Overview
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fibers and Material Studies with Entrepreneurial Studies, offered by the Department of Art, introduces students to a bold, interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of one of the world's oldest and most accessible traditions: working with fibers. Students explore the expressive potential and social meaning of fiber materials as they learn technical skills that prepare them for focused, graduate-level study and a variety of careers.
Tyler Fibers and Material Studies majors join a close-knit, inclusive community led by a strong, diverse faculty that pushes students to experiment and collaborate. Students learn traditional skills and activate them in a contemporary context, contributing to vital discussions on history, identity, current social issues and more. Through dynamic events and projects such as the annual Wearable Art Show and the Natural Dye Garden, Fibers and Material Studies majors create exciting conversations with artists and students throughout Tyler.
Students take full advantage of Philadelphia's vibrant fibers community and DIY scene and opportunities to engage global social challenges, working closely with professors to engage in community-based projects that challenge them as critical, reflective participants in a broader creative culture. These experiences prepare Fibers and Material Studies majors to flourish in top graduate programs and production design careers.
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-FMSE-BFA
Admissions
Admission to Tyler's Studio Art (Bachelor of Fine Arts) programs 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
Jesse Harrod, Program Head
Tyler School of Art Building, Suite 250N
215-777-9136
jessica.harrod@temple.edu
Learn more about the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fibers and Material Studies.
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 Fibers and Material Studies 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 Fibers and Material Studies with Entrepreneurial Studies majors must complete the General Education requirements.
- Students must earn a C- or better in ART 2201 and ART 2202 to enter the Fibers and Material Studies with Entrepreneurial Studies major.
- The required Junior/Senior studio courses, ART 4205 and ART 4096 (capstone) must be completed with a C- or better to fulfill major requirements.
Major Requirements for the BFA in Fibers and Material Studies with Entrepreneurial Studies
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Sophomore Prerequisites | ||
| ART 2201 | Introduction to Fibers and Material Studies | 3 |
| ART 2202 | Dyeing for Color I | 3 |
| Junior and Senior Requirements | ||
| ART 2204 | Woven Structure I | 3 |
| ART 3209 | Screen Print on Fabric I | 3 |
| Two 22xx/32xx level Specialized Fibers & Material Studies courses (see specialized list below) | 6 | |
| Three 32xx/42xx level Specialized Fibers & Material Studies courses (see specialized list below) | 9 | |
| ART 4205 | Senior Seminar in Fibers and Material Studies (Spring Only) | 3 |
| ART 4096 | Professional Practices in Art (Capstone, WI) | 3 |
Specialized Fibers and Material Studies Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 2203 | Alternative Materials | 3 |
| ART 3201 | Threading the Needle: Drawing with Stitch I | 3 |
| ART 3202 | Soft Sculpture | 3 |
| ART 3203 | Alternative Materials II | 3 |
| ART 3204 | Woven Structure II | 3 |
| ART 3205 | Experimental Costume | 3 |
| ART 3206 | Sewn | 3 |
| ART 3207 | Intermediate Fibers and Material Studies | 3 |
| ART 3208 | Jacquard I | 3 |
| ART 3210 | Special Topics in Fibers and Material Studies | 3 |
| ART 3211 | Cultivating a Collection | 3 |
| ART 3212 | Digital Drawing and Pattern Making | 3 |
| ART 3213 | Experimental Costume and Performance | 3 |
| ART 3214 | History of Wearable Art and Costume | 3 |
| ART 3085 | Field Internship | 3 |
| ART 4201 | Threading the Needle: Drawing with Stitch II | 3 |
| ART 4202 | Dyeing for Color II | 3 |
| ART 4203 | Jacquard II | 3 |
| ART 4204 | Woven Structure III | 3 |
| ART 4209 | Screen Print on Fabric II | 3 |
| ART 4210 | Special Topics in Fibers and Material Studies | 3 |
Entrepreneurship Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
or SGM 3685 | New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder | |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Field Internship | ||
| Art Careers Promotion | ||
| The Business of Design (WI) | ||
| Field Internship | ||
| Art Career Workshop (WI) | ||
| Creative Cottage Industrialist | ||
| Rome Internship | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
- 1
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 Fibers and Material Studies with Entrepreneurial Studies
Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit 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 or ARTH 1955 | 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 Hours | 17 | |
| 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 or ARTH 1956 | 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 or IH 0951 | Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART 2201 | Introduction to Fibers and Material Studies | 3 |
| ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective | 3 | |
| ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective | 3 | |
| IH 0852 or IH 0952 | Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] | 3 |
| GenEd Quantitative Literacy Course GQ | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART 2202 | Dyeing for Color I | 3 |
| ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective | 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 Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART 2204 | Woven Structure I | 3 |
| ART 2200+ (Specialized Fibers 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 2 | 4 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART 3209 | Screen Print on Fabric I | 3 |
| ART 2200+ (Specialized Fibers 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 | 4 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART 4096 | Professional Practices in Art [WI] | 3 |
| ART 3200+ (Specialized Fibers Course) | 3 | |
| ART 3200+ (Specialized Fibers Course) | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Open Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART 4205 | Senior Seminar in Fibers and Material Studies 4 | 3 |
| ART 3200+ (Specialized Fibers Course) | 3 | |
| ART or GAD 2000+ Studio Elective | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: 5 | 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 Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 126 | |
- 1
These 2 courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Arts category if the courses are completed with a C- or better.
- 2
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.
- 3
Students selecting a WI Tyler entrepreneurship course may elect to take a non-WI Art History course.
- 4
ART 4205 may be taken in spring of third or fourth year.
- 5
These courses cannot fulfill both a requirement for the major and a requirement for this category.
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. BFA 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.