Marie Bukowski, dean
116 Wiedemann Hall • 316-WSU-3389
College of Fine Arts Webpage1
Wendy Hanes, assistant dean
The College of Fine Arts is responsible for instruction, scholarly inquiry, performance, teacher education (art and music) and applied study in music, dance, theatre, and visual and media arts. The School of Art, Design and Creative Industries, the School of Digital Arts, the School of Music and the School of Performing Arts (dance, theatre and music theatre) offer both general arts study and professional training programs at the undergraduate level; professional degrees are offered at the graduate level.
Students are presented with a complete spectrum of choices according to their interest in professional activities, teaching careers, graduate study or acquiring an appreciation of the arts. They have the opportunity to explore various art forms as well as to develop the ability to respond to changes and challenges within the world of the arts. The college strives to develop and use new artistic techniques, current historical research and recent technical innovations to achieve these ends.
The School of Music is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music; the dance program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance; and the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. All of these programs adhere to requirements for entrance and graduation that accord with the associations’ published criteria.
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College of Fine Arts Policies
Admission
All entering freshmen who declare a major within a discipline in the College of Fine Arts, or who enter as a general undecided student in a fine arts discipline, will be enrolled in and advised by the school that houses the discipline (art, design and creative industries; digital arts; music; performing arts — dance, music theatre and theatre)1. All students must maintain a grade point average of 2.000 or above to remain in good standing (see Academic Probation and Dismissal Standards).
Transfer students must present an earned GPA of 2.000 or higher for all prior college work in order to be fully admitted into one of the schools within the College of Fine Arts. Transfer students with a GPA of at least 1.700 but less than 2.000 may petition for probationary admission.
Probation and Dismissal
Students are expected to make satisfactory progress in their studies. The College of Fine Arts adheres to current WSU probation and dismissal policies found in the Academic Probation and Dismissal section of the Undergraduate Catalog with the following exceptions:
- Students enrolled in either the music education or art education programs must meet specific curriculum and GPA requirements prior to acceptance into student teaching; call or consult the associate dean of students and certification in the College of Applied Studies, 316-978-3303.
- Students on probation are limited to a maximum of 12 credit hours per semester while on probation.
- Students who have been dismissed for poor scholarship may be readmitted by permission of the College of Fine Arts Exceptions Committee and by the University Exceptions Committee.
In addition to meeting academic standards, students are expected to follow the Student Code of Conduct which can be found online in section 8.05 of the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual2, and to meet the professional standards governing any organization in which the student is participating as an intern, exchange student or other capacity.
Students who fail to meet these standards are required to work closely with an advisor to explore options and conditions for future readmission.
Enrollment Limits
Students in good academic standing may enroll for a maximum of 18 credit hours per semester during the academic year. Students wishing to enroll beyond these limits must obtain written approval from their school director.
Graduation Requirements
Students must meet the WSU graduation requirements including a minimum of 45 credit hours of upper-division courses, plus the college requirements described with each program.
General Education Requirements
The College of Fine Arts conforms to the policy set forth by the division of academic affairs at Wichita State University. Some College of Fine Arts programs incorporate specific general education courses, which are required. Students should refer to the General Education Program requirements as well as their specific program check sheet.
Inter-College Double Major
An inter-college double major allows a student to complete an academic degree and major in one of the professional colleges (Barton School of Business, College of Applied Studies, College of Engineering, College of Fine Arts, College of Health Professions) along with a major in Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For details see Inter-College Double Major.
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The College of Fine Arts Advising Center is located in 319 McKnight, 316-978-6634.
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Degrees and Certificates Offered
Undergraduate
The College of Fine Arts offers five undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Music (BM), and Bachelor of Music Education (BME). Graduation requirements for each degree are listed in the descriptions of the appropriate school programs.
Graduate
The Graduate School offers a program leading to a Master of Arts (MA) in arts leadership and management; a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) with emphases in ceramics, painting, photo media, printmaking and sculpture; a Master of Music Education (MME) with emphases in elementary music, instrumental music, choral music and music in special education; and a Master of Music (MM) with emphases in chamber music, history-literature, instrumental conducting, opera performance, performance, piano pedagogy and composition.
For information concerning requirements for entrance and curricula, consult the Wichita State University Graduate Catalog.
Certificates
The College of Fine Arts offers three graduate certificates: Kodaly method, professional studies in music performance and special music education - adaptive music; and ten undergraduate certificates: animation, audio production, choreography, commercial dance, dance and digital performance, directing, filmmaking, game design, stage management and voice acting.
Special Academic Area Cooperative Education
The College of Fine Arts participates in the university cooperative education internship program. The program is designed to provide relevant paid employment experiences that integrate with and complement the student’s academic program. Degree credit is awarded. Students are placed in a variety of positions including education and business settings in theatre, music and art disciplines. For further information, contact the fine arts coordinator in the cooperative education office.