College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media

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College Vision Statement

The College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM) is united by its common conviction that imagination and human communication are inseparable aspects of the same intellectual process. Through innovative and traditional teaching and the use of emerging technologies, the college promotes learning, research, scholarship, creative activity, and service to the profession and to the broader community in all aspects of human communication.

Central to the college's educational mission is the instruction of students in the essential, practical and theoretical knowledge that they will need to succeed in their chosen disciplines. Through its diverse outreach activities, the college is equally committed to the engagement of a broad constituency. The college makes important contributions to the cultural growth and well-being of the people of the region and prepares students to participate in a global community.

General Information

Overview of Degree Programs

The college is structured as three distinct schools: the School of the Arts (Art & Art History, Theatre, Writer’s Workshop), the School of Communication and the School of Music.

The College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM) offers the following degree programs:

  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts
  • Bachelor of Music
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Graduate Degrees (offered through Graduate Studies)

Accreditation Information

Major Degree Accreditation Body
Art History BA National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Music BA National Association of Music (NASM)
Music Conducting MM National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
Music Education BM - National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) - Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) - Nebraska Department of Education
Music Education MM National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
Music Performance BM MM National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
Studio Art BASA BFA National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Studio Art with K-12 Certification BASA BFA - National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) - Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)- Nebraska Department of Education

Choice of Catalog Policy

The catalog year (requirement term) is what ties the student to the catalog year curriculum that they are required to follow and determines the contract of degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Generally, the catalog year defaults to the same semester that the student entered the University in a degree program; however, students are eligible for more recent catalog years if it is to their benefit and approved by their advisor. By changing catalogs, a student is responsible for fulfilling all of the graduation requirements in their newly chosen catalog year. Requests to Change of Catalog Year must be approved by your Academic Advisor(s) and the CFAM Dean’s Office.   Students who suspend their matriculation for more than two semesters forfeit the requirements under their initial catalog and must complete the program under the catalog for the academic year in which they return. 

Program Contact Information

College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media Dean’s Office: 402.554.3857

Program Website
 

Admission Requirements

Admission to programs in the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media follow regular admission procedures of the University outlined in the current undergraduate catalog. The application deadline for admission to a degree seeking program is August 1 for fall semester, December 1 for spring semester.

Students who wish to transfer into CFAM from another college within the University must obtain written permission from and meet with a CFAM Dean’s Office advisor. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 is required to transfer into the college.

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Academic Requirements for the College Degrees

Number of Hours to Graduate

Students must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of college credit toward the degree of Bachelor of Science in Communication, Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Bachelor of Arts in Art History, Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio Art and Creative Writing), Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Bachelor of Arts in Music or Bachelor of Music. The minimum credit hour requirement for students in art or music seeking K-12 certification may vary according to current guidelines for teacher certification. Students must maintain close contact with an advisor each semester to insure progress toward fulfillment of their course of study. No student may count more than 87 semester hours of credit in any one discipline toward graduation. Actual limits are determined by faculty in the various disciplines.

General Education Requirements

Students are required to complete the UNO General Education requirements.  See below for specific information about quantitative literacy and writing in the discipline.

Quantitative Literacy

Students seeking degrees within the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media can complete any of the courses approved for quantitative literacy.

Writing in the Discipline

The following courses have been approved to fulfill the requirement for Writing in the Discipline for students seeking degrees within the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media:

Students in Art/Art History, Music (not K-12), and Writer's Workshop

 WRWS 3500 Creative Writing in the Arts  

Students in Communication studies or Journalism/Media Communication

CMST 3340 Rhetorical Criticism (For students in Communication Studies)

JMC 2100Media Writing (For students in Journalism/Media Communication)

Students in Art, K-12 and Music, K-12 Only 

 TED 2100 Educational Foundations

Students in Theatre Only

 THEA 3710 Theatre History and Literature:  Modern 1850-2000

THEA 4780  Theatre History and Literature:  Classical to 1500

THEA 4790 Theatre History and Literature:  Renaissance to 1850

Academic advisors can provide information about the specific course required for each degree program

Foreign Language Requirement for BA degrees in Music, Theater, and Studio Art degrees

While Bachelor of Arts degrees typically require foreign language as part of the degree requirements, students in music, theatre, and studio arts are exempt from this requirement.

Minimum GPA/Additional Requirements

All students who have not yet earned any college credit and who are eligible to enter the university are accepted for admission to the college. Students who are seeking a degree within the School of Music are also required to complete an entrance audition for admission into the music program.  Admission of transfer students or students who have previously been enrolled at UNO is evaluated on an individual basis. A 2.25 grade point average in previous course work is required.

Application deadline for admission: August 1 for fall semester, December 1 for spring semester

Transfer Credit Policy

Students may apply no more than 96 quarter hours (64 semester hours), transferred from a two year institution, towards a UNO bachelor’s degree. Academic advisors retain the right to accept or reject courses based on their transferability and validity to fulfill major requirements.

Unacceptable Credits

Credits in any courses classified as “remedial” or courses in other colleges of the university not approved by the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media faculty may not be applied toward degrees offered by CFAM.

Retroactive Credit Policy

 https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/transfer-credit/

Advanced Placement Credits

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/transfer-credit/

Military Credit

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/transfer-credit/

IB Credit

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/transfer-credit/

Placement Exams and Credit by Examinations Policies/Practices

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/student-life-support-services/

Residency Requirement

Thirty (30) of the last 36 hours required for the degree must be registered for and completed at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

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Quality of Work

A grade of “C” or higher will be required for any major course accepted for any College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media degree requirement. All students must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in all course work, including work transferred from other institutions, to remain in good standing in the college.

The School of Communication requires students to earn a minimum of “C” in all major course work. Furthermore, students who take sophomore level or above journalism and media communication courses, or junior level or above communication studies courses must maintain at least a 2.25 cumulative GPA.

The School of the Arts requires students to earn a minimum of “C” in all major course work.  Students pursuing the BFA in Studio Arts must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all art courses including the BFA sequence.  Students seeking Art, K-12 certification must adhere to the GPA/grading standards set for the UNO Educator Preparation Program.  

The School of Music requires a 2.5 GPA in all music courses. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Music, performance concentration must maintain a 3.0 average in their major applied field. Students seeking K-12 certification must adhere to the GPA/grading standards set for the UNO Educator Preparation Program

All grades reported by the faculty to the registrar become a part of the student’s permanent record and are included in computation of the cumulative grade point average, regardless of the total number required for the degree.

Good Academic Standing Policy

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/grades/

Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) Grades

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/grades/

Completion of Incomplete Grade

Students have one semester after an incomplete is awarded to complete the course work. After this, the grade changes to a withdrawal. Students who complete the required course work outside of the allotted time frame may still receive credit by re-enrolling and paying tuition for the course. Exceptions are made when a student has been working in good faith continuously to complete the course work, with no breaks in work submitted, or within contracted terms determined by the faculty member.

Repeatable Grades/Courses

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/grades/

Appeal Process

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/grades/

Grade Appeal Policy

Undergraduate students wanting to appeal a grade received in a College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media unit course should first discuss the matter directly with the instructor. If a satisfactory agreement is not reached, the student may submit an appeal in writing to the chair/director of the academic unit in which the course is offered.

If the student and chair/director of the academic unit do not reach a satisfactory agreement, the student may submit an appeal in writing to the Dean of the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media, at which point the appeal may be referred to the Education Policy Committee of the College for review. The student’s written appeal to the Dean must be made by the end of the following semester after the academic unit’s decision. For example, if the academic unit’s decision is made in the fall semester, the student has until the end of the spring semester to submit a written appeal. If the Education Policy Committee of the College reviews the appeal it may request additional information from the student, the instructor, the academic unit or its chair/director as needed. Education Policy Committee members who have voted on the case at the academic unit level must recuse themselves from the Committee’s vote. Upon making a decision, the Education Policy Committee will send its recommendation to the Dean’s office in writing, and the Dean’s office will notify the student of the College’s decision.

Academic Amnesty

A student enrolled in the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media may request to have one or two semesters (taken at UNO, UNL, and/or UNK) removed from their cumulative grade point average and degree consideration by petitioning for academic amnesty. The form for applying for Academic Amnesty can be found here

The following conditions for academic amnesty apply:

  • Have been out of the Nebraska system for at least one calendar year (12-month period).
  • Have substandard coursework (“F” or “D” grades) earned within the University of Nebraska system (UNO, UNL, UNK, UNMC) prior to the year out (substandard grades earned after the year out will not be included in the Academic Amnesty contract).
  • Be admitted as a degree-seeking student at the University of Nebraska.

Requirements:

  • Academic Amnesty will begin with the first course(s) taken upon return to UNO. 
  • Students may apply for Academic Amnesty at any time after taking the one-year break. 
  • After returning from the one-year break, demonstrate academic success in new UNO coursework. 
  • Academic success may be demonstrated by one of the following: 
  • Completing at least 12 semester hours (simultaneous or sequential) with a minimum of 3.0 cumulative GPA, 
  • Completing at least 24 semester hours (simultaneous or sequential) with a minimum of 2.5 cumulative GPA. 
  • Students must maintain continuous enrollment (at least six (6) semester hours completed within any 12-month period). 
  • Students will work with their academic advisor to select the coursework to be amnestied. 
  • Students must inform an academic advisor when the Academic Amnesty requirements are met. 

Notes:

  • All amnestied coursework will remain on the student’s academic record (transcript); however, the courses will not be included in calculation of the student’s grade point average. Courses will be annotated “Academic Amnesty Excluded from GPA” on the transcript.
  • Once Academic Amnesty is granted, students will not be eligible for honors at graduation. Students are still eligible for Dean’s List and Chancellor’s List honors.
  • While demonstrating academic success, no changes are made to the student’s academic record. If a student’s cumulative GPA is still below standard, the students will continue to be reported as “continued on probation.” Should the student revert to substandard academic performance while working on Academic Amnesty, the student can still be suspended. Academic Amnesty is intended to provide relief from the past without providing immunity from future substandard academic performance.
  • Students must still meet all university and college requirements to graduate.

Academic Probation and Suspension

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/grades/

Reinstatement Policy Following Academic Suspension

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/grades/

Academic Advising

Each student enrolled in a College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media degree program is encouraged to review requirements for their intended degree with an assigned academic advisor. Information on assigned advisors is available in the student’s relevant school offices. Additionally, students can contact academic advisors via the MavCONNECT. Review of specific degree requirements should be conducted with an advisor at scheduled times each semester in preparation for and prior to each enrollment/registration period. 

Advising Holds

https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/enrollment/enrollment/

Student Holds

 https://nextcatalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/enrollment/enrollment/

Senior Check

Students who have completed 91+ credit hours toward their chosen degree program are required to have a senior check completed by an academic advisor. This process will assure the student’s graduation date, assuming satisfactory completion of all approved courses. All substitutions and/or changes to a student’s degree requirements must be noted in writing during the advising process. Should this procedure not be followed, responsibility for meeting graduation requirements falls on the student. Errors made could prevent timely graduation.