Exploring Arts and Architecture Programs at UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) stands as a leading public research university, offering a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. Among its many distinguished schools, the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture (UCLA Arts) holds a prominent position, dedicated to fostering creativity, critical thinking, and innovation in the fields of art, architecture, design, media, and performance.
UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture: An Overview
UCLA Arts is one of the 12 prestigious professional schools at the University. It is committed to training exceptional artists, performers, architects, and scholars. The school enriches students with a global view of the arts and prepares them to serve as cultural leaders.
The school provides a range of course offerings and programs through its four degree-granting departments:
- Architecture and Urban Design
- Art
- Design | Media Arts
- World Arts and Cultures/Dance
UCLA demonstrated an early commitment to the arts by establishing an art gallery and a music department in 1919. Following academic restructuring in the late 1980s, the UC Regents formally approved the establishment of the School of the Arts and the School of Theater, Film and Television.
UCLA Arts distinguishes itself through its interdisciplinary approach, integrating studio-based practice with critical studies and liberal arts scholarship. This approach fosters a dynamic learning environment where students can explore the profound interdependence between creativity and academic research.
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Located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, the School offers a cosmopolitan arena for study and experimentation that reflects the diversity of our students and faculty. Its location provides students with access to a vibrant cultural landscape and numerous opportunities for engagement with the broader arts community.
Notable Faculty
UCLA Arts boasts a world-class faculty comprised of accomplished artists, designers, architects, performers, ethnographers, and scholars. Some notable faculty members include:
- Architecture: Neil Denari, Thom Mayne, Sylvia Lavin, and Greg Lynn.
- Design Media Arts: Rebecca Allen, Erkki Huhtamo, Peter Lunenfeld, Christian Moeller, Casey Reas, Jennifer Steinkamp, Eddo Stern, and Victoria Vesna.
- World Arts and Cultures: Peter Sellars.
- Art: Catherine Opie, Andrea Fraser, Barbara Kruger, and Lari Pittman.
Public Arts Institutions
Three public arts institutions are located within the School of the Arts and Architecture:
- The Hammer Museum presents art ranging from Impressionism to Contemporary.
- The Fowler Museum at UCLA features material culture and art from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.
- CAP UCLA is a major performing arts program.
These institutions provide students with access to outstanding art collections, exhibitions, and performing arts presentations, enriching their coursework and fostering a deeper appreciation for the arts.
Degree Programs
UCLA Arts offers a range of graduate degree programs in the Departments of Architecture and Urban Design, Art, Design | Media Arts, Ethnomusicology, Music, and World Arts and Cultures. The School’s unique curriculum interweaves work in performance, studio and research studies, providing students with a solid creative, artistic and intellectual foundation.
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Admission Criteria
Applicants are considered on the basis of academic achievement as well as supplemental materials specific to each major. The School of Art and Architecture will consider sophomore transfer applicants. Applicants to the school must have a minimum 3.0 GPA at the time of application. In addition to the UC Application, applicants are required to submit supplemental application material (e.g., portfolio or audition, artist statements, and other materials as requested; additional fees may apply).
For all candidates: Two transferable English courses and one transferable math course MUST be completed by the end of Spring prior to transfer. California Community College students are strongly encouraged to complete IGETC; all other transfer students are encouraged to make progress toward completion of the school’s general education requirements.
Double-majoring is possible with a major in the College, but it can be difficult due to the high number of course requirements in most UCLA arts majors. Double major requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Undergraduate Majors within the School of the Arts and Architecture
The departments within the School of the Arts and Architecture offer the following majors:
- Architectural Studies
- Art
- Dance
- Design | Media Arts
- World Arts and Cultures
Architectural Studies
The Architectural Studies B.A. is for TRANSFERS ONLY and is not open to First Years. Students are admitted for Fall quarter only. There are no required major preparation coursework. Applicants must complete the following with a ‘B’ average across all three courses in order to be UC eligible. The Architectural Studies major will consider sophomore level transfers (applicants with fewer than 60/90 transferable units).
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The curriculum conceives of architecture as a cultural, creative, and technical practice and a discipline with direct social impact. Within the context of a liberal arts education, a finely balanced set of architecture and urban design courses ranging from the history and theory of design to contemporary building technologies will provide students with a diverse foundation of knowledge in the field of architecture and prepare them for graduate school and/or careers in a wide range of fields.
The Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (B.A.) is a two-year major that begins in the junior year of residence. The program is not open to Freshman applicants. Undergraduate admissions inquiries are managed by the UCLA Arts Office of Enrollment Management. Students are admitted for Fall Quarter only.
The most important admission criteria is the supplemental application which requires a portfolio of creative work. Students MUST complete the requisite two English courses and one math course by the end of Spring prior to transfer. Students are encouraged to take their required English and math courses as early as possible with at least one English course completed by the end of Fall.
The curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies introduces the fundamental ordering systems of architecture: form, space, tectonics, and program, and their relationships to political, social and cultural constructs. Central to the pedagogy are two objectives: the first provides an understanding of architecture and urban design as a humanist discipline, which engages cultural and social studies, and the history of architecture and cities.
This undergraduate major features coursework in three areas: critical studies, technology and design. The critical studies sequence builds a foundation in critical thinking that engages historical and contemporary disciplinary contexts. These critical thinking skills drive the technology sequence with assignments that question emerging technologies, conventional and innovative material assemblies, and the role of architectural representation.
In studio, students will develop the ability to think critically about their ideas and explore the creative process in architecture and urban design in relation to these ideas. The UCLA Architecture and Urban Design community is supportive, intellectually engaging, and highly motivated. Students learn in intimate studio and seminar settings from faculty who are scholars, designers, and practicing professionals.
While this program is not NAAB-accredited, it does provide a strong foundation for those students who elect to pursue studies in architecture and related fields such as art history, design, fine arts, engineering, environmental design, and urban studies.
Preparation for the Major
Admission to the architectural studies major is very competitive. While it may be beneficial to complete the courses listed below as recommended preparation, there’s no guarantee they will transfer as exact UCLA equivalents. Substitutions for lower-division requirements will be determined by the department in the summer following admission. Syllabi or other descriptive course documentation may be required for consideration.
Recommended (not required) preparation for the major:
- Two courses in the history of architecture (Pre-history to Mannerism and 1600 to present)
- One introduction to architectural studies course
Portfolio and Supplemental Requirements
In addition to the general UC Application, applicants must submit a supplemental application that includes a portfolio of creative work. Additional fees may apply. Applicants must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the time of application. Students MUST complete the requisite two English courses and one math course by the end of Spring prior to transfer. Students are encouraged to take their required English and math courses as early as possible with at least one English course completed by the end of Fall.
Art
The Department of Art is committed to professional art training within the context of a research university. The department provides students with a broad exposure to the arts and encourages new fields of investigation. Students work in more than one medium and explore mixed media possibilities as well in areas of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, printmaking, new genres, and theory. The program's intent is to provide the framework, both through coursework and independent study, to assist each student in the development of their own body of work.
Preparation for the Major
Admission to the art major is very competitive. The most important admission criteria is the supplemental application which requires a portfolio of creative work. While it may be beneficial to complete the courses listed below as preparation/experience, they aren’t required for admission and there’s no guarantee they will satisfy major requirements and/or transfer as exact equivalents of any UCLA courses. Substitutions for lower-division requirements will be determined by the department in the summer following admission. Syllabi or other descriptive course documentation may be required for consideration.
Recommended (not required) preparation for the major:
- One in each of the following:
- Drawing
- Sculpture
- Painting
- Photography
- Ceramics
- New genres [performance art, video art, installation, and non-studio work]
- Four courses (total) in art history. Three of the four should cover the following art historical periods (one each):
- 1850s-1920s
- 1920s-1960s
- 1960s-present*At least one of the four should include significant representation of non-European/North American art historical traditions.
Portfolio and Supplemental Requirements
In addition to the general UC Application, applicants must submit a portfolio of creative work. Additional fees may apply. Applicants must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the time of application. Students MUST complete the requisite two English courses and one math course by the end of Spring prior to transfer. Students are encouraged to take their required English and math courses as early as possible with at least one English course completed by the end of Fall.
Dance
The Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance is at the forefront of innovative, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural studies of the arts, offering a curriculum in which students can explore the vital relationship of the arts and performance to cultural theory and criticism. The dance major thoroughly integrates learning to dance, learning to make dances, and critical interrogation of dance as a cultural practice.
Students study a variety of techniques from around the world throughout their studies. They enroll in a four-term sequence in dance composition, with additional opportunities to participate in the creation of their own dances, as well as working as dancers in the creation of new works by faculty members and visiting artists. Furthermore, they engage in a core of four courses in the study of scholarly discourse around the body and dance, launching a critical inquiry into their own study of bodily practices, internalization of the embodied experience, and how bodily ideas and embodied experiences are interpreted and communicated outwardly and interpersonally, both locally and globally.
Preparation for the Major
Admission to the dance major is highly competitive. The most important admission criteria is the supplemental application which includes an audition. While it may be beneficial to complete the courses listed below as preparation/experience, they aren’t required for admission and there’s no guarantee they will satisfy major requirements and/or transfer as exact equivalents of any UCLA courses. Substitutions for lower-division requirements will be determined by the department in the summer following admission. Syllabi or other descriptive course documentation may be required for consideration.
Recommended (not required) preparation for the major:
- One course each in:
- Improvisation/choreography
- Dance history and theory
- At least eight courses (approximately 12 semester/20 quarter units) in various dance techniques, particularly:
- Modern/postmodern dance
- Hip-hop
- West African
- Ballet
- Coursework focusing on using dance as a medium to connect and engage community
Audition, Interview and Supplemental Requirements
In addition to the general UC Application, applicants must submit a supplemental application (additional fees may apply). Dance applicants must audition, in addition to showing strong academic preparation and evidence of involvement in the arts and community that demonstrates interest in varied cultures.
All students must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the time of the application. Students MUST complete the requisite two English courses and one math course by the end of Spring prior to transfer. Students are encouraged to take their required English and math courses as early as possible with at least one English course completed by the end of Fall.
Design | Media Arts
The Department of Design | Media Arts (DMA) emphasizes visual, audio, analytical theoretical, and technology-mediated work in design and media arts. Please note that this is NOT a graphic design major, but an academic program that supports a diversity of interests around design, media, technology, and culture. The integrative curriculum invites students to balance their aesthetic sensibility with logical reasoning, formal theories with practical application, and contemporary thought with a historical perspective. The majority of transfer students take three years to complete the program.
Preparation for the Major
Admission to the School of Design | Media Arts major is very competitive. The supplemental application carries significant weight in the evaluation process. While it may be beneficial to complete the courses listed below as preparation/experience, they aren’t required for admission and there’s no guarantee they’ll satisfy major requirements and/or transfer as exact equivalents of any UCLA courses. Substitutions for lower-division requirements will be determined by the department in the summer following admission. Syllabi or other descriptive course documentation may be required for consideration.
Recommended (not required) preparation for the major:
- One course each in:
- Drawing
- Color theory
- Two-dimensional and three-dimensional form
- Digital media/computer design
- Programming for media arts
- Letterforms and typography
- Design history
- Design culture
- Interactivity and media arts
Portfolio and Supplemental Requirements
In addition to the general UC Application, applicants must submit a supplemental application that includes a portfolio of creative work. Additional fees may apply. Students MUST complete the requisite two English courses and one math course by the end of Spring prior to transfer. Students are encouraged to take their required English and math courses as early as possible with at least one English course completed by the end of Fall. Applicants must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the time of application.
World Arts and Cultures
The B.A. in world arts and cultures (WAC) enables students to critically examine and constructively engage the social and cultural contexts that shape artists and their creativity. The interdisciplinary curriculum accentuates those local histories and global influences that inform ethnographic, curatorial, creative and scholarly praxis, as well as activist politics and questions of social justice.
The major encourages students to understand the making and reception of arts and social movements through a critical lens that is rooted in a range of cultural and post-colonial theories. As such, education in this major is built on the dialogue between theory and practice, between creative work and critical analysis.
Preparation for the Major
All preparatory coursework should be completed at UCLA. Your individual interests related to the WAC major can be shown through your IGETC coursework selection. Substitutions for lower-division requirements will be determined by the department in the summer following admission. Syllabi or other descriptive course documentation may be required for consideration.
Supplemental Requirements
In addition to the general UC Application, applicants must submit a supplemental application (additional fees may apply). Successful applicants must have strong academic preparation and show evidence of involvement in the arts and community that demonstrates interests in varied cultures. All students must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the time of the application. Students MUST complete the requisite two English courses and one math course by the end of Spring prior to transfer.
UCLA Extension
UCLA Extension offers a variety of individual open-enrollment courses for professional development with distinguished instructors. With evening, weekend, and online class options, students always have the flexibility to study part‑time and at their convenience. The Certificate of Interior Design can be completed 100% online.
UCLA Extension also offers a four-course specialization to enhance careers with computer-aided design (CAD).
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