4202 E. Fowler Avenue, FAH 110
Tampa, FL 33620
(813) 974-2301
https://www.usf.edu/arts/
Physical Location: Fine Arts Building located on Holly Drive. The Fine Arts Building is west of the Marshall Student Center and south of East Fletcher Drive.
About the College
The College of The Arts is the creative center of the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. We prepare students for careers in architecture, community design, art, art history, music, theatre, and dance. USF is not only the starting point of a career in the arts, but Tampa Bay is also a perfect place to become part of the arts community.
At USF, we provide our students with hands-on experiences and real-world opportunities for exhibitions, performances and practice within our own university gallery spaces, museum and performance halls. Students also participate in design, research, performance and exhibition projects across the Tampa Bay community. We proudly feature our students, faculty and guest artists in almost 300 stage productions, concerts, exhibitions and lectures each year. Many of these are free and open to the public.
Research is how the College of The Arts provides resources to help students and the community benefit from the work and discovery at this university. Research in the Arts expands the practice of our students, faculty and community of artists through interdisciplinary work, global explorations of perspectives and local community engagement. The three research units of the College of The Arts – the Institute for Research in Art, the Center for Music Education Research and the Florida Center for Community Design and Research – exemplify the interdisciplinary significance of the arts. Through these research units, our students are exposed to various contemporary works that become incorporated into their curriculum and expand their own creative practices.
Mission, Vision, Values
Mission
The mission of the University of South Florida’s College of The Arts is to conduct scholarly and creative research and to challenge and inspire students to make significant contributions in the arts. At USF, we provide a learning environment that is engaged locally and nationally in contemporary issues and initiatives.
Vision
Our college aspires to achieve national and international recognition as a distinguished center for study, creation, and research (in architecture and community environmental design, publishing of prints and sculpture multiples, visual arts, dance, music, theatre, and contemporary exhibitions). We provide an innovative and exciting environment to prepare the next generation of architects, artists, designers, educators, scholars, and audiences for these disciplines. The Arts at USF supports and promotes creative research (including history and theory), performance, and production in these disciplines while continuing to engage the Tampa Bay community by enriching the cultural landscape and advancing sustainable practices.
Values
Our college values the role and function the arts have — both historically and in the present — as a means of discovery, expression, and reflection on our human experience and the world in which we live.
More specifically we value:
- Innovative approaches to teaching that fosters critical thinking, creative problem solving and effective communication
- Rigorous preparation in the foundations of one’s discipline as a point of departure for creative development and scholarship
- Significant scholarly and creative research
- The diverse perspectives of faculty, guest artists/lecturers/scholars, and students
- Active involvement in the local, national, and international discipline-based dialog
- Interdisciplinary and collaborative opportunities – locally, nationally, and internationally
- Community engagement and partnerships
- Production and presentation of distinctive contemporary work
- Collegial participation of faculty, staff, and students in efforts of the schools, college, and university
Accreditation
School of Architecture & Community Design
The USF School of Architecture & Community Design is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board: For additional information about NAAB, visit their website at http://www.naab.org
School of Art & Art History
The USF School of Art & Art History is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design: For additional information about NASAD, visit their website at http://www.nasad.arts-accredit.org
School of Music
The USF School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music: For additional information about NASM, visit their website at http://www.nasm.arts-accredit.org
School of Theatre & Dance
The Theatre Program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre: For additional information about NAST, visit their website at http://www/nast.arts-accredit.org
The Dance Program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance: For additional information about NASD visit their website at http://www.nasd.arts-accredit.org
Contemporary Art Museum
The USF Contemporary Art Museum is accredited by American Alliance of Museums: For additional information about AAM, visit their website at http://www/aam-us.org
Admission Requirements
To apply for academic programs in the College of The Arts, you must first be accepted to the University of South Florida. Once you meet USF requirements (https://www.usf.edu/admissions/), you can apply to your program of interest. Some programs require an audition or portfolio submission. Check individual requirements for your program of interest before applying.
Step 1: Apply for admission to the University of South Florida (see https://secure.vzcollegeapp.com/usf/default.aspx?cid=87<id=1).
Step 2: Apply for admission to the College of The Arts’ schools, please see Program-Specific Requirements.
General Requirements for Bachelor Degree Programs within the College of The Arts
- All Bachelor degree programs require 120 credit hours with the exception of the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education, which requires 134 credit hours.
- Students admitted to the College of The Arts with transfer credits, or former students returning with credits dating ten or more years prior to admission (or readmission), will have those credits reviewed by the College and department/school and may be required to take specified competency tests in their major area.
- A maximum number of ROTC credits totaling no more than the maximum allowed in the Free Elective Area for each major may be counted toward all degrees.
- A maximum of four credit hours of elective Physical Education credits taken at USF may be counted as general elective credit.
- Students must satisfactorily meet the State Communication Requirement and State Computation Requirement .
- Students applying for a B.A. degree must demonstrate competency in a foreign language as described under Foreign Language Competency Policy of this catalog.
- For degree programs, see requirements listed under each School.
- Beginning Fall semester 2012, students must successfully complete a minimum of 50 percent of the courses required for their major on their specific home campus within the USF System. A student must also earn 30 of the last 60 hours of credits in residence at USF. However, any course work to be taken and any credits to be earned outside of the university must have prior approval from the appropriate school and the college in order to apply these credits toward graduation.
- Waiver of prerequisite coursework totaling no more than 12 credit hours in the major or College requirements is possible by demonstration of competence. Unless credit is awarded by approved official tests, i.e., AP, CLEP, the credit hours must be made up according to school or college recommendations. A faculty committee conducts waiver reviews. Specific questions concerning program requirements for all degrees in the College or other related problems should be directed to the College of The Arts.
College Policy for Academic Progress
The following criteria will serve as the bases for disenrollment from a major in the College of The Arts:
- Grade point average below 2.0 in the major.
- Recommendation by major applied (studio) art, dance, music or theatre faculty with approval of respective school director.
- The school may recommend probationary status (rather than disenrollment) for one semester when academic progress is not maintained.
Directed Studies Contracts
All Directed Studies and other variable credit courses in the College of The Arts require contracts between students and instructors describing the work to be undertaken by the student and specifying the credit hours. These contracts are to be completed in quadruplicate and appropriately signed. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the necessary signatures and make the required distribution of all copies. Important: the student must have his/her signed copy of a contract at the time of registration.
Permission Procedures
Admission into some courses is possible only by consent of instructor (CI), consent of chairperson (CC), consent of advisor, or by audition or portfolio review. When such special permission is required, it will be the student’s responsibility to obtain any required permission prior to registration.
Program-Specific Requirements
School of Architecture & Community Design
https://www.usf.edu/arts/architecture/
Bachelor degrees are not awarded through the School of Architecture & Community Design. However, you can enroll in the Pre-Architecture program as an undergraduate. Once you have completed those courses, you are able to enroll in the Master degree programs.
School of Art & Art History
https://www.usf.edu/arts/art/apply/index.aspx
The School of Art & Art History offers Bachelor degrees in both Studio Art and Art History. No additional materials are required for admission to the undergraduate BA and BFA in Studio Art, or BA in Art History.
School of Music
http://music.arts.usf.edu/
The School of Music provides a variety of areas of study for undergraduate programs. This includes brass, composition & electronic music, jazz studies, music education, percussion, piano, strings, voice, and woodwinds. Auditions are required for admission to all performance concentrations.
School of Theatre & Dance
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/
The School of Theatre & Dance offers undergraduate degrees only. Auditions are required for admission to the Dance programs. Theatre auditions only take place for upper-level performance coursework but are not required for admission. Portfolio submission is required for the Theatre Design concentration upper-level coursework.
Graduation Requirements
You must apply for graduation during your last semester of coursework and meet with your advisor to confirm your eligibility to graduate. The general university requirements for graduation are as follows:
- 120 credit hours or more, with cumulative 2.0 GPA.
- At least a 2.0 GPA in all USF courses.
- Complete at least 42 credit hours of upper division work.
- Complete State Communication and Computation requirements and USF Enhanced General Education courses.
- Complete Summer Enrollment requirements.
- Complete program requirements.
- You may need to complete specific College of The Arts requirements.
Instructions for submitting your USF Graduation Application are available on the Office of Registrar’s website at https://www.usf.edu/registrar/resources/graduation.aspx. Remember to keep up with deadlines when applying for graduation and registering for commencement. These dates are different each semester, so check the Office of the Registrar’s website regularly.
For information about The Art’s Graduation Celebration, see https://www.usf.edu/arts/advising/graduation-celebration.aspx.
Other Information - Interdisciplinary Study
There is no formal interdisciplinary arts degree offered in the College of The Arts. However, it is possible for a student to pursue such a program of study in the College by utilizing general electives allowed in the major program. A student may also choose a double undergraduate major in two units or arts disciplines within the College of The Arts as a means of interdisciplinary study. See the major advisor in the programs of particular interest.
Baccalaureate-Level Degree Programs
Global Pathways
https://www.usf.edu/gcp/students/index.aspx
A Global Pathway is an undergraduate major or degree program that has significant global content. Global Pathways provide students with the opportunity to practice and apply global competencies through the major or degree program. The following programs are designated as Global Pathway Programs:
Music Education
http://music.arts.usf.edu/content/go/music-education/
Theatre
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/go/theatre/
Bachelor of Arts
Art History
https://www.usf.edu/arts/art/apply/index.aspx
Our B.A. program develops skills in critical looking, thinking and writing, and is excellent preparation for students interested in pursuing graduate studies in art history or considering a museum profession or other work in today’s professional art world.
Dance
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=11&a=98
The focus of this degree is to enable the student to combine dance with another area of interest and encourage the development of an individualized program of study through the selection of general education requirements as well as a focused selection of elective courses.
Music Studies
http://music.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?a=1511&z=153
The Bachelor of Arts in Music Studies is a non-professional degree for students who wish to supplement other interests with music study. This program is ideal as part of a double major with a field outside of music. Requirements include approximately 50 hours in music with emphasis choices in performance, composition, history and theory. Admission into the program requires an audition on your major instrument.
Studio Art
https://www.usf.edu/arts/art/index.aspx
The B.A. in Studio Art is a 120 credit degree that is designed to develop the student’s consciousness of aesthetic and ideological aspects of art and its relationship to life. The degree also assists students in the realization of personal ideas, art making skills and imagery. The B.A. is oriented toward a general and broad immersion in the field. Studio courses are supplemented with studies in art history, foreign language and an abundance of electives both within the School of Art and Art History and throughout the campus.
Theatre
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?a=84&z=10
Through its curriculum and production program, students have the opportunity to prepare for a professional career in the theatre or to continue their studies at the graduate level. Our exclusively undergraduate program boasts intensive studies in the disciplines of performance, design and theatre arts as well as a close working relationship with our nationally and internationally recognized faculty.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Dance
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=11&a=92
The BFA in Dance Performance offers professional preparation, which includes extensive study in Studio Technique, Choreographic Studies and Dance Theory. The focus of this degree is the development of dancers who will enter the professional world of dance/arts as performers and choreographers.
Studio Art
http://art.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=162&a=1100
The BFA in Studio Art is a 120 credit degree that is the initial professional degree in the field. As such, it has a concentrated focus on the development of art making skills combined with conceptual and critical thinking. The degree is designed to develop the student’s consciousness of aesthetic and ideological aspects of art and its relationship to life. Studio studies and experiences are of prime importance in the preparation of BFA students for professional lives in the visual arts.
Bachelor of Music
Music Performance
http://music.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?a=1511&z=153
The Bachelor of Music is a professional degree for students who wish to pursue a career in music. Students interested in a BM can choose between three areas of concentration: composition (acoustic and electronic music), jazz studies and performance. This program requires 120 credit hours that includes intense private study on their principle instrument and participation in ensembles.
Bachelor of Science
Music Education
http://music.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?a=1511&z=153
The Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education is a professional degree for students who are interested in teaching music in K-12 schools in the ever-changing music classrooms of the 21st century. This program is an intense study of music and education courses that provide students with state certification upon graduation. In addition to private study on their principle instrument and participation in ensembles, students complete music theory, history and literature sequences, and take a variety of music education courses.
Accelerated Programs
Architecture Program
https://www.usf.edu/arts/architecture/
The USF School of Architecture and Community Design offers a 2+4 program. A two-year undergraduate architecture program, coupled with general education coursework, is followed by a rigorous four-year comprehensive architecture education. There are several routes into and through the SACD architecture curriculum. Access to the four-year graduate program is competitive with only 45 students selected annually.
Before entering the 4-year architecture graduate program, students complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of general education and prerequisite courses at the University of South Florida or another college/university (the “2” of the 2+4). Having completed these requirements, students will complete the School’s 108 credit hour, Master of Architecture (M. Arch) degree program (the “4” of the 2+4). For more information regarding these requirements and coursework can be found on the Undergraduate page at https://www.usf.edu/arts/architecture/apply/index.aspx.
Minors
Art
The School of Art & Art History offers two concentrations for the Minor in Art: Studio and Art History.
Dance
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=11&a=94
The Dance Minor is designed to provide students with a scope of experiences in dance, which includes studio technique, creative studio studies and dance theory. The student seeking a Dance Minor should arrange to meet with the academic advisor in dance.
Theatre
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?a=86&z=10
The Theatre minor is structured to give students an overview of drama and theatre, in terms of history, performance, and criticism. The curriculum involves the student in both the practical and theoretical aspects of the theatre process.
Concentrations
A concentration is any organized set of courses that is offered as part of a major and enhances or complements the degree program to be awarded in a manner that leads to specific educational or occupational goals, and/or from different disciplines that provide an interdisciplinary focus.
DANCE – B.A.
DANCE – B.F.A.
MUSIC PERFORMANCE
- Jazz Studies
- Performance
- Acoustic & Electronic Composition
THEATRE
- Theatre Arts
- Design
- Performance
Certificates
Advanced Dance Studies
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=0&a=5891
This certificate is designed for students who possess a strong background in dance technique (ballet/modern). It is meant for individuals who would like to heighten their studies in dance and earn advanced level training.
Art History
https://www.usf.edu/arts/art/academics/minors-and-certificates/
The Certificate in Art History is designed for undergraduate students majoring in another field who also seek a concentration in art history. This certificate constitutes a sequence of five art history courses (15 credit hours) that provides students with a broad introduction to the field of art history.
Business and Art
The Certificate in Business and Art provides for the analysis and hands-on implementation of applied, innovative arts projects and business practices for all majors interested in maximizing creative problem solving with the integration of marketing and finance development in order to realize long-term strategies.
Dance Medicine and Science
http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=0&a=5891
This certificate is designed for students who are degree-seeking (any major) OR non-degree seeking and who possess a strong interest in exploring the field of dance medicine/science. This certificate program will give students a basic understanding of issues pertaining to the wellness of dancers such as: typical injury and misalignment patterns, injury prevention and treatment, injury risk factors, effective conditioning, muscular analysis of dance movement, and current topics in dance medicine/science research.
Electrical Engineering, Digital Design, and The Arts
The union of arts and engineering has emerged as a significant intellectual, commercial and educational concept and has sparked creative new programs across the planet. The USF Electrical Engineering, Digital Design, and The Arts Certificate is for undergraduate students who are interested in this union, and exploring the overlapping areas of electrical engineering technology and the visual arts.
Visualization and Design
The Certificate in Visualization and Design provides theoretical studies and hands-on practice for all majors interested in the creative design of visual communication. Outcomes include building a portfolio from a variety of visual media and prepares those who complete the certificate for fields (depending on course selections) ranging from media designers, to animators, to research and product designers, to graphic/data developers.
Undergraduate Advising Information
USF College of The Arts
Office of Student Services & Advising
4202 East Fowler Ave, FAH 120
Tampa, FL 33620
(813) 974-3660
https://www.usf.edu/arts/advising/contact.aspx
Student Services & Advising offers academic support to prospective and current students in the USF College of The Arts. This includes the School of Architecture & Community Design, School of Art & Art History, School of Music and School of Theatre & Dance.
The Student Services & Advising Office assists prospective and current students with individualized academic planning. A few services provided include academic advisement, career guidance, and opportunities to engage with the College of The Arts community. Our academic advisors meet with students one-on-one to help each student map a path to graduation with opportunities for growth and knowledge during their time at USF.
To make a face-to-face appointment with an Academic Advisor:
School of Architecture & Community Design
School of Art & Art History
Major
Minor
Certificate
School of Music
Major
School of Theatre & Dance
Major
Minor
Certificate