Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts: Short Form

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History

• Policy Number: SP.05.003
• Version: Original
• Drafted By: Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, Ph.D., Theodore Lucas, Ph.D., Bob Mayberry, Ph.D., M.F.A.
• Approved By: Richard R. Rush
• Approval Date:
• Effective Date:
• Supercedes:

Purpose

The proposed bachelor of arts degree in Performing Arts at California State University Channel Islands will offer a broadly integrated undergraduate experience in music, drama, and dance, with attention to the relatively new field of audience studies.  The core courses provide the base necessary for building an educational and professional career in the Performing Arts, and emphasis courses provide focused experience in a specific field within the performing arts. 

Background

Ventura County is geographically well situated for performing arts.  Los Angeles is, of course, a rich source, but Ventura County also has many performing arts venues.  Music, Dance and Theatre companies abound in the area and range from amateur groups to Equity companies.  Interest in the performing arts is high in the area, and artists wishing to extend their knowledge and education in the field are numerous. Students who would like to be involved in the performing arts currently must travel to the Los Angeles area or to Santa Barbara, something not all students are able to do. CSUCI would provide the education and experience these students require. 

Policy

Accountability

Performing Arts Program
Division of Academic Affairs

Applicability

N/A

Definition(s)

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Text

The proposed Performing Arts Program at California State University Channel Islands offers a broad, integrated undergraduate experience in music, drama, and dance, with attention to the relatively new field of audience studies.  The core courses provide the base necessary for building an educational and professional career in the Performing Arts.

Students take basic core courses in each of the three major areas of the performing arts—Dance, Music and Theatre—and choose an emphasis to follow through one of these areas.

• The CSUCI music emphasis (PAMU) provides for concentrated study in two areas: commercial music and musical theatre, with special attention to current and future trends.
• The Dance emphasis (PADA) provides for concentrated study in dance performance and musical theatre, with special attention to current and future trends.
• The Theatre emphasis (PATH) provides for concentrated study in acting,  directing and musical theatre, with special attention to current and future trends.

The Performing Arts undergraduate degree program at CSUCI has several goals, the primary of which is meeting the philosophical, educational and cultural objectives of the university mission statement.  Within this overarching goal, the program will stress interdisciplinarity and the multicultural, global perspective that is the hallmark of Channel Islands programs. In addition to gaining expertise and experience in their chosen field of theatre, dance or music, students will gain interdisciplinary experience in the performing arts, with education and experience in the intersections between the fields.  They will also develop their abilities to think critically, analyze written and visual texts, express themselves effectively in written and spoken form, and to apply multiple theoretical perspectives. The Performing Arts major will prepare students for further study and for entry into the performing arts professions.

Professional uses of the proposed degree major program.

• The bachelor of arts in performing arts from CSUCI will prepare students for further graduate study.  It will also prepare students to perform as dancers, musicians, actors, directors, or play writers. It will also be of use to current performing artists who wish to develop their knowledge and experience bases.

Community/Regional/Statewide need for the proposed program.

• High schools and community colleges in the CSUCI service area have thriving performing arts programs, and many of their graduates are interested in pursuing their interests in the performing arts. In addition, theatre companies and festivals in the area have expressed interest in collaborating with CSUCI on productions, internships and other possibilities of benefit to CSUCI students and to the theatres.

The expected number of majors in the year of initiation and three years and five years thereafter.  The expected number of graduates in the year of initiation and  three years and five years thereafter.

• In addition to the 23 high schools in the CSUCI service area, there are 8 community colleges. Three of those community colleges lie within the Ventura County Community College District. 
• The estimates below are based on consultations with representatives on the community college campuses and information gathered by CSUCI personnel.

Resources Needs for the Proposed Degree Major Program (faculty, instructional, library, other)

• Existing.
  • CSUCI does not have a performing arts venue at present, but we envision building one in the relatively near future.  In the meantime, our conference halls and other special use classrooms are sufficient to begin the major.  Performing arts courses have priority usage for all three conference halls on campus.  CSUCI is presently converting space in the existing buildings on campus, and some of those will be designed for additional performance classes.  In addition, CSUCI has developed good working relationships with the performance companies in the surrounding area, and they have suggested that their venues may be available to us.
• Future.
  • In the future, CSUCI will need to build a performing arts venue for classes, performances and community activities. 
  • At least one new full time, tenure track faculty member will be required during the first year of implementation; most of the courses can be taught by temporary faculty or tenure track faculty currently on campus.  In subsequent years, as the budget allows, more tenure track faculty members specifically in the performing arts will be hired.
  • We will need to purchase a relatively small number of resources for the library.  Most of these, however, will be in electronic format.  Given that our enrollment is still fairly small, the cost of those resources should be reasonable.
  • To implement the program, we will require lighting equipment, sound boards and other acoustical equipment, and a dance floor.  Those, in addition to classroom space currently being configured, will be sufficient to run the program for the first two years.

Exhibit(s)

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