College of Fine and Performing Arts

Introduction

Dr. Kit Spicer, Interim Dean

The College of Fine and Performing Arts, consisting of the departments of art, design, music, and theatre and dance, provides an educational environment for enhancing the creation, development, performance and teaching of the fine and performing arts. Through its facilities and programs, the College has a strong presence on campus. The University’s Concert Hall, the Mainstage Theatre, and more intimate performance venues are housed in the College, as well as classrooms, art studios, and the Western Gallery. The College also is responsible for public art throughout the campus in the form of the internationally recognized Outdoor Sculpture Collection.

The goal of CFPA is to nurture a comprehensive understanding of the languages of movement art, visual art, theatre art, and music in order to create thinking artists and artistic thinkers who will shape culture in the 21st century.

To fulfill this mission, the College of Fine and Performing Arts maintains a viable connection with the liberal arts tradition of the University; equips students with the creative and intellectual tools necessary for success in the arts; enables students to value, understand, and challenge traditional concepts; maintains an environment that supports diversity, reflection, and dedication to creative pursuits; promotes critical thinking, innovative ideas and active arts leadership; provides world class and multicultural experiences in the arts for both students and members of the community; and prepares students for a dynamic, lifelong relationship with the arts.

Academic Programs Leading to Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees

Majors/Minors

In addition to the General University Requirements and other common degree requirements, a candidate for a bachelor’s degree must complete a major from one of the departments within CFPA. Minors are also offered in art, dance, music, and theatre arts.

Student/Faculty-Designed Major

The student/faculty-designed major is a major for a bachelor’s degree granted by CFPA. Each major is approved by the Curriculum Committee of CFPA. Approval should come after 45 — and before 90 — credits are completed.

Policies, procedures and contract forms will be issued to applicants by the dean’s office.

College Admission and Advisement

Admission

A student is admitted to CFPA when he or she has been admitted to Western Washington University and has officially declared and been accepted as a major, and/or who has passed portfolio review or the audition required in the various discipline areas of the College. Advisement is carried on through the individual departments.

Requirements for Bachelor’s Degree

Besides the general requirements for graduation from the University, explained elsewhere in this catalog, CFPA has the following specific requirements:

The Bachelor of Music degree may require more than the usual 180 credit hours.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is the professional undergraduate degree requiring study beyond the normal four years.

Department Chairs

Other College Information

Departments, Courses and Programs

Courses listed in this General Catalog constitute a record of the total academic program of the University. For an exact scheduling of courses at Western, students should consult the annual online Timetable of Classes, the Summer Bulletin on the Web and the Extended Education Programs’ bulletins.