College of Visual and Performing Arts

• Introduction
• Administration
• Academic Programs
  • Art and Visual Technology (B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.)
  • Dance (B.A., B.F.A., M.F.A.)
  • Music (B.A., B.M., M.A.)
  • Theater (B.A.)
• Minor in Arts Administration
  • Faculty

"George Mason is deeply committed to the arts and to educating our students about the significance the arts have in all our lives. This is why the arts are integral to our institution. We encourage active student participation in the many programs and related courses in the arts that are scheduled throughout the year. Students are able to receive a more balanced education, develop a deeper appreciation of the arts, and achieve a more enlightened perspective of the world."

Alan G. Merten
President, George Mason University

The College of Visual and Performing Arts was established to create an academic environment in which the arts may be considered both as individual disciplines and as interdisciplinary forms that strengthen each other. Courses of study in the college's four departments—Art and Visual Technology, Dance, Music, and Theater—are designed to lead to careers as creators, performers, teachers, and scholars of the arts, as well as prepare students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. In addition to providing strong programs for arts majors and minors, the college strives to ensure that the entire George Mason University student population has the opportunity to experience and study the arts as a key component of a well-rounded liberal arts education.

Studying the arts goes hand in hand with creation and performance. The College of Visual and Performing Arts provides the theaters, studios, rehearsal spaces, computer laboratories, recital halls, and performance classrooms in which our students can hone their skills. The college's faculty of practicing artist-teachers works closely with students in a variety of curricular and co-curricular creative projects. Once basic techniques are established, students are encouraged to stretch, grow, and experiment within this supportive environment. Students regularly perform, create, exhibit, and otherwise develop their art forms in a wide variety of public venues, enhancing their experience as working artists while enriching the cultural life of the George Mason community.

An education in the arts is deepened by regular contact with the work of distinguished visiting artists. The college is home to the Center for the Arts, which comprises a variety of professional presenting and producing units that provide a diverse program of challenging and entertaining cultural experiences for the entire university community, as well as Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C. area. Artists from across the country and around the world regularly perform in the Concert Hall, give master classes, work with students during extended residencies, and interact with the community in a variety of other ways. The accessibility of the Concert Hall, TheaterSpace, Johnson Center Gallery, Harris Theater, and other campus venues make the arts pervasive at George Mason University and in our larger community.

Administration

William F. Reeder, Dean

Academic Programs

The College of Visual and Performing Arts houses four academic departments:

• Art and Visual Technology (B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.)
• Dance (B.A., B.F.A., M.F.A.)
• Music (B.A., B.M., M.A.)
• Theater (B.A.)

Each CVPA major features both strong academic preparation in the history and theory of the art form and a wide range of discipline-based technique courses offered by professional artist-teachers. Opportunities for creative work and performance are at the core of most courses of study in the college.

Minors

Undergraduate minors are offered in Arts Administration, Art and Visual Technology, Dance, Jazz Studies, Music, Multimedia, and Theater.

CVPA Courses

The college sponsors some courses whose subject matter transcends individual disciplines. These courses are administered by the Dean's Office and are offered under the designator CVPA.

Minor in Arts Administration

Faculty

Davis (coordinator)

The field of visual and performing arts offers many career paths that rely on a strong foundation in one or more art forms but also require specific knowledge and skills in administration and management. The minor in Arts Administration consists of 18 credits, including CVPA 305 (3 credits) and CVPA 489 (3-6 credits) All other credits are to be selected in consultation with a program advisor from relevant courses in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Non-Profit Management program in the Department of Public and International Affairs, the School of Management, the Department of Communication, or other appropriate areas of study. The minor is open to all majors in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and to majors in Art History. All other students must complete nine credits of arts-related coursework to be eligible for this minor. See the program coordinator for more information.