Arts Merit Frequently Asked Questions
Curriculum and Co-Curriculum
Can I double-major in an arts-area (studio art, art history, theatre, creative writing, etc.) and another discipline?
Yes. Within the liberal arts context at Bucknell, students may combine any Bachelor of Arts degree with any additional Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science path (except for neuroscience and biochemistry) and still graduate in four years. Roughly one third of our seniors graduate with a double major.
Students who apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Music or the Bachelor of Music (in performance, education, composition, or history and literature) programs, and who are interested in pursuing a double major in another discipline, should speak to music faculty in person at the time of their auditions to discuss the possibilities available to them. All music major candidates are required to list either the BA or BMUS as their intended major on the application.
We offer as well a five-year, dual-degree program in engineering and any Bachelor of Arts major; each year we see a handful of students pair engineering with the Bachelor of Arts in music, as one example. Students may apply directly to the Engineering-BA program on the application.
Please note that we offer Dance as a minor, which allows dancers to pursue a wide range of majors—whether they choose professional tracks (such as management, engineering or education), interdisciplinary courses of study (such as mathematics and economics) or traditional liberal arts disciplines.
Can I take classes in the fine and performing arts disciplines without having to declare a major or minor in the field?
Given the openness and flexibility of our curriculum, all students are welcomed to take courses in the fine and performing arts regardless of whether or not they are majors or minors in the discipline. An audition is not required in order for students to enroll in classes or even to major or minor in the arts.
However, to gain entrance into the music major, as either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music student, candidates are required to audition in person as outlined in the arts merit scholarship website—though the opportunity to minor in music, take classes, arrange for private lessons, and audition for department ensembles and performing groups is open to all students on campus.
Arts merit scholarship winners are required, in order to maintain their awards throughout their undergraduate experience, to meet curricular expectations as outlined in the arts merit scholarship website: www.bucknell.edu/admissions/arts.
What happens if I switch my academic area of study as a current student on campus—will I forfeit the arts merit scholarship?
If you are required to major in an arts discipline in order to maintain the arts merit scholarship, switching your major into another academic area may jeopardize your award. However, as outlined in the arts merit scholarship website, curricular commitments vary by department, and in some cases, such as with creative writing, theatre – tech and design and dance, students are required to fulfill a minor.
How can I get involved in the arts through clubs, activities and residential programs?
With over 150 student clubs and organizations, opportunities abound for involvement in the fine and performing beyond the classroom. Literary journals and magazines, dance groups and the Dance Showcase, a radio station, four a cappella groups, free figure drawing sessions, open studio art nights, the student art collective, and many other structured activities exist for students—and students may start their own, new clubs, which have included the Sidecar travel-writing journal and the Harry Potter-inspired Quidditch team (a bit of magical artistry is required to participate!). Here’s a link to our webpage on Campus Life. Our ResidentialCollege system provides academic theme-floor living within the residence halls for first-year students; “Res” Colleges include one for the Arts, another for Humanities, and at least five other options. You can learn more about them here.
Which facilities do you have on campus to support student artists?
In addition to having established, academic departments in the arts, facilities include the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Weis Music Building Recital Hall, Harvey Powers Theatre, Tustin Dance Studio, Tustin Black Box Theatre, Bucknell Hall, the Stadler Center for Poetry, Uptown, the 7th Street Café, the Art Building, the Art Barn (literally a barn that has been converted into studio and classroom space), the Samek Art Gallery, the Willard Smith Library, the Mildred Martin Library, and venues in downtown Lewisburg such as The Cherry Alley Café, for example, feature student performers ranging from musicians to poets. Click here for more information on the arts at Bucknell.
Admissions and Aid
If I don’t want to compete for an arts merit scholarship, but I want to major in the fine and performing arts, am I required to participate in the screening process and/or audition in person?
We do not require supplemental materials from or auditions for students as part of the application process for entrance into fine and performing arts majors, unless students wish to vie for an arts merit scholarship.
All music major candidates are required to participate in the screening and, if invited, audition process—even if they do not wish to receive arts merit scholarship consideration. (As a reminder: students interested in the non-music major scholarship awards need only to send a CD recording to the music department, according to the guidelines in the arts merit scholarship website.)
Can I switch my intended major during the application process, and how would this impact my chances for receiving an arts merit scholarship?
Students may switch an intended major throughout the application process by submitting a request in writing to admissions@bucknell.edu. However, if students are required to major in a particular discipline in order to maintain the arts merit award—as outlined in the arts merit scholarship website—it will be the responsibility of the students, working closely with faculty and the academic department, to fulfill the curricular responsibilities once they’re on campus. All music candidates are required to declare upfront through the application a commitment to pursuing either the Bachelor of Arts in Music or the Bachelor of Music degree (in performance, education, composition, or history and literature); music candidates may change majors, from the BA to the BMUS or vise-versa, at the time of the audition, completing and signing an agreement form.
Can I still send in supplemental arts materials (art slides, CD’s, DVD’s, etc.) with my application, even if I don’t want to participate in the arts merit scholarship selection process?
We do accept supplemental application materials, but given the volume of applications to Bucknell, it’s difficult to review them in-depth. Students who have a meaningful background in the arts, have achieved distinct accomplishments or are interested in pursuing the fine and performing arts in college are encouraged to discuss their experiences and portfolios through sections of the application itself—in the Common Application essay, list of activities, or in the Bucknell supplement.
Can I submit my creative samples and materials via a website, MP3, or other media?
We are unable to accommodate submissions of arts merit scholarship creative samples through mediums and media such as websites and MP3’s. Please review the arts merit scholarship website for instructions on the types of materials to send, the parameters that our faculty have set regarding volume, length, etc., and where to send them.
How does receiving an arts merit scholarship impact a need-based aid package and/or chances of receiving additional merit aid?
An arts merit scholarship award is grant or gift aid, meaning that students do not have to repay these funds once they graduate. For students who may also qualify for need-based assistance, the arts merit scholarship award typically enhances a package—reducing loans, in some cases, and adding additional grant funding—though the impact will vary on a case-by-case basis. Some arts merit scholarship recipients have also received academic merit aid, including Presidential Fellowships and Dean’s Scholarships, but academic merit aid is limited at Bucknell. Please click here for more information about financial aid.
How can I learn more about applying for admission and/or financial aid?
Please visit the admissions and financial aid websites.
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