UT Dallas 2022 Undergraduate Catalog

School of Arts and Humanities

Visual and Performing Arts with Communication Concentration (BA)

Students who complete the major in Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) pursue an interdisciplinary study of the arts by completing a major core that includes courses in writing, interdisciplinary studies, professional development, historical context, theory, and practice. The VPA major culminates in a Senior Capstone. Students who are majoring in VPA can focus their studies by choosing from nine possible concentrations.

The Communication concentration focuses student work on the theories, concepts, and skills of oral, written, and mediated communication. Communication courses teach students how to engage in critical thinking and problem solving, to participate effectively in meetings and in teams, and to communicate competently in relationships and in public speaking contexts.

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. At least one-half of the total semester credit hours for major requirements must be taken at UT Dallas.

Unless otherwise noted, courses in Visual and Performing Arts are open to all students in the University.

Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts with Communication Concentration

Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)1

View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester

Faculty

Clinical Professors: Carie King, Maribeth (Betsy) Schlobohm

Professor of Instruction: Christopher (Chris) Ryan

Assistant Professors of Instruction: Barbara Baker, Janece Glauser, Patricia Totusek

Senior Lecturer: Allison Templeton

I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2

Communication: 6 semester credit hours

RHET 1302 Rhetoric

And choose one course from the following:

COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication

COMM 1315 Public Speaking

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)

Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses

Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses

Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours

FILM 1303 Transnational Film and Video3

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)

Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours

AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval3

AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern3

AHST 2331 Understanding Art3

ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts3

DANC 1310 Understanding Dance3

THEA 1310 Understanding Theatre3

FILM 2332 Understanding Film3

MUSI 1306 Understanding Music3

MUSI 2322 Music in Western Civilization3

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)

American History: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses

Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours

GOVT 2305 American National Government

GOVT 2306 State and Local Government

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses

Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours

DANC 1305 Introduction to World Dance Forms3

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses (see advisor)

II. Major Requirements, Lower-Division: 0 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum4

Choose one course from the following: (0 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum)

AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval3

AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern3

AHST 2331 Understanding Art3

ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts3

DANC 1305 Introduction to World Dance Forms3

DANC 1310 Understanding Dance3

FILM 1303 Transnational Film and Video3

THEA 1310 Understanding Theatre3

FILM 2332 Understanding Film3

MUSI 1306 Understanding Music3

MUSI 2322 Music in Western Civilization3

Lower-division preparatory courses from one of the following (3 semester credit hours):

COMM 1320 Interpersonal Communication

COMM 1315 Public Speaking3

COMM 2314 Oral Interpretation

COMM 2317 Topics in Communication

THEA 1351 Acting 1

THEA 1352 Acting 2

THEA 2372 Improvisation

THEA 2373 Languages of the Body

III. Major Requirements, Upper-Division: 39 semester credit hours

Major Core Courses: 15 semester credit hours

VPAS 3340 Writing in the Arts

VPAS 4389 Theory and Practice of the Visual and Performing Arts

VPAS 4390 Senior Capstone

or VPAS 4V99 Senior Honors in Visual and Performing Art

3 semester credit hours of upper-level Related Courses from the School of Arts and Humanities (excluding the COMM prefix)

Select 3 semester credit hours of Professional Development Courses from the following:

ARTS 3311 Contemporary Art Practices

ARTS 4310 Studies in Contemporary Exhibitions

COMM 4370 Communication and Leadership

COMM 4371 Communication and Professionalism

ENTP 3301 Innovation and Entrepreneurship

ISAH 4V50 Internship

VPAS 4310 Entertainment Law

Communication Concentration Requirements: 24 semester credit hours

COMM 3351 History and Theory of Communication

COMM 4360 Communication Ethics

COMM 4314 Persuasion and Interpersonal Influence

Choose 6 semester credit hours of upper-division courses from the following Communication Performance courses:

COMM 3320 Readers' Theater

COMM 3321 Advanced Public Speaking

COMM 3340 Small Group Communication

THEA 3372 Advanced Improvisation

And 9 semester credit hours of COMM Electives

IV. Elective Requirements: 39 semester credit hours

Free Electives: 39 semester credit hours

Both upper- and lower-division courses may be used as electives, but students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.

Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of ARHM 1100.1

1. Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.

2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.

3. A required Preparatory course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours may be counted in Core Curriculum.

4. 0 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum, if the student has not previously completed other courses to satisfy these core curriculum requirements.

Updated: 2022-05-30 14:42:29 v8.a94de9