College of the Arts
The College of the Arts is comprised of the departments of Art, Communication, Music, and Theatre. The dean's office is located in Yancey Center at One Arsenal Place room 202, RiverPark Campus.
Department of Art
The Department of Art offers comprehensive programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and provides a broad curriculum of all aspects of the visual arts including ceramics, digital media & design, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, art education, and art history.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art is designed for students discovering, exploring and developing their own creative talents while preparing them for graduate school or arts-related careers, while the Bachelor of Science in Education (BSEd) in Art Education prepares graduates for graduate school or for teaching art in the public schools and the Bachelor of Art (BA) in Art History develops scholars for graduate study in art history or related professions.
The Department of Art Seeks to:
- Foster the active engagement of students in the intellectual and creative process through excellence in teaching.
- Exhibit a commitment to lead by example through excellence in faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity.
- Emphasize the development of leadership-oriented students who understand and are committed to high standards and integrity in their civic and professional lives.
- Maintain collaborative relationships with artistic, cultural, professional and educational organizations.
- Enhance the quality of the life through academic and creative culture enrichment on campus, within the community, and beyond.
- Continually develop contemporary, rigorous and innovative academic curriculum and programming.
- Encourage and develop student research and educational opportunities outside of the immediate academic environment.
- Provide every student with the opportunity for study abroad international learning experiences.
Undergraduate Programs
BA Art History
Our new Art History degree program provides students with an opportunity to study Western and Non-Western Art from pre-history to the present day. Students learn about works of art and develop an understanding about how they reflect the lives and cultures of the artists who made them. It draws on varied means of study found in the fine arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences.
Student Learning Outcomes:
BA Art History graduates will demonstrate competence in:
- Media/technology
- Written and oral communication
- Monuments and principal artists of major art periods
- Art history of non-Western cultures
- Theory, analysis, and criticism
- General knowledge of world history
- Tools and techniques of scholarship
- Functional knowledge of the creative process
- Foreign language to support research
BFA Art
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree is a well-rounded general fine arts degree with approximately 60% of the total program in studio courses, supportive courses in art and design, and studies in the history of the visual arts. Students may choose to focus in one of several media concentrations or investigate in a broad interdisciplinary manner. The focus is on the progressive nature of the learning experience combined with a rigorous review and exhibition cycle culminating in a professionally mounted final exhibition.
Student Learning Outcomes:
BFA graduates will demonstrate competence in:
- Media/technology
- Written Communication
- Historical concerns
- Diverse cultures
- Art theory
- Criticism/aesthetics
- Portfolio & Exhibition
- Critiques
BSEd Art Education
The Bachelor of Science in Education (BSEd) in Art Education prepares highly qualified teachers of art for instruction in P-12 schools by providing challenging course work in pedagogy, curriculum content, and assessment. Students will gain knowledge and obtain skills necessary to promote learning through the creative process with critical thinking, visual literacy, aesthetic inquiry, technology, cultural understanding, and will make connections with other areas of discipline. A satisfactory completion of several hours of field experience through observation and student teaching are required by the College of Education for teaching certification.
Student Learning Outcomes:
BSED graduates will demonstrate competence in:
- Media/technology
- Historical concerns
- Diverse cultures
- Art theory
- Criticism/aesthetics
- Art education foundations
- P-12 curriculum development
- Teaching administration
- Preparedness for teaching certification
Graduate Program
MAT Art Education
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Art Education is offered to students seeking both initial teacher certification and a Master's degree. It is designed for those holding a BFA or a baccalaureate degree in another subject area other than art and are committed to fulfilling the education and prerequisite art coursework requirements in order to progress to the graduate-level courses. Students are required to submit undergraduate transcripts and a portfolio for review and complete an interview with the department chair or program director.
MED Art Education
The Master of Education (MEd) in Art Education provides graduate-level education for students seeking further training in the field of art education. Students are required to submit undergraduate transcripts and a portfolio for review and complete an interview with the department chair or program director. Graduate students wishing to enroll in 6000-level art studio courses must have successfully completed undergraduate course work in that area.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Graduates will demonstrate competence in:
- Studio concentration
- Art history and analysis
- Technical processes
- Critical analysis
- Aesthetic inquiry
- Research in art
- Art education concepts
- P-12 curriculum development in art
- Art Education Theory
Department of Communication
About the Department
The Department of Communication at Columbus State University maintains several principles in the work that it does in teaching, service, and research. Its faculty instills in their students a fundamental understanding of core communication theories, as well as a contemporary understanding of industry standards and practices in each of the degree concentrations. Our department has a long-standing reputation for leading Columbus State University in service-learning hours. By putting students in a “real world” laboratory setting, they are actively engaged in reinforcing new knowledge by using it with clients or community partners. Students' learning experiences as communication majors will enable them to develop a portfolio that will be competitive with many professionals with several more years of experience. This also primes our majors to be actively engaged in civic life in Columbus, making them better citizens.
The Value of a Communication Degree
The Department of Communication currently offers multiple tracks for its degree in Communication: Communication Studies, Public Relations, and Mass Media. Each of these degree tracks are tailored to fit the needs of students looking to break into the constantly evolving industries, such as public relations, mass media production, web design, political communication, journalism, advertising, and marketing.
Students enrolled in the Communication Studies track offers comprehensive knowledge about communication in diverse contexts. It offers students full exposure to theoretical and practical core knowledge of each area of communication, including areas such as interpersonal communication, group communication, political communication, organizational communication, family communication, networked communication, conflict management, and rhetoric, while offering the flexibility to incorporate knowledge and skills in public relations and mass media.
Students focusing on the Mass Media track build a fundamental knowledge of communication theory, but their area of study is more practically grounded in the growing demand for multi-platform media professionals. The goal of developing the degree track in this manner is to enable a graduate of the program to work in any number of settings, be it journalism, entertainment, public relations, marketing, or to have the skills to work on a freelance basis in each of these disciplines.
Students working in our Public Relations track build the same fundamental knowledge of communications theory and multi-media skill proficiency as our other tracks, but they focus on management-level participation in conducting public relations work both on a daily basis and through protracted campaign work. The coursework associated with our Public Relations work is in keeping with standards of the Public Relations Society of America and help students move beyond working on technical writing to making administrative decisions and honing their skills as team members and administrators in PR firms. The goal is to enable students to tailor their learning and practices to the areas they wish to work in for the balance of their careers, while giving them greater flexibility and ability to adapt to the dynamic growth and diversification of the public relations industry currently taking place.
A new, critical focus for each of our faculty in teaching in each of the three degree tracks is the instruction of our majors to maintain a strong proficiency and ability to adapt to new forms of communication technology that they are being asked to utilize in all of the communication disciplines. A prime example of this is our current commitment to implementing instruction on the effective, professional use of social and digital media platforms in communicating across all of the professional platforms. While social and digital media are becoming the norm in our current professional environment, our faculty also understands that the platforms by which students are communicating are constantly evolving. With that in mind, we emphasize both our need and our students' need to stay ahead of the curve on emerging communication conduits, while maintaining a strategic sensibility of how to use new technologies to achieve core goals on behalf of a diverse group of potential employers.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Communication graduates will have:
- Communication skills (e.g., writing, speaking and listening).
- Production skills (e.g., computer graphics, Internet sites, public relations).
- Research skills (e.g., library, surveys).
- Critical analysis skills (e.g., apply principles and theory to situations).
- Adaptability in responding to persons (e.g., age, gender, cultural differences) and situations.
- Knowledge of communication history, theory and career opportunity.
Schwob School of Music
Mission Statement
A school of music within a public university, the Schwob School is a community of artists committed to the highest standards of artistry and integrity within a selective and nurturing learning environment. The Schwob School of Music's dedicated faculty of teaching artists embrace creative approaches to best practices in education, and provide a professionally focused experience preparing individuals to become leaders in the music field. Centrally located within a vibrant downtown arts campus in an outstanding music facility, the Schwob School of Music maintains a strong degree of community engagement, and benefits from a remarkable relationship with the Columbus community.
Undergraduate Programs
The baccalaureate program in music provides students a broad range of programs in music and music education with experiences that relate to the needs of the community, state, and region.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music is a liberal arts degree program with a broad curriculum that includes the standard music history and theory courses but encourages diversification through many electives both within and outside of music. This program provides preparation for further study toward careers other than professional performance or public school teaching.
The Bachelor of Music (BM) in performance is offered for piano, organ, voice, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba, violin, viola, cello, string bass, guitar, or percussion and is designed for the student who values creativity in different environments, wants to spend time with the genius of great composers, and desires to shape his or her own future within that context while realizing new possibilities in vocal or instrumental performance.
The Bachelor of Music (BM) in music education has a choral track and an instrumental track. This degree has traditionally been for the preparation of elementary and secondary school teachers. In today's world there are many other directions that graduates may also choose from including university teaching, performance, composition, music business, technology, and others. The completion of this degree is accomplished through the joint efforts of the College of Education and Health Professions and the academic divisions of the university. Because the programs are tightly structured, students must begin a planned program of their choice as soon as possible after they enroll at Columbus State University. Music education students will spend one semester in full-time teaching activities under the supervision of a classroom teacher in the public schools.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Applied music major proficiency, including sight-reading
- Knowledge of literature appropriate to the applied music major
- Rehearsal and conducting skills
- Proficiency in a secondary applied area
- Understanding of music theory and aural/visual/verbal analysis
- Ability to apply knowledge of form and composition in all areas of music study
- Knowledge of various styles, cultures, and media, and ability to place music in historical/cultural/ stylistic contexts
- Ability to compose in original and historical styles
- Ability to improvise
- Knowledge of current technology related to all areas of music study
- Understanding of the interrelatedness of all areas of music study and the music professions
- Ability to form and defend value judgments about music
- Knowledge of capabilities (range, transposing characteristics, and normal use) of the voice and the major band and orchestral instruments and their normal function in homogeneous and heterogeneous ensembles
- Ability to sing at sight tonal and atonal melodies
- Knowledge of the basic principles of singing
- Ability to apply knowledge of pedagogical skills in vocal and/or instrumental idioms
- Ability to articulate, in oral and written form, the role and importance of music in society
- Ability to detect errors in music performance
- Knowledge of school music curricula (music education only)
- Knowledge of instrumental and vocal teaching methods and literature (music education only)
- Knowledge of curriculum/lesson planning (music education only)
- Knowledge of developmental theory, evaluation of learning, and program organization and administration (music education only)
Requirements for Admission to the Major
In order to be accepted as a music major, each student must demonstrate aptitude in his/her major instrument or voice through a placement audition and interview with a member of the music faculty. All newly admitted music majors also must take placement examinations in music theory and piano. Music majors who take time off before completing degree requirements will be required to re-audition if they have missed a full academic year (fall and spring, or spring and fall).
Transfer students: Please note that placement in music courses is based on audition and testing results and not necessarily on previous college credit.
General Requirements
All music majors are required to attend all master classes in their major instrument and must perform at least once each semester in a recital or master class. All students enrolled in applied music must be concurrently enrolled in the major music ensemble activity that corresponds to their major instrument (Strings-Orchestra, Winds/Percussion – Wind Ensemble, Voice-Choral Ensemble).
Students in the Bachelor of Arts program must complete at least 66 semester hours in disciplines outside of music. These hours may be earned as general education requirements, foreign language, general electives, and courses in a minor.
Graduate Programs
Master of Music in Music Education
The Schwob School of Music offers two options for students seeking a Master of Music in Music Education degree:Pre-certification MM in Music Education and Summers-Only MM in Music Education.
Pre-certification Master of Music in Music Education
The Pre-Certification MM in Music Education degree program is designed for students who have an undergraduate music degree other than music education (Performance or Bachelor of Arts) who wish to obtain a teaching license. This degree requires 31 hours of coursework at the undergraduate level in addition to the graduate requirements. A semester of full-time student teaching is also required. This degree will require enrollment during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.
Admission
This degree is designed for students who have an undergraduate music degree other than music education and are seeking teaching certification. Therefore, the following is required of each applicant (in addition to admission to the university):
- A completed undergraduate degree in Music (Performance or BA) from an accredited institution
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5
- Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant's professional accomplishments and potential for successful graduate study
- A Personal Statement written by the applicant that addresses the applicant's professional aspirations, why the applicant is pursuing a masters degree in music education, and how study at the Schwob School of Music/Columbus State University will assist the applicant in achieving his/her professional goals
- A videotaped example of the candidate demonstrating musical achievement. This could be a video of the candidate performing on an instrument or voice or a teaching episode.
- Students seeking to study applied music (private lessons) must be admitted into the applied studio through an audition with the appropriate applied instructor.
- A successful interview with CSU Music Education faculty
- A minimum score of 800 on the Graduate Record Examination(GRE) unless you have a clear, renewable teaching certificate in music from any U.S. State. If you do possess teacher certification, you are not required to take the GRE.
Summers-Only Master of Music in Music Education
The Summers-Only MM in Music Education degree program is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in music education, a permanent teaching license, and at least one year of teaching experience. This program allows working teachers to maintain employment while obtaining a graduate degree in three summers.
Admission
This degree is designed for the working music teacher. Therefore, the following is required of each applicant (in addition to admission to the university):
- A completed undergraduate degree in Music Education from an accredited institution
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5
- Valid teacher certification from a state board of education/licensing body
- At least one (1) year of full-time public or private school teaching by the time the applicant begins graduate coursework
- Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant's professional accomplishments and potential for successful graduate study:
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- one letter from the undergraduate institution or someone who has seen the candidate's academic work
- one letter from a colleague who has seen the candidate in a professional teaching or academic capacity
- one letter from a principal/administrator/fine arts coordinator who knows the applicant
- A Personal Statement written by the applicant that addresses the applicant's professional aspirations, why the applicant is pursuing a masters degree in music education, and how study at the Schwob School of Music/Columbus State University will assist the applicant in achieving his/her professional goals
- A videotaped example of the candidate teaching music in a classroom
- A successful interview with CSU Music Education faculty
Proficiency Requirements
Both degree options require acceptable scores on two (2) of the four (4) proficiency examinations (written theory (2), aural skills, and music history) for admittance into the program; after a student is admitted, enrollment in remedial courses will be required for any remaining scores that fall below the acceptable level.
Master of Music in Performance
The Master of Music in Performance degree is designed for an exceptional performer with an undergraduate degree in music. This two-year (four semester) degree requires a total of 36 hours of coursework in the areas of applied study, music theory and history, and large and small ensembles.
Admissions
Acceptance into the Master of Music in Performance degree requires acceptance to the CSU Graduate School, three letters of recommendation, and a successful audition. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission into the Master of Music in Performance degree.
Proficiency Requirements
Exams in music history, music theory, and ear training will be given just before the start of fall semester each year. Students who do not successfully pass all exams will have the option to re-take the exams once more before the following spring semester before completing remedial coursework where required by the music faculty.
Department of Theatre
The mission of the Department of Theatre at Columbus State University is to educate students in the collaborative art of theatre by preparing them for professional employment, careers in theatre education, and graduate study. The course of study teaches the craft and artistry of acting, directing, design, technical, and educational theatre. The professional and energetic faculty encourages students to experiment, explore, and discover in a supportive yet challenging environment. CSU productions serve as a laboratory where students practice classroom theories, test analytical skills, and undertake cooperative endeavors while promoting the creative act of theatre. Theatrical seasons are selected to provide the student with the opportunity to experience plays from a range of periods and genres presented in a variety of production styles for both adult and young audiences. The CSU Department of Theatre seeks to enhance the quality of life for the university and metropolitan communities by sharing our students' growth and development through our eclectic theatrical productions.
The Department of Theatre offers comprehensive undergraduate programs, which are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. The department offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Performance and the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Design and Technology which provide a concentrated theatrical background in acting, directing, design, and technical theatre for students planning careers in the professional theatre and in higher education. The Bachelor of Science in Education (BSEd) in Theatre Education provides certification to teach drama in primary and secondary grades. The Bachelor of Art (BA) in Theatre provides a broad theatrical background for students planning careers in professional, higher educational, or community theatre. A minimum grade of "C" is required for all theatre courses in each of the degree programs.
CSU graduates may pursue employment in the entertainment and related fields in a number of areas including acting, directing, arts management, education, technical theatre, and design. Teacher certification qualifies students to teach in public and private schools in Georgia and other states.
Admission
In order to be accepted as a Theatre major, each student must audition and/or interview with the Theatre faculty. Theatre majors that take time off before completing degree requirements will be required to re-audition if they have missed a full academic year (fall and spring, or spring and fall).
Transfer students: Please note that placement in Theatre courses is based on audition/interview and not necessarily on previous college credit.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Theatre graduates will be able to demonstrate:
- General knowledge of all areas of the theatrical process
- Knowledge of the theatre history and appreciation for dramatic literature of western civilization
- Knowledge of and proficiency in theatre design and technology
- Knowledge of and proficiency in acting and directing
- BSEd graduates also will be able to demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in the methods of teaching theatre
