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School of Fine Arts News

Department of Design creates new photo major
School of Fine Arts seeks nominations for alumni awards
Department of Design creates two new graduate programs
School of Fine Arts hosts national music education symposium

Department of Design creates new photo major

The KU department of design announced the creation of a new undergraduate photography and digital media major, photomedia. With the launch of this new program, KU becomes the only school in Kansas to offer a comprehensive and professional-based photography and media program.

In the past, the design department has offered photography classes but never a photo-based major. Over the course of the spring 2007 term, Gregory Thomas, chair of the department, and his faculty created the program proposal. The new program became a reality this summer when the Kansas Board of Regents approved it.

“Our research suggested we were losing at least 15-20 students per year just from local area high schools because we did not offer a photo major,” Thomas said. “Additionally, the number one major asked for by prospective students has been a BFA or BA photography. We need to service this demand for a KU photo program while also providing education that is unique and in-depth, and is constantly addressing the professional and artistic markets.”

Photomedia will officially launch in spring 2008, but students will be able to take needed course equivalencies in the fall. Photomedia will incorporate traditional film photography skills as well as more contemporary media formats inclusive of digital photography, video and multimedia. The coursework will include education in digital media, visual literacy, photographic composition, computer imaging, motion graphics and more. This concentration is for students who want to prepare themselves for the changing needs of the field of image capturing and dissemination.

“The name of the program is unique because it was created with the idea of synergizing the traditional film-based roots of photography with the current era of digital photo, video and motion graphics,” Thomas said. “When we found out that very few Big 12 schools offered anything similar, and no other area universities had a program structured like ours, we knew what we had to do.” Read more.

School of Fine Arts seeks nominations for alumni awards

The Fine Arts Advisory Board for the KU School of Fine Arts has created three awards that will recognize distinguished achievements of our alumni and distinguished service to the school. These awards are the Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award for Visual Arts; the Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award for Performing Arts; and the Distinguished Service Award. We encourage you to submit nominations for any award or all three awards. Nominations are due Oct. 1, 2007.

The first recipients of the annual awards will be recognized in a ceremony in April 2008. The nomination forms can be found online.

Department of Design creates two new graduate programs

The KU department of design in the School of Fine Arts announced the creation of new graduate programs in interaction design and design management. These new programs are tailored for working professionals and draw upon the latest technologies and valuable real-world experiences of industry experts.

The creation of the master of arts in interaction design reflects a long-range plan created during the 2002-’03 school year; the plan included the appointment of a senior professor in interaction design. Subsequent planning by design faculty concluded that programs in design management and interaction design would complement each other, and Greg Thomas, chair of the department, jumped at the opportunity to work the degrees into the department’s offerings.

Currently there are no programs similar to the MA in interaction design or design management in the immediate region. KU becomes the regional leader by offering these graduate programs.

“Although there are well-known universities that offer design management or interaction design graduate degrees, KU will be unique by providing both programs at the same place,” Thomas said. “We are extremely excited to enhance our design curriculum and assist those interested in design management or interaction design.” Read more.

School of Fine Arts hosts national music education symposium

The 2007-’08 celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Murphy Hall and the Elizabeth Sherbon Dance Centennial features many events throughout the year, with some intended for general audiences and others designed for specific audiences. The first of the events designated for specific audiences occurred in early July, when the School of Fine Arts hosted a two-day national symposium July 5-7.

Research Symposium I was an initiative of the Society for Research in Music Education (SRME), with the co-sponsorship of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. It attracted researchers from a number of institutions (including Indiana, Eastman, Florida State, Colorado, Michigan State, Iowa and Washington), and the research of five KU faculty was presented (Alicia Clair, Cynthia Colwell, Janet Hamburg, Debra Hedden and Christopher Johnson). Professor Martin Bergee, whose faculty appointment with KU’s department of music and dance begins in August, serves in a national leadership position with the SRME. Bergee served as president of the Research Symposium I and presented his research during the meeting.

For more information about the Murphy Hall 50th anniversary celebration events, visit http://www.arts.ku.edu/murphy or contact the KU School of Fine Arts department of music and dance at 785-864-3436.

Visit the School of Fine Arts Web site for more information.