PURPOSE

The College of Fine Arts provides both preprofessional and professional education in the arts disciplines and an opportunity for nonmajors to become culturally literate through participation and involvement in the creative and performing arts.

The college, through its programs in art, dance, music, and theatre, reflects a wide range of challenges facing the artist and scholar in the 20th century. The arts, as an integral part of the curriculum, offer the student a rewarding educational experience balanced and strengthened by studies in related fine arts areas, the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences.

In addition to professional curricula offered in each department and school, the college provides courses designed to meet the specific educational needs of students pursuing majors in other colleges throughout the university. The cultural life of the university community is further enriched by study opportunities offered at off-campus sites. The College of Fine Arts also offers community audiences many hours of cultural enjoyment through myriad concerts, art exhibitions, music and dance concerts, dramatic productions, operas, lectures, and seminars.

ORGANIZATION

The college houses the School of Art, the Department of Dance, the School of Music, and the Department of Theatre. An average of 2,000 students per semester enroll as majors in various degree programs offered through these units. The college also includes the University Art Museum and the Institute for Studies in the Arts.

ADMISSION

Students meeting the university requirements for admission may matriculate in the College of Fine Arts. Separate admission procedures and approvals are required for some programs within the college. Students must contact specific departments or schools for details.

Transfer of Community College Credits. The university standards for evaluation of transfer credit are listed in “Transfer Credit.” Transfer students are encouraged to contact their department or school or the Office of Student Services (GHALL 127) to ensure a smooth transition to the College of Fine Arts. Credits transferred from any accredited junior or community college may be accepted up to a maximum of 64 semester hours. A community college student planning to transfer at the end of his or her first or second year should plan to take community college courses that meet the requirements of the ASU curriculum selected. Students attending Arizona community colleges are permitted to follow the degree requirements specified in the ASU General Catalog in effect at the time they began their community college work, providing their college attendance has been continuous.

Courses transferred from community colleges are not accepted as upper-division credit at ASU. Arizona students are urged to refer to the Arizona Higher Education Course Equivalency Guide for transferability of specific courses from Arizona community colleges. Copies of the guide are available in counselors’ offices. In choosing courses at a community college, students should be aware that a minimum of 45 hours of work taken at the university must be upper-division credits. While attending a community college, it is suggested that students select courses similar to ASU General Studies lower-division courses in the major field.

General Transfer Credit. Direct transfer of courses from other accredited institutions to the College of Fine Arts are subject to (1) the existence of parallel and equal courses in the college’s curriculum and (2) departmental or school evaluation of studio courses with respect to performance standards. Every candidate for the bachelor’s degree must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours in resident credit at ASU. Transfer students enrolled in the College of Fine Arts must complete a minimum of 15 semester hours of resident credit in the major as approved by the faculty.

ADVISING

Advising is handled as a decentralized activity within the college. To offer personalized attention, each academic unit establishes its own graduation advising procedures. Students are encouraged to make appointments through the central office of their department or school.

Baccalaureate Degrees

The three baccalaureate degrees differ in curricula with respect to the amount of specialization permitted in the major field. The B.A. degree provides a broad, scholarly, humanistic program, while the other two programs place greater emphasis upon the major field. The university General Studies curriculum plays an integral role within the educational mission of the university and as such constitutes an important component of all undergraduate degrees in the College of Fine Arts. See “General Studies” for university General Studies requirements.

In cooperation with the College of Education, a K–12 endorsement for teacher certification is available in the disciplines of art, dance, music, and theatre for students preparing for a teaching career in the public schools. Students should, with the advice and counsel of their arts education advisors, fulfill the requirements for the appropriate area of specialization under the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Music degrees. In addition, a student wishing to be admitted to the Professional Teacher Preparation Program (PTPP) in the College of Education (leading to teaching certification) must consult with an advisor from the Office of Student Affairs in the College of Education before making application for the PTPP. Students must have completed 56 hours with a minimum GPA of 2.50 and also have submitted scores from either the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) or the ACT. Further details on admission requirements and procedures for the PTPP can be found in College of Education, “Admission.”

Minors

The College of Fine Arts provides an opportunity for students majoring in other disciplines to sustain their interest in the arts through a structured program of required courses and electives leading to a minor. The minor is not intended as a substitute for professional work in the arts, but as a complement to various liberal arts and preprofessional curricula.

Minors are offered in Art History, Dance, Music, and Theatre. The total number of semester hours required for a minor ranges from 18 to 22. Students should contact the relevant academic unit for specific requirements and guidelines regarding the minor.

Graduate Degrees

Master’s programs range from 30 to 60 semester hours, depending upon the degree chosen. Doctoral programs vary in scope and curricula. See the Graduate Catalog for specific requirements for the M.A., M.F.A., M.M., D.M.A., Ed.D., and Ph.D. degrees.

UNIVERSITY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to fulfilling college and major requirements, students must meet all university graduation requirements. For more information, see “University Graduation Requirements.”

General Studies Requirement

All students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program must satisfy a university requirement of a minimum of 35 semester hours of approved course work in General Studies, as described in “General Studies.” Note that all three General Studies awareness areas are required. Consult your advisor for an approved list of courses. General Studies courses are listed following the section on “General Studies,” in the course descriptions, in the Schedule of Classes, and in the Summer Sessions Bulletin. See “ASU Main and ASU East General Studies courses.”

Courses in the major or in a related field area may not be used to satisfy both the major and core area portions of the General Studies requirement. Concurrent listings in the literacy areas, numeracy (computer applications) areas, and awareness areas are an exception. Students are encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to ensure that they comply with all necessary requirements.

COLLEGE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

College of Fine Arts degree requirements supplement the General Studies requirement. Descriptions of additional required courses follow. Students are encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to ensure that they comply with all necessary requirements.

Fine arts majors must take at least six semester hours of fine arts course work in areas outside of the major school or department. These courses may be in art, dance, music, or theatre. A student may concurrently fulfill this requirement and the humanities and fine arts portion of the General Studies requirement by selecting approved courses as indicated in the Schedule of Classes. This requirement may also be met by taking any College of Fine Arts course outside of the student’s major.

All B.A. degrees require the equivalent of 16 semester hours in one foreign language except for the B.A. degrees in Theatre and Art with a concentration in studio art. Foreign language study is strongly recommended but not required for these degree programs. Course work may be selected in any language and must follow the sequence of language courses 101, 102, 201, and 202. This requirement may be fulfilled at the secondary school level or by examination. If acquired in secondary school, two years of instruction in one foreign language is considered the equivalent of one year of college instruction. Transfer students are placed in language study at the level above completed work.

Candidates for the B.M. degree in Performance with a concentration in piano accompanying or voice and in Theory and Composition with a concentration in theory have specific foreign language requirements, which are stated with each of the degree requirements. There is no foreign language requirement for other concentrations of the B.F.A. or B.M. degrees.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

The minimum requirement for a baccalaureate degree is the completion of 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. Of these 120 semester hours, at least 45 must be selected from upper-division courses.

Several professional programs within the College of Fine Arts require additional semester hours for graduation and a higher cumulative GPA of their majors. To be acceptable as degree credit, all course work in the major discipline must show an earned grade of “C” (2.00) or higher.

In addition to the general information given below, consult the school and departmental sections that follow for specific degree requirements.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree. The B.A. degree requires 45–60 semester hours for the major. Depending on the major, 18 to 24 hours must be selected from upper-division (300- or 400-level) courses. The semester-hour requirements in the major are distributed between a field of specialization (30 to 53 hours) and one or more related fields (an additional 15 hours). The exact content of the major is selected by a student in consultation with an advisor under rules and regulations of the department or school concerned. Auditions and/or interviews are required for admission to the B.A. in Theatre with emphasis degree program. Consult the Department of Theatre for specific information.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Degree. The B.F.A. degree requires 52 to 79 semester hours for the major. At least 30 of these hours, depending on the major, must be selected from upper-division (300- or 400-level) courses. The curriculum for the major is designed as preprofessional study in art, dance, or theatre education. Auditions and/or interviews are required for admission to the B.F.A. degree programs in Dance and Theatre. Consult these departments for specific information.

Bachelor of Music (B.M.) Degree. The B.M. degree requires 79 semester hours for the major. The required number of upper-division (300- or 400-level) courses is dependent upon the area of specialization. The curriculum for the major is designed to provide a broad yet concentrated preparation with a choice of specialization among the areas of choral-general music, instrumental music, jazz, music performance, music theatre, music therapy, piano accompanying, and theory-composition. An entering undergraduate music student, regardless of the area of specialization, must perform an entrance audition in his or her primary performing medium (voice or instrument).

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

The terms of disqualification, reinstatement, and appeals are consistent with those set forth by the university in “Retention and Academic Standards” of this catalog, except for degree programs in Theatre. For all emphases in the B.A. degree in Theatre, a student must have a minimum GPA of 2.50 in the major and an overall GPA of 2.00 to enroll in upper-division courses and to remain in good standing. For the B.F.A. degree in Theatre with a concentration in theatre education, a student must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the major to enroll in upper-division courses and to remain in good standing. In addition, a student disqualified in any program is normally not eligible for reinstatement for two semesters.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Working closely with faculty, visiting scholars, and artists-in-residence, students in all fields of the College of Fine Arts participate in dynamic, innovative programs. Students receive a great deal of individual attention to their creative work and artistic development.

The School of Art is one of the largest programs of its kind in the country and offers students a wide range of specialties in media, art history, and art education. The faculty are nationally recognized and provide excellent instruction in a curriculum with many different educational opportunities. Some of the unique offerings are bookmaking and papermaking, digital, film, neon, and video animation, and foundry. In addition, internships are available in galleries and museums throughout the Phoenix area. The Children’s Art Workshop is an on-campus program taught by students in art education for school-age children in the metropolitan area. Northlight Gallery, a teaching gallery, hosts exhibitions organized and curated by students. Visiting artists and guest lecturers enrich the basic curriculum. Graduates of the School of Art have been accepted to top graduate schools and many are in leadership positions in art, education, and industry.

Recognized as one of the top programs in the country, the Department of Dance emphasizes the choreography, performance, and theory of modern dance. Nationally prominent faculty and visiting artists create repertory for dance majors and for the Dance Arizona Repertory Theatre (DART), a student touring outreach company. An ambitious performance program offers several concerts to the public each year with additional works created and performed by graduate and undergraduate students. Students work closely with renowned artists and companies who visit the campus annually and with researchers in the areas of dance science, dance in relation to technology, dance music composition, labanotation, sound, and video production. ASU students and faculty have consistently taken top honors at the regional and national festivals of the American College Dance Festival Association.

Performers, teachers, conductors, composers, and scholars recognized both nationally and internationally make up the faculty of the School of Music. Students have the opportunity to participate in comprehensive degree programs that provide for wide and divergent opportunities in performance and course work. Student performing organizations are recognized as being some of the finest in the nation, and ASU students regularly compete successfully in national competitions. The broad scope of degree options allows students excellent choices in gaining depth and breadth in the musical field.

The Department of Theatre has inaugurated a redesigned B.A. degree program that allows a 54-hour emphasis in acting, design/technical theatre, directing/stage management, or history/theory and criticism. A strong feature of the new B.A. degree program is the broad liberal arts education, which cultivates in the student the ability to understand human behavior and values in societies of the past and present, an essential element in the creation of and response to theatre. Students interested in theatre education enroll in a B.F.A. degree program designed to allow work in both the Department of Theatre and the College of Education. Special strengths of the department include internationally acclaimed programs in theatre education and theatre for youth; an outstanding playwriting area that infuses each specialization with new script work; multiethnic courses and programs in acting and directing; an acting program that allows work with nationally acclaimed directors and acting coaches; and a nationally recognized scenography area that provides for further specialization in costume, lighting, or scene design as well as theatre technology.

Production is at the core of ASU theatre and the quality of the faculty, student body, and facilities often attracts professionals to ASU. The department recently premiered productions by three Pulitzer prize-winning playwrights. Annually, the Genesis New Plays Project (which has student actors, designers, and playwrights working with professional actors, directors, and playwrights to discuss new scripts in a workshop) is coproduced with the state’s League of Resident Theatres (LORT) company, the Arizona Theatre Company. Four to six subscription series plays are produced in the 500-seat Galvin Theatre and the smaller Lyceum Theatre. An additional eight to 14 student-directed shows are presented as part of the scholarship series. The theatre for youth area, with ASU Public Events, cosponsors an International Youth Arts Festival that brings many multitalented artists and thousands of students to campus.

Theatre for youth artists, students, and scholars are attracted to ASU by the opportunities to work on national K–12 theatre curricula and research projects, theatre tours to area schools, and opportunities to teach on and off campus. The Child Drama Special Collection in Hayden Library, which includes rare books, plays, and personal and national association archives, is the most complete and extensive collection of its kind in the English-speaking world and also contributes to the international recognition of the theatre for youth faculty.

Since theatre is a collaborative art form, students at the undergraduate level are required to learn and participate in all phases of theatre, specializing in an area of their choosing. In the theatre education and theatre for youth programs, both undergraduate and graduate students are challenged to excel in every aspect of theatrical training. Students are offered acting, directing, and other production opportunities for main-stage, studio, and touring shows, as well as research and teaching possibilities on and off campus. Students in the B.A. and M.F.A. scenography programs are actively involved in all aspects of design and technology for main-stage and studio productions and have received regional and national awards for their work. A new M.F.A. degree in Theatre with a concentration in acting is based on a conservatory model in which students have intensive training in voice, movement and acting with classical, contemporary, and new scripts, augmented by study in theatre history, theory, and criticism.

A faculty playwright works closely with both undergraduate and graduate directing students to create and showcase original scripts from students and faculty. An interdisciplinary M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing encourages graduate students to work closely with writers of drama, fiction, and poetry and with directors and producers from the Departments of English and Theatre. Faculty in the Departments of Theatre and English offer students a unique opportunity to tailor a course of study to fit individual needs, talents, and goals.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Undergraduate Credit for Graduate Courses. To enable interested students to benefit as much as possible from their undergraduate studies, the Graduate College and the College of Fine Arts extend to seniors with a GPA of at least 2.50 the privilege of taking 500-level graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Application for admission to a graduate course for undergraduate credit must be completed in advance of the regular registration period. The application must be approved by the instructor of the class, the student’s advisor, the chair or director of the department or school, and the dean of the college in which the course is offered.

Preprofessional Programs. Students preparing for admission to professional graduate schools should obtain information regarding admission requirements by writing directly to the schools in which they are interested.

1998–99 General Catalog Table of Contents

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