The 11 departments that comprise the School of Arts and Humanities represent much more than a means of obtaining a degree. They provide preparation for life-long learning through the foundation of a liberal arts education, often linked with professional preparation. Creative expression is the thread that runs through every A&H program, making study of the arts and humanities at Buffalo State a vibrant, exciting and challenging experience.
Departments and Programs at a Glance
Art Conservation | Art Education | Arts and Letters | Communication | Creative Writing Program |Design | English | Fine Arts | Interior Design | Modern and Classical Languages | Music | Philosophy and Humanities | Television and Film Arts |Theater |
Art Conservation Department
Graduates of our internationally renowned art conservation master's program, professionally preserve the objects of mankind’s cultural heritage. They often find employment in leading museums around the world or by entrepreneurially establishing their own conservation businesses.
Art Education Department
Art education students learn the theory and practice of teaching art through researched-based education courses and extensive studio experience. Graduates of the program are prepared to teach art to students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 in urban, suburban and rural settings.
Arts and Letters Program
The Arts and Letters major provides the opportunity to craft a customized major within the arts and humanities for students who are interested in the study of human expression, creativity, and culture. With 18 hours required in one area, 18 hours in two other areas, and a capstone experience. Popular customized combinations include dance and communication, digital music production and theater, English and art history, design/communication and public relations, but the combinations are numerous.
Communication Department
The Communication Department is one of the largest in the SUNY system and the only public accredited program in New York State. The department offers three degrees in applied communication (Journalism, Media Production, and Public Communication) and one in theoretical communication (Communication Studies), enabling students to hone their skills in communication and technology for rewarding careers in multiple fields. With an emphasis on storytelling, the selective degree program in television and film arts, focuses on writing, directing, and producing for television and film.
Design Department
The Design Department offers students the opportunity to learn from professors who are nationally and internationally recognized artists and designers. Degrees include the B.S. and B.F.A in Ceramics, Fibers, Metals/Jewelry, and Wood/Furniture design and the B.F.A in Communication Design.
English Department
The English Department offers three undergraduate degree programs. English majors study literature and writing. English education majors combine that study with the training to become teachers and certification in grades 7-12. The Writing B.A. program has a limited enrollment and a competitive admission process, including portfolio submission. It offers students an opportunity to combine the study of literature with the study and development of skills in creative writing, journalistic writing, literacy writing, and/or professional writing. English majors become writers, editors, and teachers and succeed in positions requiring creativity combined with analytical and critical-thinking skills
Fine Arts Department
Fine arts embrace the study and creation of works of art produced or intended primarily for beauty and expression. The Fine Arts Department has six major programs taught by nationally and internationally recognized artists: B.A. in Art, B.A. in Art History, and the B.F.A. in Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture.
Interior Design Department
The CIDA-accredited interior design program is a four-year professional-level program that fosters a comprehensive approach to space arrangement for commercial and residential projects. The program focuses on innovative design and professionalism while emphasizing the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Modern and Classical Languages Department
Through the Modern and Classical Languages Department, students can graduate with a degree in Spanish or French language and literature, which enables them to pursue a career that requires a second language or to attend graduate school. Or they can major in Spanish or French education with certification, which enables them to teach in grades 7-12.
Music Department
Graduates of the music education program are prepared to teach music from kindergarten through the high school level. B. A. music majors obtain a broad liberal arts background, which can lead to a variety of careers.
Philosophy and Humanities Department
Philosophy is the study of ideas and issues regarding the nature of reality, the justification of knowledge, and the assessment of values. Philosophy majors examine how significant insights in philosophy shaped Western culture and continue to affect our lives.
Television and Film Arts Program
The Television and Film Arts major is an interdisciplinary program encompassing coursework from the Communication, English, and Theater Departments. A select program with limited enrollment and a competitive admission process, the curriculum prepares students for a variety of creative careers in the entertainment industry, including writing, directing, producing and acting.
Theater Department
Theater is more than just acting. It's producing, directing, designing costumes, marketing, and working with members of a team in the environment of a liberal education. Students who are well versed in a variety of disciplines can push theater in new and exciting directions and pursue an array of other professions beyond the theatrical.