Artists create the cultural icons by which civilizations are remembered. What would America’s cultural identity be without the musical contributions of George Gershwin, the exquisite desert paintings and sculpture of Georgia O’Keeffe or the lighthearted cinematic and theatrical work of Nathan Lane?

“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.”
– Emile Zola, 19th century French playwright and novelist

Careers in Visual and Performing Arts

The combination of creativity, communication and critical thinking skills fostered by the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology makes this degree applicable to a variety of occupations. Graduates with degrees in visual and performing arts enjoy careers such as teaching or working in arts organizations and museum settings as commercial artists and independent artists. Some pursue graduate studies in fields such as law, medicine or the arts.

The University’s Career Center is an important resource for students pursuing postgraduate employment. Licensed counselors are available to provide strategies for mastering job interviews, writing professional cover letters and resumes and connecting with campus recruiters, among other services.

Visual and Performing Arts at UT Dallas

Aspiring artists can find a creative academic home at UT Dallas, which currently boasts areas of study including courses and concentrations in art history, communication studies, dance, film studies, interdisciplinary arts, music, photo-video-digital, theatre, and visual art. Students must successfully complete 120 hours to graduate, with 42 hours from the University’s core curriculum and 45 in the major. Students are attracted to the visual and performing arts program at UT Dallas because they can study across disciplines. Visual and performing arts majors specify their following field of study in the optional concentrations: art history, communication, film, dance, music, theatre and visual arts.

Beneficial high school preparation includes four years of English and social science, including history; two to three years of a single foreign language; and at least one year of arts curriculum.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

About the Bass School of Arts

The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology  addresses the needs of a new generation of artists, performers and scholars. Bass students learn skills to craft exceptional work in an environment that encourages fluid movement between traditional disciplines and creative expression. Faculty integrate advanced technology with established artistic and research methods, equipping students to tackle pressing challenges. In exciting forms of collaborative and experimental learning at the intersections of arts, humanities, and emerging technologies, Bass students imagine, invent and create, while preparing to succeed and make a difference in a globally connected world.

Minors Offered

If your academic focus leads you elsewhere at UT Dallas, but you would still like to pursue studies in the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, the following minors are available:

• African American and African Diaspora Studies
• Art History
• Arts Management and Leadership
• Asian Studies
• Audio Production
• Communication Studies
• Creative Writing
• Dance
• Ethnic Studies
• Film Studies
• History
• Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
• Latin American Studies
• Literature
• Medicine, Arts, Science, and Humanities (MASH)
• Music
• Performing Arts
• Philosophy
• Religious Studies
• Spanish
• Theatre
• Visual Arts

Honors Thesis and Fast Track

The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology honors thesis offers the opportunity for advanced creative and scholarly work and recognition. To earn honors, students must graduate with:

• A minimum of 3.0 graded, upper-division semester credit hours at UT Dallas.
• A GPA of 3.67 in a student’s major.
• The completion of an honors thesis or project evaluated by two faculty members with a grade of at least B+.
• *Exceptionally well-qualified undergraduates who meet the requirements for admission to graduate school should consider the Fast Track program, which allows them to begin work on a master’s degree before graduation. Qualified seniors may take up to 12 credit hours of approved graduate courses during their senior year, which will apply to their undergraduate degree plans. For more information regarding Fast Track, contact an undergraduate academic advisor.

Additional Facts

• Several faculty members have been awarded prestigious fellowships, including those from the National Humanities Center, Guggenheim, Fulbright, Alexander S. Onassis and Woodrow Wilson foundations. Others are recipients of the Füst Literary Award, as well as awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
• Every year, many of our Animation and Games faculty work on blockbuster projects and with AAA game studios, producing content that is seen or played by millions worldwide.
• The school’s centers further enhance students’ educational experience by bringing the concept of globalism to campus, by bringing world events into focus through research and by encouraging innovation and creativity.
• The National Science Foundation recently awarded a major grant to the school’s Center for Values in Medicine, Science and Technology to study the mentoring and education that occurs in science laboratories.