School of Arts and Humanities
Art and Performance (BA)
Students who complete the major in Art and Performance (AP) pursue an interdisciplinary study of the arts by selecting among courses in historical context, studio practice, performance ensemble, creative writing, and ideas and interpretation of the arts. In the AP core course, students will experience the theory and practice of the arts in a workshop setting and, in studio or ensemble courses, will gain practical experience in at least one area of the visual or performing arts or creative writing. Courses in the historical context and interpretation of the arts will enable students to understand how style, subject matter, and materials may respond to different motivations and purposes. In their selection of required and elective courses, students are encouraged to focus their coursework around one of the following areas: art history (early or modern period), two-dimensional or three-dimensional studio art, creative writing, art and technology (computer imaging, photography, video art), or music/theatre/performance.
Since the following catalog course descriptions are very general, students are urged to consult the detailed course descriptions available on the web site for the School of Arts and Humanities.
Unless otherwise noted, courses in Art and Performance are open to all students in the University.
Bachelor of Arts in Art and Performance
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 hours1
Communication: 6 hours
3 hours Communication (RHET 1302)
3 hours Communication Elective (HUMA 3300)
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 15 hours
6 semester credit hours Government (GOVT 2301 and GOVT 2302)
6 hours American History
3 hours Social and Behavioral Science Elective
Humanities and Fine Arts: 6 hours
3 hours Fine Arts
3 hours Humanities
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning: 6 hours
Science: 9 hours including at least one course with a substantial laboratory component
II. Major Requirements, Lower-Division: 6 hours
ARTS 2380 2D Design Foundations (Students who do not take upper-division Visual Arts courses are exempt from this requirement.)
One of the following:
AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval
AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern
AHST 2331 Understanding Art
DANC 1310 Understanding Dance
DRAM 1310 Understanding Theater
FILM 2332 Understanding Film
MUSI 1306 Understanding Music
III. Major Requirements, Upper-Division: 42 hours
Major Core Courses: 6 hours
AP 3300 Elements of Art and Performance
HUMA 3300 Reading and Writing Texts2
Major Distribution and Elective Courses: 24 hours
3 hours of upper-division Historical Context courses
6 hours of upper-division courses from Studio and Ensemble courses
15 hours of upper-division Art and Performance electives
Major-Related Courses: 12 hours
Students may select any combination of upper-division courses in Humanities, Historical Studies, Philosophy, Literature and Language, and/or Emerging Media and Communication.
IV. Elective Requirements: 30 hours
Free Electives: 30 hours
Both upper- and lower-division courses may be used as electives, but students must complete at least 51 hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.
1. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
2. A required Major course that also fulfills a communication Core Curriculum requirement.