A major (also known as a major concentration or concentration) is a term for the specific group of courses that give you a basic knowledge of a field of study, which is in addition to your core curriculum. A major is a term most commonly applied to a program of study leading to a bachelor's degree. The fine and performing arts school will define a framework for this specialized portion of your studies, including a certain number of required courses and a certain number of "elective" courses relevant to the major. The school will also define your general education or foundation education requirements. Some majors in some fine and performing arts schools effectively define your full course of study; many others allow you considerable latitude both within your field of study and in their other courses.
Although many students choose their major before entering a university or college, many others will select it during their first or second year of a three- or four-year program.
Typically, university programs do not allow you to officially declare your major until the end of your second year so that you experience a broad range of courses that will help you choose the most appropriate major. Some majors have limited enrolment so in fact you may even be required to apply to get into the major you want, including attending an interview, audition or submitting a portfolio or essay. Community and career college programs generally do not have majors as such. Their 1- to 3-year diploma and certificate programs carry a designation, for instance Diploma in Visual Art Foundation Studies, which is much more specific than, say, Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Often, students in a community college or career college program--sometimes all the students in the department--will take a common set of core foundational courses in the first year (or term, in the case of shorter programs) which then enables them to pursue a specialized area of study. But generally the field of study at the community or career college level is job-focused to the point where students do not take "elective" courses as they do for bachelor's degrees. Hence the designation of the diploma effectively stands in for the "major."
Featured Fine and Performing Arts Programs in Canada
A Who's Who in Canadian Culture Canada has a long history of artistic accomplishments dating back to the 1920s with a famous collaboration of landscape painters knows as the Group of Seven. The Canadian Arts Community of today is more diverse than ever, including highly acclaimed artists in a variety of genres including writing, painting, music, and acting. Here are seven of Canada's most recognised contemporary artists that tru... >[more]
An artsy-fartsy person “I love art. I love to draw and paint and do crafts. But I need a job. I need to decide a direction for my life. I want to continue with my art, but can I also find a career that pays my bills?” These were the thoughts that plagued Sara Paine when the time came for her to choose a university to attend after graduating in the spring of 1999 from Woodstock High School in Woodstock, N.B.
... >[more]
Can You Picture It? Work in the Visual Arts The academic visual arts field is indeed broad in its scope. There are a mind-boggling number of program combinations to be made within the arts. The common elements however, are creativity, artistic vision, and scholarship.
It is one thing to be born with artistic talent and create amazing, museum-ready works of art out of finger paints and construction paper, but realistically, most of us ... >[more]
Career Choices: Media and the Arts Fashion Designers
A fashion designer has to be up to date with the markets globally, and have a natural eye for style, form and fit. Sure, it seems like the job would be mostly drawing and sewing, but designers also have to be knowledgeable business people constantly aware of producing a profitable clothing line. Fashion designers generally sketch, design and create samples, and then present ... >[more]
Career Search: Social Services Art Therapist
Art therapists believe that there is meaning behind all works of art. Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy attempting to reconcile emotional conflict and promote personal growth. Unlike conventional methods of treatment, it emphasizes non-verbal communication utilizing simple art materials. Art therapy is designed to facilitate a line of communication between the patient an... >[more]
Celebrity Report Card Post-secondary education may not be for everyone, but for those who think it is for them, trying to decide on a school or program from thousands of choices can feel quite daunting. Sometimes, it helps to take a look at the paths that other people have taken. Here's what some famous people have done with their lives.
Did you know:
·Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Priz... >[more]
Computers Called DaVinci “When I was in high school,” says Heather Penney, “I had lofty notions of being both an actress and an artist. I just knew creativity and design were for me. But I was against computers. I wanted to do everything hand-drawn and hands-on.”
The earth moved after she landed a job at a print shop. Expecting to continue sketching with a pencil, Heather quickly learned she could ... >[more]
Daryn Jones's Costume Comes Off So you wanna be in show biz? It takes a lot more than being the class clown to make it big. Just ask Daryn Jones.
Daryn, along with “Mista Mo,” a.k.a. Morgan Smith, is the co-star of The Comedy Network show, The Buzz, and while Daryn has always known what he wanted to do in life, it didn’t come easily. Daryn started his comedic career at the age of seventeen, beginning as many comedians do — i... >[more]
Designing a Job Jennifer Allison envisioned spending her days designing custom interiors and beautiful spaces when she chose the interior design co-op program at Fanshawe College in London, Ont. In fact, she didn't just want to learn how the work should be done, she wanted to actually do it and that’s what a co-op program is all about.
A co-operative education program offers students the opportunity to integr... >[more]
Doodling For Dollars Greg Brown is a 24-year-old animation student at Sheridan College. He recently left the program to take some time off, and went to work for a small animation company in St. Catherine’s, Ont. In the highly competitive world of animation, Greg is learning that choosing between work experience and completing his education isn’t an easy choice. Campus Starter writer Jake Kennedy spoke with him ... >[more]
Tyndale University College Toronto, Ontario Tyndale University (Tyndale) is an evangelical, trans-denominational institution of Christian higher education, located in Toronto. At Tyndale, students from across ...
Lakeland College Vermilion, AB When Lakeland College (Lakeland) opened in 1913, there were only 34 students enrolled. Today Lakeland has campuses in Lloydminster and ...
NAIT JR Shaw School of Business NAIT's JR Shaw School of Business (JRSSB) has earned a solid reputation since its inception in 1972. Employers recognize the ...
Horizon College & Seminary Saskatoon, Saskatchewan "Hands on ministry training" is the focus of Horizon College & Seminary (Horizon) allowing students the opportunity to learn both ...
Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning The Business School The Business School at Humber College offers certificate, diploma, post diploma and bachelor's degrees. Humber offers more areas of study ...
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