10000 College of the Arts

Undergraduate programs in the College of the Arts are described in detail in this chapter. See subsections for specific program information as well as policies and procedures.

10010 General Information

The College of the Arts consists of three schools, one center and the Rialto center for the Arts. The college has approximately 2,700 undergraduate majors and 200 graduate students.

The liberal arts education offered by the College of the Arts prepares students for professional careers and provides the foundation for lifelong learning. Programs in the liberal arts promote the independent discovery of knowledge, an appreciation of the arts, and the ability to think critically and analytically.

At the undergraduate level, the College of the Arts offers the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degrees. The requirements for these degrees build directly upon the broad educational foundation provided by the core curriculum.

Within the framework of the various degree offerings, specific programs have been designed for students who wish to pursue a career in teaching. In collaboration with the College of Education & Human Development, these teacher education programs provide for a major concentration within a special field of knowledge suitable for teaching at the various school levels. The programs prepare a student to meet the certification requirements of the Professional Standards Commission of the State of Georgia.

The College of the Arts offers graduate degrees and programs in art and design, music, and film studies and production. The university publishes a graduate catalog that includes complete descriptions of all of the graduate programs offered at Georgia State University (available online at catalog.gsu.edu).

Office of the Dean

35 Broad Street Suite 400
404-413-3151
thearts.gsu.edu

Chester Phillips, Interim Dean
Susan Richmond, Interim Associate Dean

Accreditation

In the College of the Arts, the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the School of Music by the National Association of Schools of Music, and the programs in secondary education by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Degrees Offered

Undergraduate degrees are offered through the Schools of Art & Design, Music, and Film, Media & Theatre. In addition, undergraduate degree programs in secondary education for teachers of preschool through twelfth grade in art and music are offered through the College of the Arts. For application procedures and eligibility requirements, please refer to  “1600 Educator Preparation”.

10010.10 Schools

10020 College Academic Regulations

The requirements for entrance into Georgia State University are found in section 1100 of this catalog, which is devoted to undergraduate admissions. A transfer student must comply with all academic regulations of the university. The College of the Arts reserves the right to validate by examination any credits accepted by transfer. This provision in no way affects the acceptance of courses used to satisfy core curriculum requirements at another unit of the University System of Georgia.

Students holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university who wish to complete another undergraduate degree are urged to clear all requirements with an advisor in the college’s Office of Academic Assistance or the University Advisement Center.

Grades of C- in Major/Minor

Courses in the major require a grade of C- or higher. Courses in the minor, chosen within or outside the college, require a grade of C- or higher. Some prerequisite courses for both the major and minor require a grade of C or higher to progress through the program.

Credit by Examination

A maximum of 18 semester hours of degree credit may be granted before or after matriculation to a student who receives satisfactory scores on certain subject examinations of the College Level Examination Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. The student should consult the appropriate school, the college’s Office of Academic Assistance, or the University Advisement Center for further information.

The College of the Arts follows university guidelines for the acceptance of credit by examination. See section 1320.40 Credit by Examination for specific course equivalencies. Credit by examination awarded by the academic schools within the College of the Arts does not apply toward the academic residence requirement.

Credit for Transient Work

College of the Arts’ students who wish to take coursework at another institution, whether as a full-time or as a part-time student, must have prior written approval from the school, the college’s Office of Academic Assistance, or the University Advisement Center if they wish to apply the credit hours to a degree program. Failure to obtain the required prior approval will prevent the acceptance of such credits. Approval will be granted for no more than two terms of work and only if the student is in good academic standing at Georgia State University. No approval of requests to take courses in Atlanta-area colleges will be granted if the course is readily available from Georgia State University offerings. During the term in which the student is scheduled to graduate, all courses must be taken at Georgia State University unless prior written approval has been obtained from the school, the college’s Office of Academic Assistance, or the University Advisement Center. The acceptance and application of all coursework taken as a transient student is subject to any limitations imposed by the student’s major school or program of study.

Please consult the “Academic Regulations” section of this catalog for further clarification in regard to transient credit.

Course 4999 - Directed Readings

Course 4999, Directed Readings, is offered in various schools within the College of the Arts and is designed to assist seniors who are within two terms of graduation and who have curriculum difficulties in fulfilling the requirements necessary for graduation. One to four credit hours may be earned. The supervising instructor and the school director must approve registration for the course. Forms for Course 4999 must be completed at the time of regular registration for the term in which the credit is to be earned and can be obtained through school offices or the college’s Office of Academic Assistance.

Policy on Allowing Undergraduates to Take Graduate Courses

Under one of the following conditions, an undergraduate student may be permitted to take a graduate course:

Dual Degree Enrollment: The student has been formally accepted into an official university dual degree program that links an undergraduate degree program with a graduate degree program. Students in dual degree programs are granted permission to enroll in specified graduate courses when they reach a designated program milestone. Students who are accepted into the affiliated graduate program upon completion of the undergraduate degree may count specified coursework toward fulfillment of the graduate degree requirements.

College Approval of Enrollment: The Office of Academic Assistance in the College of the Arts will determine a student’s eligibility for admission into a graduate course. To be eligible, an undergraduate student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher, be within 18 semester hours of graduation, and be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program. Eligibility does not guarantee permission to take a graduate course. Once a student’s eligibility is determined, permission must be granted by the instructor for the course, the school’s director of graduate studies, the director of the school offering the course, and the Office of Academic Assistance. The request form is available in the Office of Academic Assistance. Approved  graduate courses can be used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. Please note, graduate courses taken by an undergraduate student cannot be applied toward fulfillment of graduate degree requirements unless the student has been formally accepted into an official university dual degree program.

(This approval process does not apply to postbaccalaureate students. Postbaccalaureate students wishing to take graduate courses must be admitted as non-degree seeking students.)

10030 College Degree Requirements

World Language Requirement for B.A./B.I.S. Majors

The College of the Arts requires the completion of a world language at or above the 1002 or 1101 level for all students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree. This requirement can be met by one of the following options: 1) Taking a course numbered 1002, 1101, or higher, 2) Taking the CLEP exam in French, German, or Spanish for credit at the 2001 and 2002 level, or 3) Taking the SAT II exam in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean and receiving at least the equivalent of a grade of “C” (73% of the highest possible exam score). For more information about the exams please contact the Counseling and Testing Center at 404-413-1740.

The world language requirement for students enrolled in Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies programs is most commonly included in the Core IMPACTS curriculum or the Field of Study for the major; however, programs may also require students to complete world language courses in the major. Students transferring to Georgia State University with a completed Field of Study area, yet without sufficient coursework to meet a program’s world language requirement, will be required to fulfill the necessary courses in the remaining 60 semester hours. Students who take a language course in the Arts, Humanities & Ethics area of the Core IMPACTS and subsequently declare a major in a program leading to a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies will find that the language course no longer counts in Arts, Humanities & Ethics area of the Core IMPACTS but in the Field of Study for the major area. For this reason, the college recommends that students in Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies programs not include a world language course in the Arts, Humanities & Ethics area of the Core IMPACTS.

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree provides educational opportunities not available through the existing, traditional degree programs. The purpose of the program is to offer students an avenue by which they may take advantage of the rich offerings available in several colleges, schools, departments, and institutes at the university. An individual student, in consultation with a faculty advisor, may tailor a program of study that meets their particular educational needs, desires, and interests.

A student can pursue either a college-planned or a student-planned interdisciplinary program. The established college-planned programs address the needs of many students interested in a multidisciplinary, non-traditional education. Existing areas of concentration within the College of the Arts are Acting and Arts Administration. Information about the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program, including program options and the application process, is available from the college’s Office of Academic Assistance or the University Advisement Center.

It is not the function of the interdisciplinary program to pull together an assortment of coursework as a last-minute effort to facilitate a student’s graduation. A proposal should be planned by the time a student has earned 42 credit hours and should reflect a logical, consistent course of study that is based on acceptable and germane student objectives.

Program Degree Requirements

There are two options in the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program, the student-planned option and the college-planned option. Descriptions are listed below.

Courses in the area of concentration of the major and allied field must be at the 3000-4000 level. Also, a grade of C- or higher is required in all courses in the area of concentration of the major and allied field. Approved electives are used to build on the hours in major and allied field areas to reach 60 hours, to ensure the academic residency requirement is met at Georgia State University, and to complete the 120 hours required for graduation. The last 27 semester hours prior to graduation must be completed while formally enrolled in the program.

Option One: Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Student-Planned Program

Students may choose the option to propose their own program of study for approval by the Associate Dean. Students may select their proposed courses from any college in the university, as long as at least 50 percent of the hours in the program are chosen from courses in the College of the Arts. Students should have their proposed student-planned programs reviewed by the Associate Dean by the time they have earned 42 hours.

To gain approval into the program, students must articulate a reasonable and educationally justifiable course of study. Proposed interdisciplinary degree programs cannot resemble current programs offered at the university. Students interested in initiating the application process must first schedule an appointment with an academic advisor in the college’s Office of Academic Assistance or the University Advisement Center. Students must also select an appropriate faculty advisor to provide guidance in developing the interdisciplinary program.

Course of Study Outline for Student-Planned Programs:

Core IMPACTS:

Core Curriculum (42)

All undergraduate students satisfy a common core curriculum. These requirements are printed in the “University Academic Regulations” section 1300 of this catalog.

Field of Study:

Courses Appropriate to the Major Field (18)

Courses in this area should be included in the program proposal. The courses selected for this area must be at the lower-division level and judged to be programmatically appropriate to the intent of the proposed program. A world language at the 1002 level must be included in the Field of Study area of all student-planned programs.

Major:

Area of Concentration (3000-4000-level courses similar to a traditional major area, except interdisciplinary in content).

Allied Field:

Allied Field (3000-4000-level courses similar to a minor, except interdisciplinary in content).

Electives:

Electives

When developing a student-planned program, the student may choose one of the following structures:

Program Plan Structure One:

An area of concentration (27-33 semester hours) with an allied field (15-21 semester hours) and electives (6-18 semester hours).

Program Plan Structure Two:

An area of concentration (27-33 semester hours) with two allied fields (15-21 semester hours each).

Program Plan Structure Three:

Two areas of concentration (27-33 semester hours each).

Option Two: Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies College-Planned Programs

Students may choose a program designed by the College of the Arts as follows.

Acting

Arts Administration - (Thematic Concentrations: Art History Administration, Music Administration, Studio Administration, and Theatre Administration)

The Interdisciplinary Minor

The interdisciplinary minor provides educational opportunities not otherwise available and allows students the flexibility to select courses for the minor from several colleges, schools, departments, and institutes at the university. Students must submit their student-planned interdisciplinary minor of 15-18 hours for approval to the Associate Dean. A proposal must identify the way in which the minor fits into the context of the student’s entire degree program. To gain approval, students must articulate a reasonable and educationally justifiable course of study and must keep in mind that this course of study may not duplicate what is currently available.

The following requirements apply to the interdisciplinary minor:

1. The student must have a Georgia State University cumulative grade-point average of 2.0.
2. All courses included must be at the 3000 level or above.
3. No more than six hours may be taken in any one department or school, and courses cannot be from the major area.
4. A grade of C- or better is required in all minor courses.
5. At least 50 percent of the minor must be completed after the semester in which the Associate Dean approves the minor program plan.

Students should contact the college’s Office of Academic Assistance or the University Advisement Center for information on the application procedure.

10040 Office of Academic Assistance

35 Broad Street Suite 400
404-413-5855

thearts.gsu.edu/college-of-the-arts/academics/about-student-advising/

Tony Davis, Interim Director
Nastassia Harding, Interim Assistant Director

The Office of Academic Assistance in the College of the Arts supports schools in providing academic advisement for students in the college, primarily those who have earned 90 credit hours. Students with fewer than 90 credit hours are advised through the University Advisement Center (see advisement.gsu.edu). The Office of Academic Assistance prepares evaluations of transfer work done at other institutions as well as academic program reviews for each major offered through the college. It also assists with course selections and schedule revisions and provides information concerning college and university policies. Students are advised by appointment or may walk in for brief consultations. During the academic year, the office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students seeking a degree in the College of the Arts should become familiar with the academic regulations of the university.

Although the College of the Arts will endeavor to provide timely and accurate advisement, it is the responsibility of the student to know and to satisfy the degree requirements of their academic program. The College of the Arts encourages its majors to build relationships with the undergraduate support personnel in their major school. This position reflects the belief that a strong undergraduate program is possible only if there are frequent opportunities for students to discuss their academic work and career goals with one of their major professors. In a large urban institution such as Georgia State University, contact is essential if students are to receive individual attention and enjoy the full benefits of a liberal arts education.

10050 Student Complaints, Petitions for Policy Waivers and Variances, and Appeals

The appeals procedure for students in the College of the Arts will follow different courses depending on the nature of the student’s appeal. Please refer to University Information section 1050.80 under Polices and Disclosures in this catalog or visit engagement.gsu.edu/help for details.

10060 Academic Resources and Services

Creative Media Center (CMC)

460 Art and Humanities Building
404-413-5278
https://artdesign.gsu.edu/resourcesfacilities/#CMC 

The Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design’s Creative Media Center (CMC) offers access to cutting-edge digital technology and equipment checkout for students who are currently enrolled in courses within the school. The CMC maintains an array of Macintosh computer workstations and functions as both a digital classroom and computer laboratory, offering Open Lab access during scheduled times. The CMC checkout cage also gives student the opportunity to check out specialized equipment and hardware related to photography, graphic design, lighting, sound, and video.

Music Media Center

400 Haas Howell Building
404-413-5903

The School of Music’s Music Media Center provides students with a valuable resource for music study through the use of the Bobbie Bailey Technology Classroom, consisting of 18 workstations that facilitate music composition, music production, and audio recording; a multi-media seminar room; and the Charles Thomas Wurm Circulation area with access to 16 listening-keyboard computer workstations.

Center for Educational Partnerships in Music

Patrick K. Freer, Director

https://music.gsu.edu/partnerships/

The Center for Educational Partnerships (CEPM) unites music faculty and music students with the education community in a collaboration that advances the role of music in school and culture. It prepares influential leaders to teach in diverse and interdependent contexts. Drawing on Atlanta’s unique community resources, the relationship created by the center fosters relevant and engaging music-making for learners throughout their lifespan.