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Traditional conservatories often force students to specialize narrowly, isolating them from broader academic inquiry. Large university arts departments frequently reserve mainstage roles, studio access and faculty research opportunities for graduate students. At Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, the Creative School sits within our innovative three-school framework alongside the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Business and Leadership. Every student is admitted to the university as a whole, meaning you gain immediate, day-one access to world-class studios, performance halls, and faculty mentors. You develop professional artistic craft while mastering critical thinking, writing, and communication, the very skills needed to navigate dynamic creative industries.

"Being creative means taking things that don't seem to go together and combining them in a way that's original to you." – Paige B., Music Education Major & Honor Scholar

Discover Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s Three-School framework

The Creative School brings together a vibrant spectrum of creative disciplines: Art History, Design Studies, Creative Writing, Film and Media Arts, Studio Art, Theatre, and Music. Through the Institute of Music, students can pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music or a Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.), alongside cutting-edge minors in Music Creation and Technology, Jazz Studies, Musical Theatre, and Museum Studies. Because our curriculum is intentionally interdisciplinary, you are never locked into a single lane. You can major in Studio Art while minoring in Entrepreneurship, or pair Film and Media Arts with Computer Science.

"Many different disciplinary areas are now consciously joining one force, not a divided landscape between the conservatory model on one side and the rest of the liberal arts on the other." – Griffin C., Bachelor of Musical Arts & Theatre Major

Explore degree options in the Institute of Music

Creative School students train in professional-grade spaces from their very first semester. The Judson and Joyce Green Center for the Performing Arts features four stunning performance venues hosting nearly 100 annual concerts, master classes and theatrical productions. Visual and media artists work in specialized studio spaces, an electronic experimentation lab, state-of-the-art recording and production studios, and media production suites in the Green Center and in the neighboring Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media. And the beautifully-equipped Richard E. Peeler Art Center holds classrooms, studios, auditorium and art galleries inviting exploration and appreciation of the studio arts. With a 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you won't wait in line behind graduate assistants for lab time, studio access or performance casting.

Tour the Green Center for Performing Arts

Explore campus creative centers and labs

Yes, and that cross-pollination is central to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s philosophy. Every course, ensemble and production across the Creative School is accessible to all students. The Institute of Music hosts five signature ensembles: University Orchestra, University Band, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Singers and Vox Animae, all open to non-majors by audition. Non-majors regularly perform in fully staged operas and musicals, exhibit work in campus galleries, publish in literary journals and participate in campus-wide showcases like Creative Convocation.

"What makes the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ experience so special is that we get experience in so many different fields. The school just affords us so many opportunities that we're able to take advantage of." – Eli F., Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Student

Explore music ensemble and creative performance opportunities 

Learn about campus-wide creative events

The Creative School empowers you to build a professional portfolio through hands-on projects, faculty-mentored research and high-impact internships. Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ students have interned at leading cultural organizations including The Second City, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera and the International Center for the Arts in Italy. Creative School graduates have appeared on Broadway stages, exhibited in international galleries and earned admission to premier graduate institutions such as Bard College, the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, New York University, Northwestern University, Rice University and Yale University.

Notable creative alumni leaders include:

• Angel Riley '18, Opera Singer, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 
• Dana Hudson Stone '05, Executive Director, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra
• Rafael Toro-Quiñones '96, Conductor, Director of Operations, USAF Band

Learn more about the Media Fellows and Fellows Programs 

Explore career outcomes and internship sites

More than 90% of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ students study abroad or off-campus, ranking Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ in the top 10 nationally for global study. Creative students participate in field study in Paris, choir tours in Cusco, Peru, and visual arts programs across Europe. Back on campus, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s 4-1-4-1 calendar features Winter Term and May Term, intensive four-week sessions dedicated entirely to a single creative project, master class or independent production. Through the Kathryn F. Hubbard Center for Student Engagement, students also secure funding for creative independent studies, exhibitions and professional portfolio development.

Discover Winter Term and May Term immersion

Explore global study opportunities for arts students

Yes. Through the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Promise, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ meets 100% of calculated financial need for every incoming first-year student. More than 90% of students receive financial assistance, with Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ awarding over $75 million annually in merit and need-based support. The Creative School offers specialized awards, including the Judson and Joyce Green Endowed Music Performance Scholarship, alongside Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s premier academic honors such as the Edward G. Rector Scholarship (full tuition). All applicants are automatically considered for academic merit scholarships ranging from $20,000 to full tuition, with no application fee required.

Explore music performance and merit scholarships

Learn more about The Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Promise