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OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Music 228
Phone: (323) 343-4001
Fax : (323) 343-6440
E-mail: Peter.McAllister2@calstatela.edu
Website: http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/al/
College: AL@calstatela.edu

Administrators:

Dean: Peter McAllister
Associate Dean: Lena Chao (Acting)
Fiscal/Administration: Tommy Luong

The College of Arts and Letters is committed to nurturing humanists and artists, and providing a broad liberal arts education to all CSULA students. Its eight departments, the Integrated Humanities Center (which houses the American Communities Program, The Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities, the Center for Contemporary Poetry and Poetics, Reel Rasquache, and other humanities research programs), offer a variety of learning opportunities, including major, minor, and certificate programs, general education and elective courses, and stimulating public programs. The College’s co- and extra-curricular activities provide both the university and off-campus communities with opportunities for cultural enrichment, lifelong learning, and participation in an intellectual and artistic community that rivals the best in the nation. The College produces art exhibits; musical events, dance, film, TV, multimedia, and theatrical performances; lectures and readings by students, faculty and internationally acclaimed scholars, writers, and artists. Among the numerous student activities devoted to cultural, creative, and intellectual pursuits are The University Times, a student-run theatre called The Nest (Theatre), and the Closet of Modern Art (COMA). Dedicated to ethnic and cultural diversity, with nationally recognized faculty and programs, and with students who have garnered numerous awards, the College of Arts and Letters, has been recognized by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts and other prestigious foundations.

Students in the College may pursue a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs that offer opportunities to study a wide range of subjects, from animation, film and TV, dance, and design to creative writing, the classics, and voice. Its eight departments are Art, Communication Studies (including separate programs in Communication Studies and Television, Film and Media Studies), English, Liberal Studies (an interdisciplinary program that is one of the most popular majors for prospective elementary school teachers and includes a blended option merging subject matter with teacher preparation coursework, as well as a general track for students seeking a rigorous course of interdisciplinary study), Modern Languages and Literatures (including separate programs in Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish), Music, Philosophy, and Theatre Arts and Dance. Students wishing to pursue a high school teaching career may prepare for the Single Subject credential through degree programs in the following departments: Art, English, Modern Languages and Literatures (for French, Japanese, Spanish), and Music. The Music department offers both the Bachelor of Art and Bachelor of Music degrees. The Master of Arts degree is offered in Art, Communication Studies, English, French, Music, Philosophy, Spanish, and Theatre Arts. Students may also choose programs leading to the Master of Fine Arts in Art, or the Master of Music degree. In addition to minor programs in all the major subjects listed above, students may also minor in, Classics (Philosophy Department), Creative Writing (English Department), and Women’s Studies (Liberal Studies Department). New joint Master of Fine Arts Degree in Television, Film and Theatre between the Department of Communication Studies and the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.

The departments in the College offer a rich menu of opportunities for nurturing and showcasing student talent and for experiencing the best in presentations by professional artists and distinguished scholars. The Fine Arts Gallery presents exhibitions of artwork by established professional artists as well as faculty and students, while the student-run exhibition space, COMA Gallery, presents rotating exhibitions of student artwork. The Music Department offers an extensive program of musical events every year, from faculty recitals and group performances to individual student recitals. There are vocal and instrumental groups for every musical inclination, from the Chamber Ensembles, Chamber Singers and International Choir to the Latin-Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band; each group performs several times a year both on and off campus. The Department of Theatre Arts and Dance offers comprehensive programs in play and dance production and children’s theatre. The University Dance Ensemble offers the opportunity for students to perform, choreograph, design costumes, design lighting, and compose sound for dance. The department also presents many productions during the year, including faculty and student-directed workshops and major productions. Through the Communication Studies Department, students may join the award-winning forensics teams or help produce the University Times, whose editors have established an outstanding record and received top awards and national scholarships. The departments of English, Modern Languages and Literatures and Communication Studies also produce literary magazines and scholarly journals for students to publish both creative and academic writing in English and other languages. The English Department is the home of the American Literature Association, a national coalition of author societies devoted to the study of American writers. Faculty members in the Department of Communication Studies edit or have edited such prestigious scholarly journals as Text and Performance Quarterly and Journal of Film and Video. A full program of distinguished speakers (sponsored by the departments of Philosophy, English, Communication Studies, and Modern Languages and Literatures) provides the entire campus community the opportunity to hear and exchange views with eminent scholars, writers, poets, and critics. The Chinese and Japanese Studies Centers are affiliated with the Modern Languages and Literatures Department and promote the study and understanding of Chinese and Japanese culture.

The College of Arts and Letters is committed to academic excellence in the arts and humanities. Through its numerous programs, the College prepares students for professional success through a liberal arts education. A broad foundation in intellectual, philosophical and cultural inquiry allows our diverse student body to undertake personal development and to achieve effective participation in a democratic society.

Nationally Accredited Programs in the College of Arts and Letters

Undergraduate Programs

Art (Department of Art): B.A. in Art  with Options in Animation, Art Education, Art History, Fashion & Textiles, Graphic Design/Visual Communication, Studio Arts; Minor in Art ; Certificate in Fashion Design , Certificate in Fashion Merchandising 

Chinese (Department of Modern Languages and Literatures): B.A in Chinese . Minor in Chinese 

Classics (Department of Philosophy): Minor 

Communication Studies (Department of Communication Studies): B.A. in Communication , General Option, Rhetoric, Organizational and Public Relations, Performance Studies, Interpersonal and Language and Social Interaction; Minor in Communication 

Comparative Linguistics (Department of English): Minor 

Creative Writing (Department of English): B.A. in Creative Writing , Minor in Creative Writing. 

Dance (Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance): B.A. in Theatre Arts and Dance , Option in Dance

English (Department of English): B.A. in English , General Option, Creative Writing and Single-Subject Teaching Option; Minor in Creative Writing , Minor in English 

French (Department of Modern Languages and Literatures): B.A. in French , Single-Subject Matter Program; Minor in French 

Japanese (Department of Modern Languages and Literatures): B.A. in Japanese , Single-Subject Matter Program; Minor in Japanese 

Liberal Studies (Department of Liberal Studies): B.A. in Liberal Studies , General Option, Elementary Subject Matter Teacher Preparation Option, and Blended Elementary Subject Matter Teacher Preparation Option; Interdisciplinary Minor in Comparative Linguistics ; Interdisciplinary Minor in Women’s Studies 

Music (Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance): B.A. in Music , B.Mus. in Music , with Options in Composition, Jazz Studies, Vocal Performance, Instrumental Performance, and Keyboard Performance, Music Education, and Commercial Music; Minor in Music 

Philosophy (Department of Philosophy): B.A. in Philosophy , General Option, Prelaw Option; Minor in Classics ; Minor in Philosophy , General Option and Prelaw Option

Spanish (Department of Modern Languages and Literatures): B.A. in Spanish , Single Subject Matter Program; Minor in Spanish 

Television, Film and Media Studies (Department of Television, Film & Media Studies): B.A. in Television, Film and Media Studies , with Options in Animation, Broadcast Journalism, and Telecommunications and Film

Theatre Arts (Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance): B.A. in Theatre Arts and Dance , Theatre Arts Option; Minor is Theatre Arts and Dance 

Women’s Studies (Department of Liberal Studies): Minor 

Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Programs

Art (Department of Art): Master of Arts Degree in Art , with specializations in Art Education, Art History, Design, Studio Arts; Master of Fine Arts Degree in Art , with specializations in Design and Studio Arts

Communication Studies (Department of Communication Studies): Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies , with Options in Telecommunications and Film, and in Communication

English (Department of English): Master of Arts Degree in English , with Options in Composition, Rhetoric, and Language; in Creative Writing; and in Literature

French (Department of Modern Languages and Literatures): Master of Arts Degree in French 

Music (Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance): Master of Arts Degree in Music , Master of Music Degree , with Options in Composition, Commercial Music, Conducting, Keyboard Performance, Vocal Performance, Instrumental Performance, Afro-Latin Music, and Music Education.

Philosophy (Department of Philosophy): Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy , Certificate in Teaching Critical Thinking 

Spanish (Department of Modern Languages and Literatures): Master of Arts Degree in Spanish 

Theatre Arts (Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance): Master of Arts Degree in Theatre Arts 
Joint Master of Fine Arts Degree in Television, Film and Theatre  between the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Department of Television, Film & Media Studies.

Student Activities/ Special Interest Groups – in Arts & Letters

Art Exhibitions

The Fine Arts Gallery in the Fine Arts Building is the largest art exhibition space available for students on campus. The Gallery presents an Undergraduate Art Exhibition, Senior Project Exhibitions, 6 to 12 MA/MFA Thesis Exhibitions and exhibitions of work by professional artists. In addition, lectures, musical events and poetry readings, as well as other special events are scheduled in the gallery to increase the reach of the visual arts to new audiences. The student-run exhibition space, COMA Gallery, presents rotating exhibitions of Cal State L.A. student artwork. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

Communication Activities

The program offers a rich array of professional activities. Students can participate in numerous Communication Studies clubs including Lambda Pi Eta, the Communication Honor Society. The department also has a thriving internship program, placing students in businesses, political organizations and non-profits throughout Southern California. Every quarter students can participate in a Public Speaking Showcase, highlighting the best speeches from the given term. The award winning Forensics team competes in debate and individual events in prominent intercollegiate tournaments. Students edit and help produce Colloquy, the department’s annual student scholarship showcase journal and students in Performance Studies offer frequent public demonstrations. For many of these programs, students may earn credit by enrolling in appropriate activity courses in the Department of Communication Studies.

Dance

The University Dance Ensemble tours and offers students an introduction to the dance program, experiences in performing their own choreography, lecture demonstrations, and the opportunity to collaborate with other dancers and to work with guest artists. Performances vary each year and range from mini-concerts- and community tours, to full evening productions. Membership is open to anyone who has a strong interest in and commitment to dance/theatre and is able to fulfill the purposes of the production. Students who participate must enroll in dance courses 272, 480, and 483 in the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance.

Literary Activities

The Department of English provides the campus community regular opportunities for enjoying literary activities. It annually sponsors public lectures by distinguished scholars, public readings by nationally and internationally renowned writers, international conferences on major authors or literary themes, and a statewide literary conference (Significations) for CSU graduate students. The English Department also supports the publication each year of a student-edited award-winning magazine, Statement Magazine, which showcases student work in photography and art, poetry and fiction, and forms of literary journalism. Students receive academic credit and instruction in journal publishing (ENGL 392) with the production of Statement Magazine. The publication of the magazine is celebrated annually with a festive launch of readings open to the public, at which prizes are awarded for the best poem and for the best work of fiction.

The Department also sponsors the Henri Coulette Academy of American Poets Prize; the David L. Kubal Memorial Lecture Series, which began in 1982, and the Jean Burden Poetry Reading, which began two years later. Past Kubal Memorial lecturers have included such distinguished scholars as Frederick Crews, Marjorie Perloff, Helen Vendler, Sacvan Bercovitch, J. Hillis Miller, X.J. Kennedy, V.A. Kolve, John Brewer, and Arthur F. Kinney. Past Burden poetry readers have been such prize-winning poets as Howard Nemerov, Tess Gallagher, Maxine Kumin, Lucille Clifton, Mark Strand, Carolyn Kizer, Richard Wilbur, Galway Kinnell, Harryette Mullen, Linda Pastan, Rita Dove, Andrew Motion, Adrienne Rich, Wendy Cope, and Vikram Seth.

In order to promote public interest in poetry and poetics at CSULA, donors Virginia E. Smith and Jean Burden helped create an endowed fund by which the chartered Center for Contemporary Poetry and Poetics (CCPP) was established. The CCPP sponsors literary events throughout the year.

Musical Events and Organizations

The Associated Students cooperates with the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance in offering an extensive program of musical events. Students enroll for academic credit in music activity courses as members of various performance organizations. Each organization has a regular performance schedule and performs several times each year both on and off campus. Some concerts are held during the noon hour; others are scheduled at night or on weekends. Membership is open to all students who wish to participate. The Afro Latin Ensemble, Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, Jazz Orchestra, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and Opera Workshop require an audition. Music organizations include:

Philosophy Activities

The Department of Philosophy sponsors a colloquium series that brings well known philosophers to campus to speak on a broad range of topics. Those colloquia that focus on gender, human rights, and poverty, are supported in part by the Ann Garry and Sharon Bishop Endowed Fund in Feminist Philosophy and the Ricardo Gomez Fund in Human Rights and Poverty. Students have opportunities to interact informally with these speakers. A student organization, the Philosophy Club, plans a variety of events. BA and MA students jointly publish a print journal of student writings, Philosophy in Practice and receive credit for their work by enrolling in PHIL 400/PHIL 500.

Television, Film, and Media Studies

The Department of Television, Film & Media Studies also offers comprehensive programs in Journalism for print, broadcast, cable, and internet, 2-D traditional Animation and a comprehensive range of film and video production including scriptwriting, television studio multi-camera production, field video and film production, documentary, and post-production. The program offers students experiences in professional film festival competition through the CSU’s annual Media Arts Festival, Cal State L.A.’s own annual student film and video festival that is conceived, organized, and produced by students, and the annual national showcase, Reel Rasquache U.S. Latino Film Festival. The program offers students filmmaking support competitively awarded through the generous contributions of such professional organizations as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Women In Film. Students also participate in the CSU Media Internship program in which students are matched and placed in high end internship opportunities with the media industries including major studios, independent productions, and guilds and industry associations in film, television, radio, journalism, music, graphics, and entertainment industry-related business, public relations, marketing, and new technologies. Students may earn credit for participation in these programs by enrolling in appropriate activity courses in the Department of Television, Film & Media Studies.

Theatrical and Dance Productions

The Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance offers comprehensive programs in theatre and dance production including a range of contemporary, modern, and historic dramatic literature; children’s theatre; musical theatre; opera and dance production. Touring productions for off-campus educational performance are also produced. The department presents multiple productions during the year; they include faculty-directed and supervised productions, workshops, MFA projects, student productions, and major season productions. All students are eligible to audition for theatre, musical, and dance productions or participate in design and backstage productions assignments. Students may earn production credit by enrolling in TA 100, 300, 310, 459, 489, or 595 or DANC 480 with faculty approval.

Theatre

Student managed productions offer students an opportunity to create and produce alternative work in a designated student theatre space, Music 115. Faculty supervision and departmental sponsorship are necessary for student workshop productions. Students who participate in these activities must enroll in TA 100, 300, 310, 595 or DANC 480, with faculty approval, in the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance.

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