Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

Get a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree through the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

For the finest education in studio art and the liberal arts, choose the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program coordinated with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and offered by Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS).

Since 1929, Philadelphia’s two most prestigious institutions have collaborated to offer specialized arts education in an environment of personal attention, with world-class bachelor of fine arts courses.

As a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) or current PAFA student who has completed at least one year of study, you may apply to Penn LPS's Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program, and enroll in BFA classes.

BFA Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree requirements at Penn/PAFA include:

• Completing 90 semester credits or holding the full four-year certificate program from PAFA, with a GPA of at least 3.0 (B).
• Taking 16 liberal arts courses at Penn, four of which must be in art history. You may choose the remaining 12 courses – which will count toward your bachelor of fine arts degree – from throughout the curriculum.

Courses not counted toward BFA degrees include:

• Other Penn courses outside the School of Arts & Sciences
  (Education, Wharton, Nursing, Engineering, etc.)
• Other Penn Fine Arts courses
• Courses from any other educational institution

Learn More About:

• Admissions
  Who is eligible for the Bachelor of Fine Arts program?
• Application
  How can you apply to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program?
• Scholarships
  What scholarships are available to students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program?
• Tuition
  What are the tuition and fees for the Bachelor of Fine Arts program?
• FAQ
  Get answers to frequently asked questions about the Bachelor of Fine Arts program.