RACHEL SWITZKY, inaugural director of the Siebel Center for Design. Switzky holds a BFA (1993) and MFA (1998) in Industrial Design from Illinois. Photo by Nicolas Zurcher.
HERE IS A SAMPLING OF COMPANIES WHERE FAA GRADS ARE EMPLOYED.
Apple
Aria Group Architects
Asolo Repertory Theatre
Caterpillar
Charlotte Hornets
Charlottesville Ballet
Chicago Public Schools
Chiyoda International
School Tokyo
Facebook
Flywheel Sports
Geico
Gensler
Glendale School District
Goodman Theatre
Google
Great Basin Institute
Grubhub
John Deere
Landscape Structures
LinkedIn
Loci Architecture
Microsoft
Monster Toys
Nautilus
Perkins+Will
Rise Interactive
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Snapchat
Swoon Living
U.S. Architectural Glass and Metal
Village of Arlington Heights
Village of Plainfield
Walt Disney Company
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Whirlpool
Yelp
WE START PREPARING YOU FOR SUCCESS ON DAY ONE
FAA CAREER SERVICES OFFICE
Students receive individualized attention with major-specific resources and support.
+ Major-specific career fairs
+ Subscriptions to arts job databases
+ Networking opportunities with alumni
+ Portfolio development
+ Audition preparation
+ Self-promotion and marketing guidance
+ Interview preparation and practice
+ University of Illinois job database
CHICAGO CONNECTIONS
In addition to campus-based job fairs, FAA hosts events in Chicago.
+ Industrial Design Job Fair
+ Graphic Design Career Fair
+ BFA Acting Showcase for talent scouts and theatre directors
+ Theatre Design, Technology, and Management portfolio review sessions with industry professionals
+ Landscape Architecture Career Fair
+ Arts and Culture Career Fair where students connect with galleries, theatres, museums, festivals, and arts organizations.
STRONG ALUMNI NETWORK
Illinois has more than 450,000 living alumni—33,000+ of them from FAA. This dedicated group provides a worldwide support network for students and recent graduates embarking on careers.
PROFESSIONAL
+
ARCHITECTURE
THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT ILLINOIS WAS THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE UNITED STATES.
Degrees
BSAS
• Architectural Studies
MINOR
• Architectural Studies
Are you ready to make a difference? Our students become leaders who take our field in bold directions and use their design and technical knowledge to solve society’s critical problems.
CORE FEATURES
At the Illinois School of Architecture, we provide students with an aesthetically motivated and technically rigorous design education. In a time when a new formalism represents the avant garde, we, like the school’s founder Nathan Ricker, look beyond current fashion, striving to leverage technical virtuosity in the service of performative design, aesthetic expression, and service to society. We Learn from the Past, Question the Present, Shape the Future. Students and faculty challenge current thinking by working together to explore innovative design solutions.
Our diverse and accomplished faculty offer students a strong intellectual foundation informed by our position within a top-tier research university. Students explore theoretical and conceptual positions informed by history and technology and envision creative design solutions for real-world settings in communities, organizations, and firms. We develop graduates who are highly sought after in architecture and allied professions for their expertise in design and technical integration.
ASSETS
+ One of the largest architecture alumni organizations in the country—a powerful professional resource
+ 24-hour access to personal studio space
+ Fabrication labs with traditional woodworking equipment and state-of-the-art routers, printers, and laser cutters
+ Ricker Art and Architecture Library—electronic databases, rare items including portfolios by Frank Lloyd Wright, and more than 150,000 books and journals
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Join classmates in Barcelona for a yearlong immersive program located in a hub of historic buildings, cultural and educational institutions, and companies.
+ Support and rejuvenate regions in need through research, town hall sessions, and volunteer work.
+ Career XPO brings firms from across the nation to campus each spring to hire graduating architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning students
ART & DESIGN
VIBRANT. ILLUMINATING. EMPOWERING. ART & DESIGN AT ILLINOIS PREPARES ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, HISTORIANS, AND EDUCATORS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Degrees
BFA
• Art & Art History
• Art Education
• Graphic Design
• Industrial Design
• Studio Art (concentrations in fashion, general studio art, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture)
BA
• Studio Art
OTHER
• Art Undeclared (freshman year only)
MINORS
• Art & Design (for non-majors)
• Art History
• Community-Based
Art Education
Do you dream of developing new products at a design firm or silk-screening T-shirts for your own brand? Are you an expert at pairing images with text? Are you passionate about making innovative artworks in a variety of media? Tap into your inventive energy and train for success in creative industries, a studio practice, or teaching.
CORE FEATURES
No matter what inspires you, every one of our programs will prepare you to thrive. We encourage you to explore courses and collaborate on projects with students from across campus. During your personalized plan of study, you’ll polish and expand your artistic skills and build expertise in communication, problem solving, and business development. You’ll get a broad education that will resonate with employers.
If you aren’t ready to choose your degree focus, select Art Undeclared when you apply. You’ll have a whole year to sample classes before you’ll be asked to declare a major.
ASSETS
+ Krannert Art Museum—10,000 pieces plus performances and special events
+ Ricker Art and Architecture Library—one of the largest collections in the country
+ Equipment checkout of digital cameras, audio recorders, and other film tools
+ 3D labs furnished with 3D printers, laser cutters, plasma cutters, hand and power tools, welders, and routers
+ Professional film and flatbed scanners
+ Large-format, photo-quality printers
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Gain practical experience in a professional internship.
+ Participate in a series of lectures, exhibits, discussions, and workshops by experts.
+ Showcase your work in the Link Gallery within the Art & Design Building, at the Illini Union, or in Krannert Art Museum.
DANCE
DANCE AT ILLINOIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST—AND MOST PROGRESSIVE— DANCE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
Is dance your passion? How can you form a career with dance and movement at its center? Experience the many facets of dance and the multitude of options for you as a performer, teacher, studio owner, choreographer, and more! Come Dance with Us!
CORE FEATURES
In our degree programs, you’ll find both rigorous training and encouragement to explore. You’ll be mentored by award-winning faculty and guest artists from around the world. The focus of the BFA includes studio practice in modern/contemporary, ballet, jazz, hip hop, African, and improvisation combined with courses in choreography, dance history, kinesiology, teaching, and career seminar. For the BA, you’ll study dance as well as another field of your choice, and you’ll design your own educational path.
Either degree will pave your way toward careers as professional dancers, choreographers, teachers, arts administrators, studio owners, fitness and body-mind practice instructors, or toward further education in dance or fields that you can combine with your expertise in dance and movement, such as physical therapy or dance therapy.
ASSETS
+ 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio
+ Custom-designed studios with sprung floors and natural light
+ Training in body-mind practices including the Alexander Technique and the option for Yoga certification
+ Performance spaces in the world-class Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Performing opportunities in four annual concerts at the Krannert Center, two to four senior concerts produced each year, musical theatre and opera productions, touring in local public schools, and student-sponsored dance groups.
+ An annual concert produced in the Krannert Center dedicated to student choreography and open to all dance majors.
+ Exchange programs with dance centers in Taiwan, England, Israel, and Chile, or through the university’s study abroad programs.
+ The annual Mark Morris Shadow Program, which offers selected students the opportunity to take company classes, engage in outreach activities with the company, and attend their summer workshop on scholarship.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AT ILLINOIS IS ROUTINELY RECOGNIZED AMONG THE BEST PROGRAMS IN THE NATION.
MUSIC
MUSIC AT ILLINOIS IS A CENTER FOR CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION THROUGH PERFORMANCE, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION.
• MUSIC+ (concentrations in composition, electric strings, interdisciplinary, music + culture, musicology, and music technology)
• Composition: Theory
• Instrumental Performance
• Jazz Performance
• Musicology (Music History)
• Open Studies
• Vocal Performance
Do you want to become a complete musician? Find your place in one of our highly competitive programs, and take your talent to the next level.
CORE FEATURES
Our ingenious and internationally honored instructors train acclaimed performers, tour the globe, and educate tomorrow’s passionate teachers. With an emphasis on creativity, technique, and artistry, and the resources of a top-tier research university, the School of Music provides an experience beyond conservatory training.
ASSETS
+ More than 50 ensembles
+ State-of-the-art equipment at the landmark Experimental Music Studios
+ Music and Performing Arts Library—nearly a million items including scores, recordings, and scholarly publications
+ Computer-assisted music instruction laboratories
+ Sousa Archives and Center for American Music—rare instruments and recordings, posters, photographs, and sheet music
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts hosts hundreds of events each year.
+ Master classes and concerts are offered by professional visiting artists.
+ The Robert E. Brown Center for World Music supports classes in global instruments, performances, lectures, and ensembles.
+ The Marching Illini has appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, and stadiums across the nation.
+ Career fairs, workshops in entrepreneurship, student teaching programs, and job placement resources help students flourish after graduation.
• Lyric Theatre
• Musical Education
• Computer Science & Music
• Music
• Musical Theatre
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
IN A RAPIDLY EMERGING FIELD, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IS DESIGNING FOR SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AT THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL LEVELS.
• Sustainable Design
Are you ready to transform society to become more environmentally sustainable? Do you want to apply your innovative and creative designs to develop healthier and resource-efficient communities? Do you envision a transformation of the built environment to be more environmentally and socially sustainable?
CORE FEATURES
Sustainable design calls on a student’s creativity to conceptualize, visualize, analyze, communicate, and build products, buildings, communities, cities, and landscapes that use energy and materials in a more environmentally and socially sustainable manner. You will learn how design can contribute to solving problems of sustainability in a constantly evolving society and building equitable, healthy, and thriving places.
Sustainable design majors complete course work in graphic and industrial design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning. The program combines concrete skills development with opportunities to move between disciplinary barriers and traverse traditional boundaries.
ASSETS
+ Gateway seminar introduces sustainability and resilient design
+ Studio work where students learn the basic skills to express ideas graphically and in three dimensions
+ Develop and implement individual capstone research topics, using multiple representational forms, including writing, drawing, mapping, and modeling
+ Identify a specialty area by selecting 16 hours of major electives
+ Designated as a STEM degree: Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension for international students on F-1 visas
+ Over 40 affiliated faculty, teaching and engaging in research related to Sustainable Design
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Join a faculty tour of sustainable design in the ChampaignUrbana community
+ Intern at professional and research centers on campus
+ Connect with Climate Designers in Champaign-Urbana to meet local professionals designing to impact climate change
+ Enter a Design Competition, such as the Big Ten Student Design Challenge or Wege Prize
+ Participate in one of over 20 Registered Student Organizations focused on environmental or design activities
THEATRE
ILLINOIS THEATRE IS LEADING THE WAY IN THE FIELDS OF THEATRE, TELEVISION, FILM, AND ARTS EDUCATION.
BFA
• Acting
• Arts & Entertainment Technology
• Costume Design & Technology
• Lighting Design & Technology
• Scenic Design
• Scenic Technology
• Sound Design & Technology
• Stage Management
• Theatre Studies
MINOR
• Theatre
Do you have the passion to be part of a creative collective of actors, designers, managers, and technicians? Are you looking to explore practical applications of theatre scholarship? Go deep into our integrated program of production, practice, and performance.
CORE FEATURES
As a theatre major you will investigate areas of design, acting, theatre history, play analysis, and dramatic literature, while also working on shows. Your first year builds a foundation within an ensemble of motivated theatre makers of tomorrow.
All applicants must audition or schedule a portfolio review and interview. That’s your chance to demonstrate your talent as an actor or designer, writing ability, passion for stage management, or interest in the technical aspects of theatre.
ASSETS
+ Six featured theatre productions with additional opportunities in dance, opera, and musical theatre
+ Exceptional faculty who maintain active, award-winning professional careers
+ Experiences that bridge the classroom and the profession
+ Collaboration on dance, opera, and musical theatre works
+ Cross-disciplinary training in technology, production, and performance
+ Fully equipped design and production labs, studios, and shops
+ World-class venues at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Connect with alumni engaged in all aspects of the performing and production arts.
+ Travel to Chicago for a senior acting showcase and portfolio review held with industry leaders.
+ Experiment with your own work at the student-run Armory Free Theatre.
+ Redefine storytelling with visionary guest artists by developing new works, new methods, and new media.
URBAN PLANNING
THE TRIFECTA. BACHELOR, MASTER, PHD. WE’RE ONE OF THE FEW UNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO OFFER ALL THREE DEGREES IN URBAN STUDIES AND PLANNING.
BAUSP
• Urban Studies & Planning MINOR
• Urban Studies & Planning
Do you want to have a say in how your city evolves? Would you like to enhance the quality of life in your community? Are you committed to protecting the environment? With a degree in urban planning, you can serve others and shape a better world.
CORE FEATURES
Our newly redesigned degree program has four concentrations to channel your desire to serve your community: sustainability, policy and planning, social justice, and global cities. You’ll gain expertise in subjects such as land use, collaborative problem solving, analytical methods, transportation systems, politics, law, and public policy. An internship conducted in a volunteer position or a capstone project fulfill the senior project requirement and complete your well-rounded education.
ASSETS
+ 24-7 computer lab with cloud server
+ Small classes and a supportive, tight-knit community of students and faculty
+ More than 2,200 alumni deeply connected to the department
+ A faculty of scholars, educators, and activists who lead in their areas of expertise on the national and international levels
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
+ Two active student organizations provide professional development experiences, work with neighborhood organizations for advocacy, and offer social activities.
+ Planning commissions, transportation boards, city councils, a county board, development commissions, and sustainability initiatives in the region offer real-world experience.
+ Community-based workshops assist with critical issues and provide outreach opportunities.
+ Study abroad in an urban planning program in Sheffield or Manchester, England; New South Wales, Australia; or study in another great location of your choice.
PRE-COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES
SPEND THE SUMMER WITH US!
ILLINOIS SUMMER YOUTH MUSIC (ISYM)
For over 66 years, ISYM has welcomed more than 1,000 students annually to comprehensive and intensive music programs focused by instrument or music genre.
music.illinois.edu/ISYM
FAA SUMMER INTENSIVE
The FAA Summer Intensive provides a perfect platform for high school students to learn about careers in the arts, create strong portfolio pieces, and get a true taste of college life. The broad curriculum allows students to choose one track to focus on for the week: Acting, Dance, Graphic/Industrial Design, Environmental Arts, Studio Arts, or Theatre Tech/Design.
Participants also join in fun evening activities, and the week concludes with an open house showcasing all work for families and participants.
go.illinois.edu/FAAsummer
DISCOVER ARCHITECTURE
This two-week summer program introduces high school students to architectural graphics, design, and modeling. Students learn about the roles and responsibilities of architects in relation to design, the profession, and the environment.
go.illinois.edu/discoverarch
SUMMER PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS
The prizes for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors entering the Discover FAA High School Talent Competitions are scholarships to a choice of FAA summer programs. Visit go.illinois.edu/FAAcompetitions to review specific competition requirements.
APPLY
HIGH SCHOOL COURSE WORK MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
+ 4 years of English
+ 3 years of math (3.5 years required for Architecture)
+ 2 years of social sciences
+ 2 years of lab sciences
+ 2 years of the same foreign language (3 years strongly encouraged)
+ 2 years of flexible academic credit
ACT & SAT SCORES
+ Average FAA ACT score: 25–30
+ Average FAA SAT score: 1200–1360 (no writing)
GPA
We make a holistic review of every application, weighing GPA with test scores, essay, and talent submission (portfolio or audition) if required. Your GPA should reflect a history of a strong work ethic. We recommend that you have a minimum average of 3.0.
YOUR FAA APPLICATION CHECKLIST
1. Complete the University of Illinois online application.
+ Biographical information
+ Essay should relate to your intended major of interest.
+ Q & A: This is the place to highlight clubs, afterschool activities, awards and accomplishments, hardships you’ve overcome.
+ List a 2nd Choice Major , if you have interest in being considered for an additional program should your 1st choice not be a good fit.
+ Self-report your academic record . If you are admitted, your official transcript will be requested.
+ We are test-optional , meaning you’re not required to submit ACT and/or SAT test results when you apply. We encourage you to report your scores if you feel they accurately represent your ability. For applicants that self-report test scores, if you are admitted, your official score will be requested.
Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Sustainable Design, and Urban Planning
DO NOT require talent submission.
2. Talent Review
If you’ve applied to a visual or performing arts major, a talent submission is required to complete your application. All students who submit talent are also reviewed for talent scholarships at that same time. Visit go.illinois.edu/FAAtalent for links to program-specific requirements.
First-year application deadlines with talent requirements may be found at go.illinois.edu/FAAfirstyear.
Transfer application deadlines with talent requirements may be found at go.illinois.edu/FAAtransfer. admissions.illinois.edu/apply
U of I student looks at a painting by Hedda Sterne in Art Since 1948 at Krannert Art Museum.
Photo by Della Perrone.
• Architectural Studies
• Art & Design
• Art History
• CommunityBased Art Education
• Landscape Studies
• Music
• Musical Theatre
• Theatre
• Urban Studies & Planning Minors
PURSUING MORE THAN ONE INTEREST
Don’t forget that FAA has minors in the visual, performing, and environmental arts that can enhance your education. Or you can add one of the dozens of minors—from African studies to mathematics to world literature—offered on campus.
MINORS
+ Opportunity to elevate your academic experience, customized to pursue your multifaceted interests
+ Comprehensive study in the discipline
+ Consist of at least 16 and no more than 21 hours of coursework.
DUAL DEGREES
+ Two degrees are awarded.
+ You must meet the requirements for both degrees.
+ You must earn a minimum of an additional 30 semester hours in undergraduate courses to apply toward the second degree.
+ You must meet the academic and residency requirements of each college awarding a degree.
+ Dual degrees generally take more than four years to complete.
If you’re intrigued by pursuing a minor or dual degrees, discuss your options with your advisor once you arrive on campus. When you begin your studies at the University of Illinois, you will have only one major. Apply to the program you feel most passionate about and then explore your choices after you see everything the university has to offer.
SCHOLARSHIPS
ACADEMIC MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships for high academic achievement are awarded each year. When you submit your application for undergraduate admission, you are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.
DISCOVER FAA HIGH SCHOOL TALENT COMPETITIONS
All students in grades 9–12 are encouraged to participate. Students are challenged to stretch their abilities, explore the wide variety of classes and majors offered within FAA, and compete for a scholarship to either one of our college degree programs or a summer program. Visit the website for a full list of competitions with specific entry requirements. Dates to remember:
+ Registration opens each September (students must register to compete)
+ Senior deadline is in December
+ Freshmen, sophomore, junior deadline is in March go.illinois.edu/FAAcompetitions
TALENT AWARDS
Scholarships for exceptional talent are awarded each year based on portfolios, auditions, and interviews. All students who submit a talent component with their application are automatically considered for these awards.
FUTURE IN THE FIELD AWARDS
These competitive scholarships are awarded to students interested in pursuing architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. All applicants to these programs are reviewed for academic merit and passion for major as evidenced in the college essay.
In the Fullness Thereof, by Endalyn Taylor, Photo by Natalie Fiol
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
go.illinois.edu/financialaid
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SCHOLARSHIP
DATABASE
go.illinois.edu/uischolarships
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
go.illinois.edu/studentjobs
NATIONAL CREATIVE SCHOLARSHIPS AND COMPETITIONS
faa.illinois.edu/nationalscholarships
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANACHAMPAIGN IS CONSIDERED A BEST VALUE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, WITH A HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
CONNECT
The best way to experience the College of Fine & Applied Arts is to see it with your own eyes. Join us for any of our scheduled visitation days or an Admissions daily tour (admissions.illinois.edu/visit ). Be sure to indicate on your registration form that you would like to meet with an FAA representative, and we’ll make sure you have the best visit possible.
With advance notice, visit opportunities can include:
+ Sitting in on a class
+ Meeting a student in your major of interest
+ Talking with staff and faculty about your major of interest
+ Taking a tour of facilities connected to your major
FAA IN YOUR AREA
College staff travel across the country to get to know talented students like you in person. Visit our website for a current schedule of college fairs, portfolio review sessions, auditions, and other events near you. faa.illinois.edu/FAAinYourArea
WE THINK WE’RE PRETTY GREAT, BUT DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT. SEE WHAT CURRENT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY:
I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AT THE WAY ALL THE FACULTY HAVE TAKEN SUCH AN INTEREST IN WHO I AM AS A PERSON AND HOW THEY WANT TO HELP ME SUCCEED.
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT ATTENDING FAA AT ILLINOIS IS GETTING TO BE PART OF CROSSDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS.
OUR COLLEGE IS SUCH A COOL ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOMPASSES SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND TALENTS.
I RECOMMEND STUDENTS VISIT THE KRANNERT ART MUSEUM. IT’S AMAZING.
I LOVE THE COLLEGE’S SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.
