Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fibers and Material Studies

Explore the expressive potential and social meaning of fiber materials with the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fibers and Material Studies in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University. The 126-credit program is a bold, interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of one of the world’s oldest and most accessible traditions: working with fibers. Through traditional techniques, such as weaving, sewing and embroidery, as well as the most contemporary digital technologies, students learn conceptual and technical skills that prepare them for focused, graduate-level study or a career in a variety of creative fields.

As a Fibers and Materials Studies major, you’ll join a close-knit, inclusive community led by a diverse faculty that pushes students to experiment and collaborate. You’ll contribute to vital discussions on history, identity, social issues and more. Through dynamic projects such as the annual Wearable Art Show, the Natural Dye Garden and the Queer Materials Lab—which focuses on a LGBTQIA+ discourse within the discipline—you’ll create exciting conversations with faculty members, visiting artists and fellow students.

Students are introduced to state-of-the-art equipment, including a Jacquard loom, multiharness floor looms and electronic looms, knitting machines, and embroidery machines. The program also offers digital printing, a fully equipped dye kitchen and screen-printing lab. Many students explore other mediums such as sculpture, video, performance and installation to enhance their artistic creativity and imagination in relation to the field of materials studies. Experimenting with materials and methods is encouraged as students develop their creative practices.

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 Materials Studies majors to flourish in top graduate programs and production design careers in the visual arts.

Entrepreneurial Studies

In partnership with Temple University’s Fox School of Business, Tyler offers BFA students an entrepreneurial studies option for students who want to learn skills for entrepreneurship—from innovative thinking to how to start a business—as part of their art education. Program coursework is a focused and interdisciplinary blend of art, art history, business, entrepreneurship and other courses as well as open electives. The BFA with Entrepreneurial Studies gives students the skills needed for success as entrepreneurs in the studio discipline of their choice and the necessary preparation to pursue graduate studies in their studio discipline, entrepreneurship or related professions upon graduation.

Learn more about Entrepreneurial Studies at Tyler.

Natural Dye Garden and Queer Materials Lab

Fibers student collaborate across the school through projects like Tyler’s Natural Dye Garden, which produces plant and flower materials to make dyes, as well as leverage Philadelphia’s landscape and vibrant DIY art scene to conduct community-based projects; study social and political issues; and examine the relationship between materials, processes and concepts. Launched by fibers program head Jesse Harrod—renowned for their manipulation and transformation of materials—the Queer Materials Lab opens up opportunities for students to work with visiting artists and join a broader LGBTQIA+ discourse.

Fibers and Materials student works with equipment.
Photo credit: Joseph V. Labolito

Classes & Curriculum

The Fibers and Materials Studies BFA curriculum is designed to give sound preparation to future artists through coursework in practice, theoretical concepts and approaches, and technical skills. The introductory BFA Foundations courses develop a thorough understanding of fundamental processes. Advanced courses stress the development of an individual idiom and preparation for the professional world. Students find aesthetic freedom that encourages personal experimentation and the exploration of visual concepts. A few of the courses you may take include the following.

  • Alternative Materials
  • Body Art and Adornment
  • Dyeing for Color
  • Soft Sculpture
  • Woven Structure

Learn more about courses in this program.

Concentrations

You can focus on Fibers and Material Studies or you can take one of the following concentrations.

  • Art Education

Tuition & Fees

In keeping with Temple’s commitment to access and affordability, the Bachelor of Fine Arts offers a competitive level of tuition with multiple opportunities for financial support.

Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level (undergraduate or graduate), course load (full- or part-time), in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. You can view the full Cost of Attendance breakdown on the Student Financial Services website.

These tuition costs apply to the 2024–2025 academic year.

Pennsylvania resident: $25,848.00 per year
Out-of-state: $43,032.00 per year

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Additional Program Information