CPVA Mission Statement

The SUU College of Performing and Visual Arts serves as a catalyst for students to realize their creative potential by providing a personalized and rigorous learning environment, fostering experiential education and contributing to the cultural enrichment of a global society.

Our Strategic Goals

• Cultivate in all SUU students, an appreciation for the value of the performing and visual arts
• Promote positive learning environments for our students as they seek to develop a life-long commitment to the arts
• Offer curriculum that meets or exceeds national standards which includes experiential programming giving students opportunities to develop as artists, educators, scholars, and arts leaders
• Create events to enrich the quality of life on the campus, in the community, and extending to the national and international arena
• Empower and support our faculty and staff as superior educators, mentors, artists, scholars, and administrators who engage student learning as part of a collaborative, academic and artistic process
• Contribute to students’ development as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in a global community

Our mission and strategic goals are focused on making the arts a vital, visible, accessible, innovative, and integral part of the intellectual and cultural life of Southern Utah University and beyond.

Our Programs

The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) offers a diverse range of undergraduate degrees (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.M.) in the departments of Filmmaking, Art, & Design; Music; and Theatre, Dance, & Arts Administration. Furthermore, we provide graduate degrees in Arts Administration, Music Education, and Music Technology, and unique minors in Shakespeare Studies, Arts Administration, and Museum Studies. SUU holds accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). The exceptional curriculum and contributions of our highly qualified faculty and staff are complemented by integral components of the College, the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, as well as our direct affiliation with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF).

Learning Outcomes

The College of Performing and Visual Arts has four learning goals for all students in the college that build on the University’s mission and core themes.

Students will:

• Communicate effectively
• Develop curiosity, critical and creative thinking skills
• Embrace global awareness, personal responsibility, and artistic integrity
• Process the history, principles, training, skills, and knowledge associated with performing and visual arts to facilitate success in their chosen field