Dean: Hasan Elahi

The College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University provides the highest quality education for practitioners, scholars, and consumers in art, art history, communication, dance, music and theatre. This education leads to careers, uses for the arts in other disciplines, enhanced critical abilities, the enrichment of everyday life and the building of new generations of artists, professionals and scholars. Programs of study focus on the integration of theory and practice through the creation, discovery, preservation and transmission of knowledge in fine, performing and communication arts.

The College serves the University and the larger community by creating partnerships that emphasize its own rich, diverse curriculum, interdisciplinary studies, reciprocal professional interaction and outreach activities appropriate to each area of work. Special emphasis is placed on forging alliances with local, state and national constituencies such that the College is both a leader and a resource providing expertise, information and guidance.

Within an appropriate and attractive academic environment the College promotes an atmosphere conducive to intellectual and artistic growth, risk-taking and personal and professional development at all levels in both individual and collaborative endeavors. This environment also assists the College in its role as a national center for creative, research and teaching excellence.

As the cultural gateway of the University, the College provides public events and curricular offerings that nurture creative development, enrich aesthetic values and sensitivity, heighten awareness of the arts experience and reflect the disciplinary diversity of its areas of study. Cultural, racial, ethnic and gender diversity is an important commitment in public events and educational efforts.

Ultimately, the mission of the College is the integration of theory and practice through the creation, discovery, preservation and transmission of knowledge in the fine, performing and communication arts.

Campus Resources: Traditional courses of study are augmented by a variety of performance and presentation resources considered integral to many of the creative programs. Included in these are the Hilberry Gateway theatre, the Wayne State University Dance Company, the Wind Symphony and University Symphony Orchestra, the Intercollegiate Debate and Speech Teams, plus exhibitions in the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery and the Art Department Gallery that feature work created by students and studio faculty. These are only a few of the campus resources that are especially important for majors in the College. A more comprehensive listing can be found under each of the specific Departments.

Detroit Resources: The proximity of the Wayne State campus to institutions of the Detroit Cultural Center (which includes the Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Michigan Opera Theatre and Orchestra Hall, among other institutions) provides further unique and enriching benefits for students. Professional staff members of these institutions often serve as adjunct faculty in College programs. Nearby, too, are major print and electronic communications resources that similarly provide both adjunct faculty and professional assistance to other programs in the College.

Accrediting Agencies: Programs in the Department of Music are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. The Public Relations program in the Department of Communication is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America.