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Individual Studies (IVSP) students enjoy broad academic freedom and flexibility to pursue their degrees in ways that best suit their intellectual interests and passions. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor and the IVSP staff, students create their own unique, interdisciplinary majors that approach important issues, questions, and problems from a range of disciplines and perspectives. 

Merrill College offers a flexible, hands-on curriculum combining the best journalism traditions with cutting-edge digital storytelling and engagement skills crucial to numerous professions. Students learn to tell fair and accurate stories through writing, audio, video, data visualization, social media and more. They use the latest tools to uncover wrongdoing, amplify marginalized voices and reveal the human reality behind headlines.

The Art Education program embraces the artist-teacher concept which allows students to develop a strong studio practice while preparing to teach art at the P-12 level in today’s diverse schools. This program provides a solid foundation in the liberal arts, knowledge and specialized skills in studio arts, art history, educational best practices, curriculum planning and classroom management.

Our award-winning program provides hands-on experience in acting, directing, voice, movement and design with a curriculum focused on student engagement and professional development. The faculty represent various dramatic disciplines. Alumni have achieved success on Broadway, in film and television, and working with established artists like Beyoncé. Located near D.C., we offer unique networking opportunities and partnerships with prestigious institutions.

The Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art offers five concentrations for students to pick from: painting and drawing, printmaking, sculpture, digital media, and graphic design. Studio Art majors begin with foundational training and then explore various media. They develop their artistic voice, combining contemporary art-critical practices with technical skills. Opportunities for internships, gallery work and organizing exhibitions are available.

The Music Performance minor gives students the opportunity to receive high-level training in instrumental or vocal performance. Ensemble participation and academic courses in music allow students pursuing this minor to achieve expertise in the art, history and theory of music. Beyond the minor, the School of Music offers a Bachelor of Arts in music for those interested in double majoring.

The Music and Culture minor explores how human cultural diversity is represented through music. You’ll develop skills in hearing, thinking, analyzing, discussing and writing about music while relating it to other aspects of human life. Students take ethnomusicology courses to explore diverse musical cultures and genres, as well as have the chance to participate in cultural music ensembles.

Students minoring in Arts Leadership will learn critical, interdisciplinary and holistic thinking methods necessary to meet the challenges faced by arts leaders. These include the fundamentals of cultural policy, stewardship, programming and curation as well as legal aspects like copyright. Students will also gain practical skills like grant writing and an appreciation for the importance of diversity in the arts.

The School of Music offers conservatory-style training with an emphasis on developing well-rounded musicians. Located near the nation's capital, students have opportunities to perform with prestigious cultural institutions. The Bachelor of Music is for students who desire a career-focused music education and innovative curriculum. This professional program allows students to study with renowned faculty experts and play in top ensembles.

The School of Music offers conservatory-style training with an emphasis on developing well-rounded musicians. Located near the nation's capital, students have opportunities to perform with prestigious cultural institutions. The Bachelor of Arts program offers a balanced liberal arts curriculum for those interested in music alongside other fields, allowing flexibility and broad engagement in musical performance.

We prepare music educators for leadership positions in diverse educational communities. We believe you learn to teach by teaching, and provide ample opportunities for you to teach every semester. Music Education majors have the same applied lessons and ensemble opportunities as performance majors. The major will prepare you to enter the teaching profession with an arsenal of knowledge and skills.

Immersive Media Design (IMD) allows students to unleash their creativity through technology. Students learn to design, develop, and produce various forms of immersive media—ranging from tactical and audio platforms to virtual and augmented reality. Through IMD courses, students integrate technical and artistic skills by studying digital media and collaborating to design immersive media works and build portfolios.

The Digital Storytelling and Poetics minor prepares students to interpret, and to create, imaginative writing in digital and new media spaces. Students build the skills necessary to critically analyze digital culture, narrative, poetics and rhetoric, and learn how to craft creative expression in digital platforms. Students will develop digital portfolios as a means to showcase their career-facing knowledge and skills.

The B.A. in Dance provides students with a strong foundation in the core aspects of dance and encourages interdisciplinary exploration. The curriculum includes classes in modern technique, choreography, improvisation, movement analysis, dance history, principles of teaching and a capstone research course. Students have frequent performance opportunities and can choose an emphasis in performance, choreography, production or dance education.

The Classical Mythology minor introduces students to classical mythology, its uses within ancient Greek and Roman culture, and its subsequent influence on art and literature.

The Cinema and Media Studies major offers an interdisciplinary approach to cinema and audio-visual media, emphasizing the study of history, theory and comparative analysis through scholarly analysis. Undergraduates explore aesthetics, culture, history and technology through cultures and societies, as well as courses in global film, all of which promote a comprehensive understanding of this influential medium's evolution and its global impact.

Art History and Archaeology students explore a wide spectrum of visual culture, spanning fine arts to street art. They collaborate with D.C arts institutions, broadening their perspectives. Students are encouraged to diversify their studies, pursue internships and engage in study abroad programs. Graduates find career opportunities in arts and cultural management, education, museum work, research and communication.

Students in the Creative Placemaking Minor learn how artists and designers can play a vital role in advancing public dialogue, exploring our shared humanity and addressing some of our major challenges, whether it be sparking conversations about racial injustice, inequitable development, climate change or celebrating the diverse communities and cultures around us. In the Creative Placemaking studios, students will engage in place-based projects in partnership with local creatives, culture bearers and knowledge keepers.