Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology
Visual and Performing Arts (BA) with Interdisciplinary Arts Concentration
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, 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 Interdisciplinary Arts concentration focuses student work in two discipline areas. Students will choose two different areas of focus, identified as Discipline I and Discipline II. Discipline areas must be from the following: Visual Art, Art History, Communication, Dance, Film, Music, and Theatre.
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 Interdisciplinary Arts Concentration
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professors: Fred I. Curchack, Adrienne L. McLean, John J. Pomara, Thomas Riccio, Robert Xavier Rodríguez, Charissa N. Terranova, Michael Thomas, Marilyn Waligore
Associate Professors: Mark Rosen, Shilyh Warren
Assistant Professor: SV Randall
Clinical Professors: Carie King, Catherine Parsoneault, Maribeth (Betsy) Schlobohm
Clinical Associate Professor: Lorraine Tady
Clinical Assistant Professor: Shelby Hibbs
Professors of Instruction: Kathy Lingo, Christopher (Chris) Ryan
Associate Professors of Instruction: Diane Durant, Kelly P. Durbin, Kathryn C. Evans, Melissa Hernandez-Katz, Jonathan Palant, Monica M. Saba
Assistant Professors of Instruction: Barbara Baker, Lori Gerard, Janece Glauser, Misty Owens, Allison Templeton, Patricia Totusek
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours
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.
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
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 Video
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 Medieval
AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern
AHST 2331 Understanding Art
ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts
DANC 1310 Understanding Dance
THEA 1310 Understanding Theatre
FILM 2332 Understanding Film
MUSI 1306 Understanding Music
MUSI 2322 Music in Western Civilization
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
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 Forms
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses (see advisor)
II. Major Requirements, Lower-Division: 1 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum1
AHTC 1100 First Year Seminar
Discipline I Prep Course
3 semester credit hours of lower-division AHST, ARTS, COMM, FILM, DANC, MUSI, or THEA courses.
Discipline II Prep Course
3 semester credit hours of lower-division AHST, ARTS, COMM, FILM, DANC, MUSI, or THEA courses.2
III. Major Requirements, Upper-Division: 42 semester credit hours
Major Core Courses: 12 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 Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology (excluding prefixes used in Discipline I and II)
Discipline I: 15 semester credit hours
Select 15 semester credit hours of upper-division AHST, ARTS, COMM, FILM, DANC, MUSI, or THEA courses.3, 4
Discipline II: 15 semester credit hours
Select 15 semester credit hours of upper-division AHST, ARTS, COMM, FILM, DANC, MUSI, or THEA courses.2, 3, 4
IV. Elective Requirements: 35 semester credit hours
Free Electives: 35 semester credit hours
Both upper- and lower-division courses may be used as electives.
The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours.
Minors
Students must take a minimum of 18 semester credit hours for the minor. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). Semester credit hours may not be used to satisfy both the major and minor requirements; however, free elective semester credit hours or major preparatory classes may be used to satisfy the minor. Core courses offered by the school may count as lower-division semester credit hours toward the minor. Topics courses must be approved by the school. The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology will substitute courses as necessary. At least one-third of the semester credit hours for a minor must be taken at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Minor in Performing Arts
18 semester credit hours
Choose any 18 semester credit hours from all DANC, THEA, and MUSI courses.
Students can also take ARTS 1301.
9 semester credit hours must be upper-division.
1. One semester credit hour beyond Core Curriculum, if the student has not previously completed other courses to satisfy these core curriculum requirements.
2. Course cannot come from the same prefix as the Discipline I Prep Course.
3. All courses must be within the same prefix.
4. One of the courses from either Discipline I or II must be a historical context course.