Design your own major drawn from other disciplines
Artists are famous for disliking labels—they’re just not that useful. If your interests don’t fall neatly into one area, our Interdisciplinary Arts major may be the answer. With the help of an advisor here on our Florida campus, you’ll design your own major of 16 courses drawn from two or more of these areas: Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Theatre, Music and Film Studies. Perfect!
Only@Eckerd
A growing community of video, film and new media creators
Join other like-minded thinkers in exploring your own vision in our digital arts studio and laboratory equipped for video, sound and graphic design.
Space to create
As an interdisciplinary arts major, you’re eligible to occupy one of seven semi-private student studios for 24/7 work in the Nielsen Center for Visual Arts.
In Their Own Words
“Interdisciplinary Arts has allowed me to pursue my many passions; painting, music, poetry, acting, etc. from an already adept standpoint. My journey towards proficiency in my many disparate media would have taken significantly longer. I loved my degree because of my mentors I was able to get to know and work alongside [Professors] Art Skinner, Brian Ransom, Joan Epstein, Gavin Hawk, Scott Ward.”
—Matt Walker ’13
Improv artist, musician and designer
Beyond the Classroom
Interdisciplinary arts internships can take you places. A few examples:
- Arts marketing intern, St. Pete Women’s Collective
- Graphic design and journalism intern, First Track Entertainment
- Associate production intern for a Black Lives Matter documentary series, Polaris Network
Because Eckerd is a small college, you can literally study what you want. For example:
- One student did an independent study in making ceramic musical instruments.
- Another student did an independent study in letterpress printing.
You’re sure to find someplace interesting among the 300 study abroad destinations Eckerd offers every year. For example:
- One interdisciplinary arts major spent a year studying ceramics, Japanese music and aesthetics at Kansai Gaidai in Japan.
- Another focused on photography during a three-week Winter Term in Greece, which became a central focus of her Senior Project.
- While studying at Eckerd’s London Study Centre, a third interdisciplinary arts major made a useful travel guide for Eckerd students.
In recent years, professors Jon Chopan and Kirk Ke Wang have led students to Paris, London and Cuba.
Study Abroad Pics on FlickrAll students are asked to take at least one designated Reflective Service Learning course, which includes at least 20 hours of service, before graduation, either on campus or internationally.
Service Pics on Flickr
“Deconstructing Ulysses,” selected pages from an altered book
By Aurelius Sutter ’22, Interdisciplinary Arts student
Popular classes
Sound Design
Taught by one of our music professors, this class introduces the philosophy and physical dimensions of sound, sound synthesis and manipulation, plus means of organizing sound. In addition to reading and listening, you’ll learn to create soundscapes, sound sculptures, film scenes and multi-media works.
Avant-garde poetry
Avant-garde poetry explored the possibilities of poetry on and off the printed page. You will create work in response to surrealism, visual and concrete poetry, illustrated poetry, sound poetry and haptic poetry.
Facilities
Our bold Center for Visual Arts features:
- Printmaking, painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture & digital arts studios
- Semiprivate studio space for up to 28 students
- A ceramics and sculpture yard
- Digital lab
- Two galleries
- Plaza and patios
Outcomes
What can I do with an interdisciplinary arts degree?
- Arts or Creative Direction
- Arts Management
- Business Theatre
- Community-based Arts
- Costume Design
- Digital Arts
- Events Coordination
- Interactive and Multimedia Design
- Musical Production
- Installation Art
- Performing Arts
- Playwriting or Screenwriting
- Publishing and Editing
- Teaching
- Theatre and Set Design
- Video and Film Production
- Web Design and Animation
Where our interdisciplinary arts majors go to graduate school
- Bemidji State University
- Florida International University
- Miami Dade College
- Orange Coast College
- St. Petersburg College
- Stetson University
- Thomas Jefferson University Medical
- University of Baltimore
- University of Califorinia-San Diego
- University of Maryland
