Department website: https://ccarts.wvu.edu/
Degrees Offered
- Master of Arts in Art (Art Education, Game Design, or Studio Art)
- Master of Fine Arts in Art & Design (with areas of emphasis in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, or Time-Based Art)
- Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (Acting, Costume Design and Technology, Lighting Design and Technology, Scenic Design and Technology, or Technical Direction)
- Master of Arts in Music (Music Business and Industry, Musicology, or Music Theory)
- Master of Music (Collaborative Piano, Composition, Conducting, Jazz Pedagogy, Music Education, Performance, or Piano Pedagogy)
- Doctor of Musical Arts (Collaborative Piano, Composition, Conducting, or Performance)
- Graduate Certificates (Artist Diploma in Music Performance, Music Industry, or Therapeutic Art)
Introduction
Creative development in art, dance, music, and theatre is central to the College of Creative Arts. The College provides graduate students with a place where they can forge a personal understanding between artistic practice and theory, and form both personal and professional insights that explore and expand the nature of human creativity. Combining performance, exhibition, and scholarship in ways that address both traditional and innovative approaches to art, dance, music, and theatre, graduate students gain a greater understanding of the arts and--in turn--themselves.
A distinguished faculty of scholars and artists brings to the college’s outstanding facilities a commitment to a creative process of artistic growth and advanced education. In a rich environment of plays, exhibitions, and concerts, the college offers graduate students the knowledge, skills, and inspiration necessary for artistic and professional success.
Graduate programs in art, music, and theatre are characterized by the quality of faculty, students, and curricular opportunity. Each school is an accredited member of the nationally recognized accrediting agency for professional instruction in the discipline: art programs by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, music programs by the National Association of Schools of Music, and theatre programs by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
Vision Statement
As an integral part of modern society, the arts play a pivotal role in expressing the culture of the moment and the past. In the College of Creative Arts, we balance tradition, innovation, creativity, authenticity and courage to fill our role of serving the land grant mission of West Virginia University. By working as an engaged community, we create an environment where inclusive historical context informs future artistic endeavors.
Mission Statement
The College of Creative Arts educates succeeding generations of artists, teachers, and scholars through an experimental student-centered approach to learning. The college advocates the arts as a medium through which the diversity of human experience is understood and valued. Exemplifying excellence and innovation in performance, exhibition, scholarship, and creative research, the college offers artistic and cultural opportunities for the citizens of West Virginia and the global community.
Artistic Achievement
The College of Creative Arts is committed to supporting students in vigorous artistic and cultural endeavors at the national and international levels through individualized advising to determine goals for artistic and scholarly distinction and travel grants to support those activities. Students receive mentoring to create specific plans to apply for targeted opportunities, and receive support, encouragement, expertise, and resource guidance for successful applications. The College is dedicated to an ever-increasing presence of current West Virginia University College of Creative Arts students on the national and international stages of art, dance, music, and theatre.
Facilities
The Canady Creative Arts Center, which houses the College, is a modern, multimillion-dollar instructional and performance facility with five theatres, recital halls, and recording studio; scenery, painting, drawing, design, costume, printmaking, sculpture, ceramic, puppet, and instrumental studios; additional art studios and two art galleries.
The Art Museum of WVU, located beside the Creative Arts Center, makes education, opportunity, engagement, culture, and creativity possible. The Art Museum’s collection numbers nearly 5,000 objects and is international in scope, including paintings, prints, works on paper, sculpture, and ceramics.
Programs of Study
The doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.) curricula in performance (piano, collaborative piano, voice, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, low brass, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, or conducting) or composition prepares students for careers as teachers in higher education.
The master of fine arts (M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in art and theatre that prepares students for careers in art and design (with emphasis in ceramics, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, or time-based art), acting, theatre technical direction, or theatre design and technology (costume, scenery, and lighting).
The master of music (M.M) degree enhances undergraduate training in performance, music education, composition, collaborative piano, piano pedagogy, jazz pedagogy, and conducting.
The master of arts (M.A.) has concentrations in art education, game design, music business and industry, musicology, music theory, and studio art.
For More Information
Additional information on programs of study and areas of emphasis within each degree can be found in the individual school’s description in this catalog and/or on the school’s website listed below. Students may also contact the individual Graduate Directors for each School’s graduate program.
Art & Design
Graduate Director, School of Art & Design
Phone: (304) 293-4077. Website: http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/
Music
Graduate Director, School of Music
Phone: (304) 293-4532. Website: http://music.wvu.edu/
Theatre
Graduate Director, School of Theatre and Dance
Phone: (304) 293-6806. Website: http://theatre.wvu.edu/
Written requests for information should be sent to the appropriate Graduate Director and school at the following address: College of Creative Arts, Creative Arts Center, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6111, Morgantown, WV 26506-6111.
General information about graduate study and life at West Virginia University can be found at https://graduate.wvu.edu/
Administration
Dean
- Keith Jackson - D.M.A. (Arizona State University)
Associate Dean
- Sandra Schwartz - Ph.D. (University of Miami)
Associate Dean of Artistic and Scholarly Achievement
- Mikylah Myers - D.M.A. (University of Houston)
Assistant to the Dean - Recruitment and Retention
- James Froemel - Ed.D. (West Virginia University)
Dean Emeritus
- Philip J. Faini
Dean and Professor Emeritus
- J. Bernard Schultz
Degree Designation Learning Outcomes
The language stated in the learning goals for the College of Creative Arts graduate programs is based on (directly quoted, paraphrased or modified) current standards written and employed by the Council of Arts Accrediting Associations (National Association of Schools of Art and Design, National Association of Schools of Dance, National Association of Schools of Music, and National Association of Schools of Theatre).
The appropriate association of the Council has awarded accreditation to all of West Virginia University's graduate degree programs within the College of Creative Arts.
As stated by the Council of Arts Accrediting Association:
National accreditation requirements outline threshold standards for institutional and individual achievement. These thresholds indicate essentials; they are rigorous. Attaining them represents a significant accomplishment. Therefore, these standards are both a foundation and a framework for specific achievements and evaluations of their quality.
The general learning goals listed below are for graduate degrees offered by the College. Specific learning goals for individual programs are listed under each School's section of the catalog. Due to the nature of the College’s specialized degrees, none of these goals listed are intended to be comprehensive.
Master of Arts
The following are general learning goals for students pursuing a Master of Arts (MA):
- Develop advanced capacities to work independently and make effective artistic and intellectual judgments and professional decisions in the area of specialization.
- Demonstrate professional competence in the area of specialization before peers and faculty.
- Gain knowledge and skills in one or more areas outside the major.
Master of Music
The Master of Music (MM) degree focuses on the development of professional competence in a music specialization or in a music-related field.
- Develop advanced capacities to work independently and make effective artistic and intellectual judgments and professional decisions in the area of specialization.
- Demonstrate professional competence in the area of specialization before peers and faculty.
- Gain knowledge of repertory and historical performance practices.
- Gain knowledge and skills in one or more fields of music outside the major such as theory, history, musicology, ethnomusicology and performance.
Master of Fine Arts
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree is for advanced graduate-level programs that focus on the practice in a specific discipline of the Visual and Performing Arts.
- Awareness of current issues and developments that influence the principal field of study, and professional ability and clear potential to contribute to the practice and advancement of the field.
- Writing and speaking skills to communicate clearly and effectively to the public and in formal or informal teaching situations.
- Understanding of appropriate related disciplines, the ability to think independently, and to integrate and synthesize information associated with high levels of practice in an area of specialization.
- Develop advanced competencies to work independently and make effective artistic and intellectual judgments and professional decisions in the area of specialization.
- Demonstrate professional competence in the area of specialization before peers and faculty.
- Understanding of professional ethics and practice associated with the major field.
Admissions
Admission Requirements
The College of Creative Arts uses the admission standards and procedures of the university for the admission of graduate students. Each school within the college also has individual admission requirements.
Potential graduate students should refer to the specific admission criteria of each school found in their program descriptions in this catalog and on the school’s website.
Because of the creative nature of the arts, some students may be admitted under the individual consideration clause of the university’s general admission policy. This category allows admission of exceptionally talented students in art, music, and theatre who might not meet the criteria for grade point averages and standardized test scores to be admitted to one of the College’s programs of study.
Tuition
In addition to University tuition and fees, College of Creative Art students will also be charged College tuition. Music students (undergraduate and most graduate) and musical theatre undergraduate students will also be charged an Applied Lesson tuition. Music minor students who must take applied lessons for their programs will also be assessed the Applied Lesson tuition.
Assistantships, Tuition Waivers and Financial Awards
To assist in funding the cost of graduate education, West Virginia University and the College of Creative Arts offer a number of financial assistance packages for qualified applicants. These include graduate assistantships, graduate tuition waivers, and cash awards.
Assistantships are offered in each school; however, the number of assistantships is limited and their award is competitive based on their availability as well as the quality of the applicants and their potential for significant contribution to the school and college. Assistantships pay stipends, health insurance, and a university tuition waiver; there are some University and College fees not covered by assistantships. In return, graduate assistants provide approximately twenty hours of work per week during the nine month academic year with duties that range from instructional to service positions within each school.
For more information on assistantships, graduate tuition waivers, cash awards, application process, and important deadlines, please refer to each school’s individual website.
Additional information on funding for graduate study at West Virginia University can be found at https://graduate.wvu.edu/