Academic Departments
Art / Music / Dance
usic, theatre, dance, photography, painting, weaving, ceramics, drawing, video, digital imaging, and design: within the arts department, students learn the creative problem solving, selection and composition, analysis and performance vocabulary and skills unique to each of these media. Coursework is appropriate for students at every level, from those who seek a basic familiarity with the arts to those who wish to create advanced projects in preparation for university study. Whether painting a set, perfecting a print, creating a role, making a movie, directing a play, rehearsing a flute solo, designing a scarf, or producing an artist’s portfolio for college, students work with faculty who are professional artists in their fields.
Grading Option: In many arts courses, but not all, a student may elect to take a course Credit-No Credit. To use this option the student must arrange her grading choice with the Registrar's Office. She cannot then change this arrangement during the semester. For fall semester courses, the choice of Credit-No Credit must be made by the end of the third week of fall semester. For spring semester courses, the choice of Credit-No Credit must be made by the end of the third week of spring semester.
Course Numbering: The first digit indicates level, but not necessarily the grade of the student for whom the course is intended: thus, a 100 course is for the inexperienced student of any age, and a 300 course might well suit a younger, but experienced student. The second digit indicates broad subdivisions of study within the division: 1 and 2-visual arts; 3-dance; 4-theatre; 5-music; 7-photography; 8-interdisciplinary.
The following courses, while counting towards the overall graduation requirement in the arts, will not satisfy either the performing or the visual arts distribution required for 4-year and 3-year students: Historical Overview of Dance, Music Appreciation I and II, Musical Theory and Skills, Advanced Musical Theory and Skills, and Painting for the Stage. Note: Introduction to Scenic Design does satisfy a student’s visual arts distribution requirement.For most visual arts courses there is a $60 fee to defray the cost of materials; the photography fee is $75.
