Visual & Performing Arts Major (BA)

Visual and performing arts students study art history, music history, and dance, developing skills in critical thinking and analysis through classroom discussions, scholarly essays and research papers, and formal presentations. A senior portfolio, performance, or other project will complete your visual arts degree.

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College is about exploration. At Widener, you'll complete a general education curriculum that supports just that. You'll have the flexibility and freedom to dive deep into the topics that spark curiosity, challenge your mind, and power your personal and academic growth. 

Along the way, you'll cultivate critical, meaningful skills employers seek, including:

• How to make a difference in a diverse world with an inclusive mindset
• How to write and edit for clear, compelling communication
• How to analyze data and make decisions using critical thinking

It all starts with ASC 101: Thinking Through — a selection of around 40 course topics that will encourage you to go deeper and examine complex issues that shape our world and our ways of relating to one another. When you dive into the possibilities, you're sure to find multiple courses that inspire and intrigue you, regardless of whether they align with your major! Think of it as an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone and truly learn something new. Then, in your senior year, you'll come full circle with a capstone course that takes your Thinking Through topic to new heights strengthened by everything you've cultivated along your college journey.

All visual and performing arts majors will select an area of specialization to focus on.

Arts Administration
Dream of running your own gallery or studio one day? You can combine your love of fine arts with an eye toward the business side of the field with an arts administration specialization. You'll take classes in the arts and in the School of Business Administration, preparing you for work in not-for-profit arts organizations and beyond.

Dance, Music, or Visual Art
Each of these three areas of focus will allow you to hone your craft in devoted studio time while also exploring the history of the field in discussion-based classes.

In addition to selecting an area of visual and performing arts specialization, you'll also have the option to pursue a specialization in digital humanities no matter which fine arts subject you choose to study.

Digital humanities is a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary field that seeks to apply humanistic reasoning and research to important questions related to technology, such as social sustainability, big data, and privacy. Work in digital humanities includes public humanities, data mining/visualization, web design, textual analysis, educational technology, and ethics and technology.

View curriculum and coursework requirements for the digital humanities specialization.

While many double major options are possible, communication studies is a natural pairing for visual and performing arts majors. With specializations in multimedia and broadcast journalism, film studies, graphic design, and more, adding a double major in communications can bring a whole new dimension to your work.

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Widener's pre-professional pathways give you the flexibility to follow your interests while preparing for a professional career.

Visual and performing arts can participate in the following pathways:

• Pre-Dental
• Pre-Law*
• Pre-Medical
• Pre-Occupational Therapy
• Pre-Pharmacy
• Pre-Physical Therapy
• Pre-Veterinary

*Students with a high level of academic potential may be eligible for the “3 + 3” program with a Widener law school where you can earn a bachelor's degree in visual & performing arts and a juris doctor degree in just six years.

Through Widener’s Accelerated Advantage program, you can earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree with only one additional year of study—saving you valuable time and money.
 
While Widener does not offer a master’s degree in the same field as this major, you can still select from a variety of powerhouse master’s programs that will enhance your job opportunities and prepare you for rapid career growth.

Learn more about our Accelerated Advantage 4+1 Program

It's never too early to get real-world work experience to set you apart from the crowd and dive deeper into your discipline! Worried about scoring a paid internship? Worry, no more! Widener's Experience MORE! program can help bridge the gap between unpaid or underpaid experiences.

After perfecting your résumé and cover letter with the help of Widener’s Career Design & Development team, you'll work to score an internship and apply for the Experience MORE! program to get the financial support you need to pursue the internship of your dreams. If selected as an awardee, you will receive a grant to subsidize your internship work.