The College of Arts & Humanities

Programs in the College of Arts and Humanities provide you with the base of humanistic studies and creative expression essential to the understanding of contemporary civilization. Reflect critically on questions of belief, values, and the nature of human existence. Expand your imagination and creativity. Develop an appreciate and understanding of the great works of human imagination.

Academic Excellence and Opportunity

Within the College of Arts and Humanities excellence can be seen in the accomplishments of our programs. Our faculty’s engagement in research and creative activity provides exciting opportunities for graduate and undergraduate student research. More than a million dollars in research funding flow to the college each year to support the various outreach projects with local school districts and teacher training programs. Our graduates also earn recognition by being accepted upon graduation to major doctoral programs at institutions such as Yale, Stanford, Berkeley, the Peabody Conservatory, and distinguished law programs. Graduates from our MFA in creative writing program have won national recognition.

Creative Environment

Three gallery exhibit spaces display the art and design work of faculty, students, alumni and nationally known artists. The University Theatre offers six major theater productions and dance performances ranging from the cutting edge of the avant-garde to lyrical modern dance to contemporary ballet. Numerous musical performances grace the halls of the music complex. From the keyboard concert series to the opera workshop, the choral groups, the chamber ensembles, the jazz bands, the guitar festivals, the clarinet choir, and the percussion ensemble, numerous performances are scheduled each week. The Creative Writing program also holds regular readings of works by faculty, students and visiting guest poets and fiction writers. Additionally, the college houses a television studio, a radio station and the student newspaper, the Daily Collegian, all run by the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism.

Facilities and Technology

The music building houses magnificent recital and concert facilities, rehearsal halls, recording studios, and MIDI and electronic music labs. The newly renovated theater complex houses a 370-seat proscenium theater and a 170-seat arena theater as well as 90-seat lab theater and a spacious dance studio. The art and design program is housed in an award-winning contemporary art building with spacious ceramic and glass-blowing studios, a foundry, sculpture, painting and print-making facilities, photography studios, interior design and graphic design studios, computer labs, and a large art gallery to display student and faculty work. The Mass Communication and Journalism department houses a digital photo-journalism lab, audio and video production and editing studios, facilities to produce the student-run newspaper, The Daily Collegian.

Dynamic Growth

Fresno State is home to the Downing Planetarium offering scientific wonders and breathtaking views. The Save Mart Center is the largest event center between Los Angeles and the Bay Area and is the largest such center on a university campus. It draws big name entertainment and hosts a variety of academic, athletic and cultural events. There is also a Fresno State campus radio station, KFSR-FM.

Beauty and Access

Fresno State lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada range, within an hour’s drive from skiing and hiking at any mountain and lake resort and within a three or four hour drive of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The campus has 327 acre main campus designated as an arboretum.

Best Value

U.S. News and World Report has consistently rated Fresno State among the top 10 public western regional universities for “Best Value”.