Jill Beck, Dean
Arts Student Affairs
101 Mesa Arts Building; (714) 824-6646
World Wide Web: http://www.arts.uci.edu/
The School of the Arts is dedicated to the study, creation, and performance of the arts within the context of their history and theory. The School consists of the Departments of Dance, Drama, Music, and Studio Art, and the program in Arts Interdisciplinary. Both undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered and include extensive studio, workshop, and performing experiences, theoretical and historical studies, and work in criticism.
All of the School's departments are located in the Arts Village, facilitating daily interaction among student and faculty in all Arts disciplines. The Village includes studio and classroom facilities, four theatres, a concert hall, the University Art Gallery, the Visual Resources Collection, the Gassman Electronic Studio, the Music Media Center, the Arts Computing Laboratory, and a television studio. Professionally managed and staffed theatrical production shops and publicity and box offices supporting the School's extensive production and performance schedule also are located in the Village.
Arts students regularly participate in choirs, instrumental ensembles, drama and dance productions, and art exhibitions. Qualified students from other academic areas also are eligible to participate in many of these activities and are encouraged to do so. Many of the School's productions take place in the Irvine Barclay Theatre,a fully equipped, 750-seat performing facility.
In addition to the artists, scholars, and performers who are members of the Arts faculty, visits by distinguished guest artists/teachers are a feature of the School's activities.
Students receive assistance with program planning and a variety of other support services from the professional staff in the Office of the Arts Student Affairs. The staff also assists the faculty in providing academic counseling to Arts students.
| Dance | B.A., B.F.A., M.F.A. |
| Drama | B.A., M.F.A. |
| Fine Arts | B.A., M.F.A.* |
| Music | B.A., B.Mus., M.F.A. |
| Studio Art | B.A., M.F.A. |
*Admission unavailable until further notice.
The concentration in Medieval Studies allows undergraduate students in the Schools of the Arts and Humanities to augment their major by completing a coherent program of courses in the area of medieval studies. See the School of Humanities section for additional information.
The interdisciplinary minor in Religious Studies focuses on the comparative study of religions in various cultural settings around the world. The curriculum seeks to provide a wide-ranging academic understanding and knowledge of the religious experience in society through study in the Schools of Humanities, Social Science, Social Ecology, and the Arts. See the Interdisciplinary Studies section for additional information.
Upper-division, and in some cases graduate, students have the opportunity to experience a different culture while making progress toward degree objectives through the Education Abroad Program (EAP). EAP is an overseas study program which operates in cooperation with host universities and colleges throughout the world. See the Education Abroad section for additional information.
Outstanding Arts majors who are interested in a career in arts management may wish to apply for entry into the Graduate School of Management's 3-2 Program. Students normally apply for this program early in their junior year. See the Graduate School of Management section for further information.
Students who have distinguished themselves academically will be considered for honors at graduation. General criteria are that students must have completed at least 72 units in residence at a University of California campus and must have a grade point average of 3.0 or better. More specific criteria include, but are not limited to, cumulative grade point average in the major, curriculum breadth, and extracurricular efforts such as service to the major or the School, and creative/artistic activities; additional information is available from the individual departments. In keeping with the Academic Senate Resolution no more than 12 percent of the graduating seniors may receive honors. Other important factors are considered (see page 55).
The School of the Arts has some scholarship monies available to incoming and to continuing students on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. For complete information, please contact the Arts Student Affairs Office.
Edna Helen Beach Scholarship. Provides $1,000 per year for two years for an incoming freshman student, and $1,000 for one year for an incoming transfer student. Recipient must be gifted and talented, and will be selected from eligible students with special emphasis on those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds who would not otherwise be able to attend a major research institution.
Elftmann Scholarship. Provides $500 annually to one student in the School of the Arts.
Leo Freedman Graduate Fellowship. For outstanding applicants from Orange County, California, preferably from Anaheim; covers tuition and fees and includes a small stipend.
Laguna Arts Festival Scholarship. Amount varies annually; approximately $2,000 in recent years. Awarded at the discretion of the Dean of the School of the Arts to students with extraordinary research or study opportunities.
Stephen Lyle Memorial Scholarship. Awarded to continuing students in Drama; selected by audition.
Carole McGahan Memorial Scholarship. For Dance majors.
Orange County Philharmonic Society Scholarship Program. All recipients are selected by the UCI Music faculty scholarship committee through an audition process. Awards are primarily for incoming Music performance students.
Ladislaw Reday Memorial Scholarship. Up to $2,000 awarded to a Music major in any instrument.
David Lee Shanbrom Memorial Music Scholarship. Up to $3,000 awarded to an outstanding Music student in any instrument.
Winifred W. Smith Music Scholarship. Up to $2,000 awarded to a student with stringed instrument specialization.
Marcella Louise and Leonard Seiber Jones Music Scholarship. Up to $2,000 awarded to an incoming Music student.
Timothy Phillips Memorial Scholarship. Provides $2,000 annually to a Music major.
Marjorie and Robert Rawlins Scholarship. Provides four $3,000 scholarships, renewable for four years of undergraduate study, to be awarded to students majoring in piano, violin, viola, or cello. Recipients must be full-time Music majors and must maintain a 3.2 GPA. By audition with the Music faculty scholarship committee.
Harry and Majorie Slim Memorial Scholarship. Provides $1,000 annually to a Music student.
Gregory Donnell Smithe Memorial Scholarship. Awarded to a violoncello or string student.
Elizabeth and Thomas Tierney Scholarship. Provides five $1,000 awards annually. Students nominated by the faculty; final selection made by the UCI scholarship committee.
UCI Town and Gown Scholarships. A total of $4,000$5,000 annually; awarded to Music students by audition with the Music faculty scholarship committee.
Ralph Van Beek Memorial Scholarship. Amount varies annually; awarded to a Music major.
University Requirements: See pages 5761.
School Requirements: None.
Departmental Requirements: Refer to individual departments.
The primary endeavor of the School of the Arts is the creative act. Research activities are pursued both as an end in themselves and as a source that can inform both performance and the studio experience. The intellectual activity of theoretical, literary, and historical courses complements the practical work in studio workshops and performance. The aim of the M.F.A. programs in Dance, Drama, Music, and Studio Art is, thus, to produce literate artists who are responsive to intellectual stimuli, disciplined, and capable of integrating existing knowledge into creative projects. It is the strong belief of the School that intellectual integrity and creative excellence cannot exist without each other.
Applications are accepted for fall quarter admission only, and ordinarily must be completed by March 1 for all the Master of Fine Arts degrees, as the number of graduate students that can be admitted to the School of the Arts is limited. Applicants are advised to arrange for auditions, interviews, and the submission of portfolios, compositions, and dossiers, as appropriate, by March 1. Students applying for scholarships and fellowships should do so by January 15, and are also encouraged to apply for financial assistance through the Financial Aid Office. The School of the Arts has a modest number of teaching assistantships available in all areas, and all candidates are automatically reviewed for teaching assistantship positions; the School informs successful candidates by June 1 for the following academic year.
Upon admission to the program the student is assigned an advisor. The student should discuss with this advisor the scope of undergraduate preparation to determine any areas which may need strengthening if full benefit from graduate study is to be derived.
