Students may include up to two courses from other departments to count as introductory, intermediate, or art history courses, upon approval of the chair.
A maximum of one private reading can count toward the major requirements in extraordinary circumstances, at the discretion of the department chair. Private readings in studio art may not overlap with other courses currently being offered and are subject to a term bill charge to cover space and materials used on a case-by-case basis.
Transfer of Credit Toward the Major
The studio art department will accept up to two courses from an approved external institution to count toward major requirements. The chair’s preliminary approval must be obtained before beginning work away from Oberlin if this work is to be counted as credit for the major. Upon return, students must supply both an official transcript and evidence of the nature of the work done. Such requests, as well as those of transfer students (who can also transfer no more than two courses to count toward major requirements), will be handled on an individual basis. For students transferring into Oberlin from another institution, a third course may be considered for transfer if a student has previously completed at least two years of course work at another institution.
The department is not obliged to give credit for work that fails to fit the general patterns of the Oberlin curriculum or that fails to come up to Oberlin’s standards, no matter how valuable a student feels the experience has been, or how much time and effort has been expended.
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit
The studio art department does not count AP/IB credits toward major requirements. The department’s curricular pathway must be consistent across students to prepare majors for a cohesive capstone experience.
Course of Study
The studio art department’s major study is deeply integrated within Oberlin’s liberal arts education, while still offering the rigor of a pre-professional studio art program. In planning their programs of study, students should be aware that they must complete one advanced course by the end of their junior year (preferably during the junior year), and are required to enroll in a capstone sequence of classes during the senior year.
Honors in Studio Art
Honors in Studio Art is not being offered at this time.
The Senior Capstone is a year-long sequence that consists of 1.5 credits in the fall semester of the senior year and 1.5 credits in the spring semester of the senior year, laid out as follows:
