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A Message From the Dean….

The ancients espoused “the Golden Mean” - a concept that aptly describes the philosophy of the faculty and administration in the College of Fine Arts and Communication.  The Golden Mean is often equated with “nothing in excess” or “the ideal balance.”  Unlike many universities across the nation, we have sought a balance between theory and practice – between graduate and undergraduate emphases – between teaching and research – and between the curricular and the co-curricular.

Specifically, we have recruited top researchers in Mass Communication and Communication Studies and allowed them to expand our “theory” curriculum without abandoning our support and encouragement for those who want to see a continuation of our extraordinary successes in student media, debate, oral interpretation, or the American Advertising Federation’s annual student campaign competition.

We have tripled our resources earmarked for music theory, music education, and music history without abandoning our long-standing commitment to “studio” instruction – a costly, but highly effective, pedagogical method featuring one-on-one private lesson instruction.

We have added the M.F.A. degree in Communication Design while fully supporting our undergraduate students as they prepare for the corporate world and as they engage in student competitions in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and our own Creative Summit held annually here in San Marcos.

We have continued to expand our B.F.A. pre-professional emphasis in Theatre/Dance without diminishing in any way our commitment to continue our tradition of providing outstanding teachers for the public schools of Texas.

As you peruse the remaining pages within our College website, I believe that you will find additional evidence to support the notion that Texas State University’s College of Fine Arts & Communication is indeed committed to “the ideal balance!”