Overview

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies, offered by the Department of Art, welcomes students into a diverse community of thinkers and makers who challenge traditional processes in a forward-looking way.

Led by a faculty of practicing artists in state-of-the-art facilities, Ceramics majors work in a close-knit environment, side-by-side with graduate students, as they explore traditional and experimental clay techniques. The program draws on the energy and resources of the urban landscape of Philadelphia—a city with a longstanding clay culture and vibrant visual art scene—to forge community partnerships that lead to broader, inclusive perspectives, conversations and exchanges of ideas.

Students learn product design and production, studio management and gallery installation, as well as critical thinking and problem solving—transferable skills that help prepare them for success in any artistic discipline or profession, including as educators, gallery operators, architectural designers, curators and more. Students also have opportunities for internships in Philadelphia's densely networked clay community.

Designed to complement the studio experience with tools to support a studio practice or pursue graduate studies, the Entrepreneurship coursework enhances students' career options. Graduates of this degree program will possess requisite business skills to support themselves as visual artists or entrepreneurs in art and related fields.

Each student moves from a common foundation curriculum that introduces materials and processes and prepares them for success in a range of fields of study. Those who select Art as their major will work side-by-side with majors in Visual Studies, Art Education and Art Therapy. The dynamic exchange of ideas that result from these interdisciplinary conversations spur intellectual risk and drive research-based creative concepts.

Upon graduation, students have the practical skill sets and honed aesthetic for successful careers in studio art, art education and design, as well as attend top-tier graduate programs.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: TA-CREN-BFA

Admissions

Admission to Tyler's BFA in studio art majors is based on a review of academic credentials and portfolio review. For detailed information on how to apply, please visit Tyler's Studio Art admissions page.

Study Abroad

Students who plan to study abroad should arrange to meet with their academic advisor and the Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses office as early as possible, preferably during the freshman year, in order to explore options and plan the sequence of courses that would be most appropriate.

Accreditation

Temple University is a non-profit accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for art and design and art/design-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other art/design-related endeavors.

Contact Information

Lauren Sandler, Program Head
Tyler School of Art Building, Room 150M
lauren.sandler@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Requirements

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies may be conferred upon a student by recommendation of the faculty and upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 126 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. All Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies majors must complete the General Education requirements.

  • Students must earn a C- or better in ART 2101 and ART 2102 to enter the Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies major.
  • The eight required Junior/Senior studio courses and ART 4096 (capstone) must be completed with a C- or better to fulfill major requirements. 

Major Requirements for the BFA in Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies

Sophomore Prerequisites
ART 2101Beginning Ceramics3
ART 2102Intermediate Ceramics3
Junior Requirements
ART 3101Advanced Ceramics (This course is repeatable and should be taken once in the fall and once in the spring)6
Two additional specialized Ceramics courses (see list below)6
Senior Requirements
ART 4101Advanced Ceramics (This course is repeatable and should be taken once in the fall and once in the spring)6
Two additional specialized Ceramics courses (see list below)6
ART 4096Professional Practices in Art (Capstone, WI)3

Specialized Ceramics Courses

ART 3103Two-Dimensional Ceramics3
ART 3104Ceramic Materials3
ART 3105Porcelain3
ART 3106Advanced Throwing and Wheel Work3
ART 3107Ceramic Mold Making3
ART 3110Ceramic Workshop3

Entrepreneurship Courses

Select three of the following:9
Planning to Start Your Own Business
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures
Special Topics - Strategic Management
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder
Select one of the following: 13
Field Internship
Art Careers Promotion
The Business of Design (WI)
Field Internship
Art Career Workshop (WI)
Creative Cottage Industrialist
Rome Internship
Total Credit Hours12
1

These courses cannot fulfill both a requirement for the major and for this category.

Suggested Academic Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
FDPR 1511 Foundation Drawing 1 3
FDPR 1521 2D Foundation Principles 3
FDPR 1531 3D Foundation Principles/W 3
FDPR 1503 Woodshop Fundamentals 1
ARTH 1155
Arts of the World I: Prehistoric to 1300
or Honors Arts of the World I: Prehistoric to 1300
3
ENG 0802
Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW]
or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
4
 Credit Hours17
Spring
FDPR 1512 Foundation Drawing 3
FDPR 1522 2D Foundation Principles 3
FDPR 1532 3D Foundation Principles/C 3
FDPR 1502 Investigations of Art and Design 1
ARTH 1156
Arts of the World II: 1300 to the 21st Century 1
or Honors Arts of the World II: 1300 to the 21st Century
3
IH 0851
Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
3
 Credit Hours16
Year 2
Fall
ART 2101 Beginning Ceramics 3
ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective 3
ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective 3
IH 0852
Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
3
GenEd Quantitative Literacy Course GQ 4
 Credit Hours16
Spring
ART 2102 Intermediate Ceramics 3
ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective 2 3
Select one of the following: 3
Planning to Start Your Own Business  
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking  
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas  
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days  
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact  
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures  
Special Topics - Strategic Management  
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures  
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder  
GenEd Breadth Course 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Year 3
Fall
ART 3101 Advanced Ceramics 3
ART 31xx (Specialized Ceramics Course) 3
Select one of the following (not previously chosen): 3
Planning to Start Your Own Business  
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking  
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas  
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days  
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact  
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures  
Special Topics - Strategic Management  
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures  
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder  
Art History Elective 3 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
ART 3101 Advanced Ceramics 3
ART 31xx (Specialized Ceramics Course) 3
Select one of the following (not previously chosen): 3
Planning to Start Your Own Business  
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking  
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas  
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days  
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact  
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures  
Special Topics - Strategic Management  
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures  
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder  
Art History Elective WI 3,5 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours16
Year 4
Fall
ART 4101 Advanced Ceramics 3
ART 31xx (Specialized Ceramics Course) 3
ART 4096 Professional Practices in Art [WI] 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
Open Elective 3 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ART 4101 Advanced Ceramics 3
ART 31xx (Specialized Ceramics Course) 3
ART or GAD 2000+ Studio Elective 3
Select one of the following: 4 3
Field Internship  
Art Careers Promotion  
The Business of Design [WI]  
Field Internship  
Art Career Workshop [WI]  
Creative Cottage Industrialist  
Rome Internship  
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours126
1

These 2 courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Arts category if the courses are completed with a C- or better.

2

Only three 2xxx level courses can be taken in any one subject area in order to count for sophomore studio credit.

3

Students completing a 3-credit Art History 2000+ elective must select a 4-credit open elective to reach the minimum 126 credits to earn the BFA degree.

4

These courses cannot fulfill both a requirement for the major and a requirement for this category.

5

Students who select a WI from the Tyler entrepreneurship courses may elect to take a non-WI 4-credit Art History course.

Please Note: An approved study abroad program waives the GenEd Global/World Society (GG) requirement; however, these credits must be made up with academic coursework taken outside of Tyler departments to be in compliance with BFA accreditation. Ceramics majors interested in studying abroad should consult with an academic advisor to determine if a semester (generally spring semester of second year) or a summer program would be the best option to remain on track for graduation. If a student is spending a traditional semester abroad, ART 2101 must be completed prior to studying abroad. To remain on track for graduation, permission may be granted to substitute an additional specialized ceramics course in lieu of an advanced ceramics course.