) - Course, Admissions, Eligibility, Syllabus

What is BFA?

One of the most prestigious undergraduate degrees in visual arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is the programme which helps students gain skill and experience in various specializations. This course includes sculpture, literature, animation and other specialisations. While students opt for Bachelor in Fine Arts they also have to choose a specialization as per his/her interest. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is usually a three to four years programme which can be pursued through full time, part time or distance learning. Read this complete article by Careers360 to know in detail about the BFA degree.

Bachelor of Fine Arts Highlights

Advantages of BFA

Learning life skills- By pursuing a degree in fine arts, an individual can develop life skills which will help him throughout his life.

Learning job skills- After completing BFA degree an individual also gets an idea of the professional world. He gets to acquire several skills that would help him in his job or professional life in general.

Networking- For individuals wishing to pursue a career in fine arts it is very important to be able to build a network for themselves. A good networking not only help them grow but also find better career opportunities.

Type of Degree

Bachelor of Performing Arts is an undergraduate degree for those students who are interested in pursuing higher studies in performing arts. Depending on the institution or the university, the duration of the degree is between three to four years.

BFA Eligibility

Students applying for the BFA programme must fulfill the eligibility criteria mentioned below:

• Students must have completed their class 12th in any discipline from the recognized board.

• Aspirants must have scored a minimum of 50-60 percent in class 12th.

• In some colleges preference is given to students who belong to the humanities/arts stream. Hence, check the university website before applying.

BFA Admissions

• Students can pursue diploma or degree courses of Bachelor of Fine Arts after completion of Class 12th from recognized board and institution with a minimum score of 50-55 per cent in aggregate.

• Check the official website of the desired institute and fill the application form of Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) entrance test

• Students will have to appear for an aptitude test which is conducted by various universities. Some of the universities are:

  • University of Delhi

  • University of Hyderabad

  • Aligarh Muslim University

  • Kurukshetra University

  • Amity University

  • International Institute of Fine Arts

• Students who will qualify the aptitude test will be granted admission to BFA programme as per the institute’s policy.

Top BFA Exams

Students aspiring for admission to top institutes offering Bachelor of fine arts programme can apply for the following entrance exams conducting by various top universities:

BFA Courses

Bachelor of Fine Arts or BFA degree is an undergraduate programme for a duration of three-four years. Know complete details about the course common among all the universities in the table below:

BFA Specializations

Students wanting to improvise their hidden skills can opt for the any of the Bachelor of Fine Arts specializations as mentioned below:

The subjects taught in BFA degree vary from specialization to specialization. The subjects are generally categorized into foundation and specialization. The foundation subjects include:

Practical subjects:

• Drawing

• Painting

• Design

• Clay modelling

• Printmaking

Theory subjects

• History and appreciation of art

• Beginning of civilization

• History of Indian Culture

• Ancient Indian Art and History

• A survey of Western Arts

• Introduction to Indian Folk and Tribal Art

• Medieval Indian Art and History

• Religious and Textual Sources

• Western Art

• Indian Art

• Aesthetics

List of top institutes

1. University of Delhi

2. University of Hyderabad

3. Aligarh Muslim University

4. Kurukshetra University

5. Amity University

6. International Institute of Fine Arts

7. Jamia Millia Islamia University

8. Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University

9. Banaras Hindu University

10. Rabindra Bharati University

BFA Syllabus

The degree is provided in several universities and institutions, here were are mentioning the syllabus of UPES, Dehradun.

BFA Syllabus for 1st Year

BFA Syllabus for 2nd Year

BFA Syllabus for 3rd Year

BFA Syllabus for 4th Year

BFA Salary

The salary package after completing Bachelor of Fine Arts depends upon the type of job.

• A fresh graduate can begin his/her career from a salary package ranging between Rs. 2 to 3 lakhs per annum.

• Candidates having experience and skill set will have an advantage as their package can be set high above 3 LPA.

• While the candidates aspiring for jobs in publishing houses and advertising companies can have attractive packages between Rs 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs per annum.

Scope of BFA

With modernization and an increase in digitalization, the scope of Bachelor of Fine Arts is increasing at a rapid rate in various sectors. To have an attractive salary, prestige, and popularity after completing graduation students have ample scope in various sectors. One can start as a freelancer and go into photography, direction, fashion and so forth.

Fresh graduates can apply in art gallery, banking, media and public relations. One can showcase his/her talent in private galleries, museums. The multimedia animators and artists can work in video gaming and motion pictures which is popular in the present generation.

• Advertising Companies

• Art Studios

• Educational Institutes

• Boutiques

• Publishing Houses

• Fashion Houses

• Television Industry

• Tailoring Shops

• Websites

• Theatres

• Promotion and Product Design

• Photography

• Manufacturers

Careers Opportunities after BFA

Students completing their graduation in Bachelor of Fine Arts pursue their careers as writers, art teachers, and art directors to display their outstanding talents. There are ample job opportunities available for freshers and students seeking jobs in the government and private sector. Some of the most promising job opportunities are:

Actor- Students after completing their Bachelor of Fine Arts or BFA degree in Theatre can further pursue to be an actor on stage or on screen. An actor is someone who portrays a character and engages the audience by making them believe that the character is real by drawing their attention.

Art director- As an art director, a person is responsible for visual styles and images in newspapers, magazines, movie and television production, and product packaging. An art director creates the overall design and guides others who develop layouts and artworks.

Art Teacher- An art teacher generally works in school and teaches children how to paint, create, and draw. An art teacher also guides his/her students about art history, creation of art, and theory.

Writer- If a student has creative writing and completed his/her Bachelor of Fine Arts or BFA degree then he/she can opt to become a creative writer and can work with different advertising agencies, PR agencies, publishing houses, newspapers and broadcast companies.

Painter- A painter is like an artist who creates various artwork through oil painting, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, glass painting, pastel color painting, and so forth. Since the painter works independently, he/she can exhibit artwork in galleries and for sale.

Dancer/ dance teacher- As a dance teacher, one is responsible for leading a dance class for people for groups. A teacher teachers various dance forms to students in school through demonstration.

Graphic designer- Being a graphic designer it is a professional job, wherein a person has to assemble several images, motion graphics, typography to create a piece of design.

Animator- As an animator, a person is responsible for creating multiple images known as frames. When these images are presented it gives an illusion of movement which is called animation. Animators can work in various fields like films, video games, and television.

Musician- a musician is a person who creates music using various musical instruments. A musician can compose, create, or perform music. Some of the examples of musicians include rapping, singing, composing, arranging, producing, or orchestration.

Fine artist- A fine artist is a person who creates original artwork using different mediums. Fine artist's work is best described as per his/her area of specialization such as creating two-dimensional painting, three-dimensional sculpture, four-dimensional images.