The College of Arts and Letters invites you to explore with us the wonders of human expression in all of its varied forms. Both the beauty and the blights of human society are results of our creative nature; both our understandings and our misunderstandings are products of our ability and need to make ourselves known to others while struggling to comprehend the world around us. Through our study and practice of the arts and communications we aim to foster a quality of life for all that includes freedom of expression, understanding, justice, and beauty.
The college promotes learning, scholarship, and service to the broader community in all aspects of human communication – spoken, written, visual, musical, dramatic, and electronically mediated. Graduates of the College of Arts and Letters boast both the professional skills and the broad liberal arts background to excel in a diverse array of fields. The college is home to regionally- and nationally-acclaimed programs in art & design; communication; English; media, journalism & film; modern & classical languages; music; and theatre & dance. Interdisciplinary programs such as electronic arts and musical theatre prepare students for fields where diverse skill sets and knowledge are key. Employers from business, education, nonprofit and government sectors, as well as performing and arts organizations find students from these programs possess the skills and abilities they value most.
Students can choose from among 21 undergraduate degrees, five graduate programs, and two interdisciplinary programs. The departments are served by more than 175 full-time faculty members and enroll over 2,500 undergraduate majors and more than 200 graduate students. In addition to academic programs, students in the college are actively engaged in community and professional work through service learning, internships, performance opportunities, and special programs such as the Center for Dispute Resolution and the Ozarks Studies Institute.
Outreach and service to the university and surrounding community are central to the college’s mission. In addition to the many public performances, concerts, recitals, and exhibits by faculty and students throughout the year, programs such as the College Lecture Series and Project Odyssey annually bring prominent speakers and performers to campus. Through collaborations with other partners, programs such as the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, the Center for Arts in the Schools, and the Writers Hall of Fame, extend to the community opportunities to learn about and become personally involved in the arts and letters. Residents of Springfield and around the country are well-acquainted with Missouri State traditions such as Tent Theatre, the Pride Bands, the Art & Design Gallery, and the nationally-ranked Spicer Debate Forum.
I invite you to browse our web site, including those of individual departments and programs, and discover the many opportunities that await you in the College of Arts and Letters, whether you are a student, prospective student, university employee, or community member. If I can be of assistance to you in any way, please contact me at CollegeofArtsandLetters@MissouriState.edu or 417-836-5247.
Best wishes,
Carey Adams, Ph.D.
Dean of the College of Arts and Letters