College of Fine & Applied Arts

The College of Fine and Applied Arts prepares students for professional work in architecture, art and design, dance, landscape architecture, music, sustainable design, theatre, and urban and regional planning. First-year and transfer students may apply for admission. In each curriculum specific course requirements and general education requirements must be completed to qualify for the specific baccalaureate degree offered.

Graduate degrees are offered in many areas of study through the Graduate College.

The College of Fine and Applied Arts offers introductory courses designed to increase aesthetic appreciation and development, and to portray the role of the arts in civilization for all students who are attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Participation in the many bands, choruses, and orchestras on campus, as well as private instruction on most instruments and in voice, is available to students in all colleges by audition.

To serve the total academic community and all citizens in the state of Illinois, the college features the arts in exhibitions, concerts, lectures, performances, demonstrations, and conferences. Many outstanding professionals and works in these fields are brought to the University campus. All departments in the College of Fine and Applied Arts reserve the right to retain, exhibit, and reproduce the works submitted by students for credit in any course.

In addition to the teaching divisions, the College of Fine and Applied Arts includes the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Krannert Art Museum, Japan House, and the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center.

Departments, Schools, and Curricula

The College of Fine and Applied Arts consists of the Departments of Dance, Landscape Architecture, Theatre, and Urban and Regional Planning; the Schools of Architecture, Art and Design, and Music. Additionally, the College hosts an interdisciplinary, undergraduate major in Sustainable Design. The specific functions of each department or school and the undergraduate curricula are described on the following pages. Visit our college website to view additional information regarding our Units & Programs and Student Resources.

Special Programs

Study Abroad

International study can be a life transforming experience. The college provides the opportunity for students to obtain campus credit for study and/or travel abroad for a summer session, one semester, or an academic year. Students in FAA have a range of opportunities for study abroad. They can pick from programs developed specifically for FAA students by major through FAA International Programs (e.g., year abroad in Barcelona for Architecture students) or from the many programs available across campus.

Prior to departure students are required to submit a study plan for review by their advisor and the college. Students with approved study plans retain their status as U. of I. students and may continue their student health insurance while abroad. Participation in an approved U. of I. program also counts as time in residence at the University.

Graduation Honors

The College awards outstanding students honors at graduation. To be eligible, students must have completed a minimum of four semesters of work and 60 hours of credit in residence at the Urbana-Champaign campus. More information on specifics may be found at FAA Honors at Graduation.

Dean's List

Each semester students are recognized by the College for academic excellence through the Dean's List. Eligible students must successfully complete at least 12 academic hours, taken for a letter grade (A through F), and earn a grade-point average that places them in the top 20 percent (approximately) of the College. Students who are registered with the Center for Wounded Veterans (CWV) or with Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) who are enrolled in less than 12 but a minimum of nine graded semester hours who are in the approximate top 20 percent are also eligible. Such students must sign a release with CWV or DRES indicating their consent for consideration for Dean's List eligibility and have submitted that consent to their home unit's academic affairs office no later than Reading Day in the semester in which they wish to be considered for Dean's List. These consent forms are valid only for the semester in which they are issued, and students must submit by the deadline updated consent forms for each semester in which they wish to be considered for Dean's List.

Students with grades that are incomplete or deferred are not considered for the Dean's List until letter grades have been submitted for those courses. The GPA level necessary to be placed on the Dean's List is revised annually and is posted at Honors on the college website.

James Scholar Honors Program

The College of Fine and Applied Arts James Scholar Honors Program creates an opportunity for FAA students to develop knowledge independently under the guidance of their instructors and advisors. Students will complete a set of requirements designed to provide challenging, engaging, and diverse experiences. These requirements emphasize the value of research, community engagement, professional development, leadership, and collaboration and will prepare our James Scholars for a successful academic or professional future.

Requirements

Admission

All incoming students hoping to enroll in the College of Fine and Applied Arts as undergraduates must first complete the application for admission through myIllini or the Common App. Several programs within the college (majors in Art & Design, Dance, Music and Theatre) require talent as part of the admissions process, which may include an audition, interview, and/or portfolio. All application materials must be received by the deadline in order to be reviewed for admission.

Graduation

Students who meet the general University requirements with reference to registration, residence, scholarship, fees, and general education requirements, and who maintain the minimum grade-point average required in their degree program, receive degrees appropriate to the curriculum completed. Refer to the specific unit and curricular requirements listed in the following sections. In addition, students must complete the required senior courses in their major field of study in residence at the Urbana campus.

General Education

The Campus Senate, the faculty General Education Board, and the colleges have developed campus wide common general education requirements. Students are advised that some general education requirements may be fulfilled by courses required in the major. All FAA curricula require students to meet the minimum campus general education requirements for graduation. Some programs require additional general education courses. See the individual programs of study for each curriculum.

The College of Fine & Applied Arts consists of:

The Departments of:

and The Schools of:

The specific functions of each department or school and the undergraduate curricula are described on the following pages. Consult the college website for specific academic policies and procedures for students and faculty in the college.

Majors

Minors

Graduate Degree Programs

Graduate Certificates

Graduate Minors

Facilities

Career Services Office

Career Services in the College of Fine and Applied Arts recognizes the unique career needs of students in creative fields, and provides specialized resources to cultivate skills needed for professional success. The office provides career events, workshops, and individual appointments to support students as they explore career options and become career-ready.

Krannert Art Museum

Krannert Art Museum is an accredited art museum with a global collection of over 11,000 objects, ranging from antiquity to the present day. Its outstanding permanent collection and exhibition program places it among the top tier of university art museums in the nation. But the space is used as more than an art museum by students at Illinois. Here they can gather to hear improvised music played by international artists, witness the work of performance artists, and participate in an open mic hip-hop cafe. Come and experience a space that allows for simultaneous interplay among artistic forms.

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is a remarkable four-theatre performing arts complex with spaces for instruction, rehearsal, and performance in theatre, opera, dance, and music. The Foellinger Great Hall, seating 2,200, is designed for large-scale musical events. The Tryon Festival Theatre, with 1,000 seats, is for opera, dance, and other musical stage productions. The Colwell Playhouse seats 700 and is the home of the Department of Theatre. The Studio Theatre, seating 150, is for experimental productions. An outdoor amphitheater, rehearsal rooms, offices, dressing rooms, technical shops, and underground parking on two levels for 650 cars complete this monumental facility.

Japan House

The study of Japanese culture began at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1900, with the arrival of the first Japanese student. Throughout the last century, the University's role as a leader in Japanese studies began to take form. Major themes of Japan House are the four principles of the Way of Tea — harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. The heart of Japan House is sharing the Japanese Way of tea in its three authentic tea rooms to the community and through academic classes. The grounds feature a Japanese tea garden, strolling garden, and Zen-style rock garden.

SEDAC – Smart Energy Design Assistance Center

The Smart Energy Design Assistance Center provides advice and analyses enabling private and public facilities in the State of Illinois to increase their economic viability through the efficient use of energy resources.

University Music Performance Organizations

The School of Music offers credit for all students enrolled in its many performance organizations. You do not need to be a music major to participate in our ensembles. Performance opportunities in the Bands area include five concert bands, two athletic pep bands (basketball and volleyball), clarinet choir, and the world-famous Marching Illini. The Choral area offers singers the opportunity to perform in Chamber Singers, Black Chorus, Men's and Women's Glee Clubs, University Chorus, and Oratorio Society. Our orchestras include the University Symphony, Philharmonia, and Illini Strings. In addition, we invite students to perform in one of our many jazz bands and/or jazz combos, gamelan ensemble, or one of our other groups specializing in contemporary music, world music, chamber music, improvisation, and early music.

To learn more about ensemble opportunities, visit our website.

Libraries

Students in the college have at their disposal outstanding library resources. In addition to the University Library, one of this country's great university collections, there are specialized libraries serving the needs of specific fields. The Ricker Library of Architecture and Art collections contain more than 150,000 volumes (some housed in the Main University library), 40,000 journals and publications, the Ricker Materials collection (an object library of textiles, woods, and more), 33,000 photographs, 9,400 clippings, and vault materials that include historical documents, artists' books, and other rare visual resources.

The City Planning and Landscape Architecture collection comprises about 25,000 volumes of current interest housed in the Funk ACES library, along with more than 120,000 additional volumes covering closely related disciplines. The Music and Performing Arts Library, located in the Music Building, contains over 400,000 items. These include introductory, instructive, research, and reference materials including books, music, recordings, manuscripts, microfilm, and other materials. They also provide numerous digital full text and audiovisual streaming resources from across the arts to campus. Illinois Library digital collections are also available, such as ARTstor which provides access to images and other visual formats.

Jake Pinholster, Dean
100 Architecture Building
608 East Lorado Taft Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-1660