Arts and Letters (B.A.)
Bachelor of Arts Program
Program Code: BA-AS
Major Code: ALT
Dean's Office, School of Arts and Sciences
Anthony Chase, Coordinator
Rockwell Hall 222
(716) 878-6326
suny.buffalostate.edu/programs/arts-and-letters
The B.A. degree program in Arts and Letters provides the opportunity to craft a customized major for students who are interested in the study of any of the forms of human expression, creativity, and culture, and whose career/life plans would be served by an academic scope broader than that offered by any single department. Because these graduates leave Buffalo State with communication and interpersonal skills, a sense of aesthetics, critical thinking abilities, attention to detail, and experience working independently or as part of a team, they can develop successful careers in administration, marketing, sales, law, business management, customer relations, human resource management, event planning, cultural tourism, and more. We urge all arts and letters majors to engage in an off-campus internship before graduation to enhance skills and because it is attractive to potential employers.
Students seeking double majors, or second degrees should be aware that Arts and Letters is rarely allowed as a second major or second degree, and only when the disciplines are significantly dissimilar.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education 23 Requirements | ||
| 33 credit hours | 33 | |
| Arts and Letters Major Requirements (39 credit hours) | ||
| Select a minimum of 21 credit hours upper division | ||
| Primary Concentration (18 credit hours) | ||
| Courses selected by advisement (at least 9 credit hours in upper division except student teaching) in one of the following areas: | 18 | |
Art Education (with certain limitations) | ||
Communication | ||
Dance | ||
Design | ||
English | ||
Fine Arts | ||
Modern and Classical Languages (not allowing 101-102) | ||
Music | ||
Philosophy and Humanities | ||
Theater | ||
| Secondary Concentration (9 credit hours) | ||
| Select a second area from list above (at least 3 of the 9 credit hours must be in upper division) | 9 | |
| Arts and Humanities Courses (9 credit hours) | 9 | |
| Senior Paper or Project (3 credit hours) | ||
| A capstone experience under the guidance of the faculty adviser, this activity must be approved by the adviser and the topic forwarded to the dean before work is begun. | 3 | |
| All College Electives | ||
| 42-48 credit hours | 42-48 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Students will:
- demonstrate the ability to analyze and interpret creative processes and objectives as well as literary and visual/or performed language (e.g., idioms, styles, and conventions).
- demonstrate the ability to engage in creative thought.
- articulate and defend critically informed values.
- demonstrate the ability to communicate the distinct characteristics of and relationships between the chosen areas of study within the arts and humanities.