Why Study Performing and Fine Arts at a Liberal Arts College?
Learn how performing and fine arts degrees at a liberal arts college can help you hone your skills and grow your craft through a well-rounded education
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Actors, sculptors, dancers, painters, writers and artists of all types need specialized training and opportunities to practice their chosen craft. When deciding on higher education pathways, students interested in the performing and fine arts might feel torn between focusing on their art or getting a well-rounded academic education. Many prospective students seeking fine and performing arts degrees focus their search on specialized conservatories and larger universities with specialized programs. But liberal arts colleges are also an ideal option for college students interested in performing and fine arts degrees.
A liberal arts college provides the best of both worlds: focused artistic study combined with a strong academic foundation. Not only do tight-knit communities, which are common at liberal arts universities, create supportive environments for study, but a liberal arts curriculum is a strong foundation for artistic explorations.
What is a Liberal Arts Degree?
Liberal arts education dates back to ancient Greece and focuses on creating well-rounded knowledge. The philosophy behind a liberal arts education is that a citizen needs a well-rounded education that encourages critical thinking in order to make choices and participate in a free society.
Today, the liberal arts are the foundation of the higher education system in the U.S. The liberal arts curriculum usually requires general education courses in addition to more focused major course requirements in order to complete an undergraduate degree.
Liberal arts colleges or universities, like °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ, also tend to have a more personalized approach than many larger public universities. That focus on personal connection creates strong communities of students and alumni and fosters belonging through student clubs, organizations, events and traditions.
If you’re a student who thrives in small classes where you can really get to know your professors and your fellow cohort of students, you might find a liberal arts college is the ideal place for you to learn and grow.
How A Liberal Arts Education Supports Performing and Fine Arts Degrees
While pursuing a fine or performing arts degree at a liberal arts college, you have opportunities to study multiple subjects while pursuing your area of focus. This can help you make connections across disciplines and come up with exciting and unique projects.
Because of its dedication to holistic learning, a liberal arts degree creates an ideal foundation for artists of all types. Whether you aim to study theatre, visual arts, performance, or any other form of art, a liberal arts degree will help you to create work with both breadth and depth.
For example, an actor with a background in history will have the knowledge to more easily understand characters from different historical moments. And an arts major in college who gains scientific knowledge has a greater wealth of subjects and connections to draw from for their work.
Many well regarded artists, performers and writers — such as Steven Sondheim, Tracy Chapman, Jay Caspian Kang, and Lemony Snickett — attended liberal arts colleges. These graduates were able to perfect their art through a comprehensive liberal arts education.
Liberal Arts Colleges Nurture Artists
Liberal arts universities, like °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ, foster a sense of belonging among students through clubs and organizations, regular community events and performances, opportunities for creativity, and a personalized approach. This is an ideal environment to nurture artistic growth. Rather than getting lost in the shuffle of larger programs and cohorts, arts majors at a liberal arts college receive personalized attention and support to explore individual and interdisciplinary interests and projects.
Liberal arts colleges also tend to have close knit alumni networks, which can help students to connect with artistic communities and opportunities outside the university and after their studies. Strong alumni networks can assist students when looking for internships during college and when seeking first jobs after graduation. Alumni are also often able to offer students advice on creating an artistic life and long term career.
Higher Education for a Sustainable Artistic Career
Careers in the arts are notoriously unpredictable. If financial stability is important to you, a well-rounded education gives you multiple options when it comes to the direction of your career over the long haul.
For example, at a liberal arts university like Pacific, you can combine an art major or minor with a degree in psychology. The flexibility of a liberal arts degree allows students to pursue both creative and practical or business-oriented pathways and even merge the two as they establish their careers. A degree in applied theatre teaches you to use your theatre skills for community building and civic engagement, while a music therapy degree allows you to combine your knowledge of music with healthcare. With the interdisciplinary knowledge gained in such programs, graduates can prepare themselves for potential career pivots and expansions over time.
Applying to a Liberal Arts College for an Arts Degree
Many fine and performing arts degrees at liberal arts colleges don’t require special auditions or applications outside of the regular application for college admission. This is different from the application process for specialized conservatories and some programs at larger universities, which often require portfolios of work or individual auditions.
At a liberal arts college, there may be a separate application for specialized scholarships or classes, which staff can assist you in working through, but the degree programs themselves can be welcoming to all levels of experience and skills. This gives you the opportunity to hone your skills while in the program itself rather than needing to enter the program at a particular level.
By providing a well-rounded educational foundation, close-knit communities, and personalized education to aspiring artists, actors, writers and musicians, liberal arts colleges contribute to the creative world and the creative work of tomorrow.