Degrees & Majors

The School of Music offers a dual Bachelor of Music and Master of Music program for all Performance concentrations, Jazz Studies, Composition and Piano Pedagogy. The dual-degree opportunity enables qualified students to enroll in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program and apply the coursework toward both the bachelor’s and master’s programs. The program is designed to take five years to complete.

Students must be formally accepted into the dual-degree program by the school and the College of the Arts to be able to take graduate courses as an undergraduate. Acceptance into the dual program does not constitute admission to the master’s program. Students must fulfill regular graduate admissions requirements and apply for the master’s program following college processes.

Through the dual-degree programs, highly talented and qualified students will have the opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in as little as five years. If determined to be qualified by typical admission measures, students can begin taking coursework toward the designated master’s degree program while still completing their final year of bachelor’s work. Admission to the graduate program is provisional, contingent upon successful completion of the bachelor’s degree, maintenance of the required 3.5 GPA and performance in the graduate-level courses taken during the bachelor’s degree.

The Sculpture emphasis fosters thoughtful integration of concept and media. Students explore diverse interests while acquiring skills in woodworking, metal fabrication, casting and digital technologies. The program offers a full range of courses in traditional media and contemporary methodologies and encourages innovation and experimentation in performance, installation and other sculptural media. The B.F.A. in Studio with an emphasis in sculpture readies students for graduate work and other creative professional opportunities.

Students benefit from the initiatives of the Edgewood Sculpture Forum, the chartered student sculpture group. The Edgewood Sculpture Forum brings visiting artists to the school for lectures and workshops, conducts the annual Holiday Iron Pour, organizes exhibitions of student work in the Atlanta community and procures funding for travel to conferences.

The Textiles emphasis fosters personal exploration of subject matter, technical proficiency in a broad range of working methods and professional presentation. Textiles is presented in both historic and contemporary contexts, demonstrating the continuing relevance of the field and its many applications. The work produced in the Textiles B.F.A. has prepared students for careers in fine art, the textile industry, the film industry, and graduate study.

Once accepted into the program, students in the Textiles emphasis begin with basic textile design courses providing a foundation in surface design and basic sewn structures. At the intermediate and advanced levels, students broaden their technical experience by learning hand and digital processes in quilting, embroidery, pattern design, pattern printing. Students also learn soft sculpture processes, hand and machine tufting, on and off-loom weaving and other flexible forms.

Students are encouraged to develop multi-media and inter-disciplinary approaches, and take electives in other disciplines.

The BIS in Theatre with a Concentration in Acting readies students for a career in the entertainment industry with a focus on all aspects of theatre and film performance. The curriculum promotes the development of students whose interests and talents will lead them to pursue successful careers as artists, with training in various areas on and off stage, including film, TV, media and commercial work. Students will receive practical experience through participation in quality productions and projects that mirror and hold to professional standards. Internships are encouraged and available to students.