Academic Departments
ACAPA offers undergraduate and graduate professional training through five departments. All degree programs require an audition or portfolio review for admission. Each department operates its own facilities, maintains a resident faculty of working artists and scholars, and produces public-facing performances, exhibitions, and screenings throughout the academic year.
For degree requirements, curriculum details, and audition/portfolio guidelines, see individual department pages linked below or visit Academics.
| Department | Degrees Offered | Faculty | Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Arts | BFA, MFA | 22 | 1947 |
| Theater | BFA, MFA, Certificate | 18 | 1947 |
| Music | BM, MM, Artist Diploma | 31 | 1947 |
| Dance | BFA, MFA | 14 | 1961 |
| Film & Media Arts | BFA, MFA | 11 | 1979 |
Total full-time faculty: 96 | Total enrolled students (2024–25): 1,142 | Graduate enrollment: 287 | Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
Department of Fine Arts
The Department of Fine Arts is one of ACAPA’s founding departments and remains the largest in terms of studio space and exhibition activity. The undergraduate BFA prepares students for careers as practicing artists through rigorous studio work in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and installation. The MFA is a two-year terminal degree emphasizing independent studio practice, critical theory, and professional development. Graduate students are assigned dedicated studio space in the Harwick Graduate Studios. The department organizes an annual juried exhibition open to submissions from BFA and MFA students, as well as two off-campus group shows each year in partnership with galleries in Burlington and Montpelier.
Concentrations (BFA): Painting & Drawing; Printmaking; Sculpture & Ceramics; Installation & Mixed Media; Illustration (professional track)
Concentrations (MFA): Studio Art (broadly defined); Critical & Curatorial Studies (joint with Academics division)
Notable Facilities: Harwick Visual Arts Center (28,000 sq ft, opened 2001); Printmaking Studio (intaglio, relief, lithography, screen); Wood-fire and electric ceramics kilns; Harwick Gallery (main exhibition space, 3,200 sq ft); Graduate Studios, 3rd floor
Annual Events: BFA Senior Exhibition (April); MFA Thesis Exhibition (May); Open Studios (October); Eastbridge Invitational (November)
Department of Theater
The Department of Theater offers conservatory-level training in acting, directing, playwriting, and design & production technology. The BFA in Acting and BFA in Theater Design/Technology are the two undergraduate pathways; both are four-year programs with significant production requirements. The MFA in Directing (three years) and MFA in Playwriting (two years) are the graduate offerings. The one-year Certificate in Theater Production is a post-baccalaureate option for students seeking intensive technical training in stage management, scenic design, lighting, or sound. The department mounts a six-production main-stage season each year plus a studio season of student-directed works in the Eastbridge Black Box.
Concentrations (BFA): Acting; Theater Design & Technology (scenic, lighting, costume, sound tracks)
Graduate Programs: MFA Directing; MFA Playwriting; Certificate in Theater Production
Notable Facilities: Whitfield Proscenium Theatre (510 seats, renovated 2018); Eastbridge Black Box Studio (flexible seating, 90–120); Costume Shop and Wardrobe Archive; Scene Shop (full fabrication); Lighting Lab and Rigging Classroom; Rehearsal Studios A, B, C
Annual Events: Main Stage Season (Oct–Apr, 6 productions); New Play Festival (March, student-written); Senior Showcase (New York City, May); One-Act Festival (December)
Department of Music
The Department of Music is ACAPA’s largest by faculty count and enrollment, reflecting the breadth of its offerings in performance, composition, music theory, and historical musicology. The Bachelor of Music (BM) is offered in Performance (all orchestral instruments, piano, voice, guitar), Composition, and Music Theory. The Master of Music (MM) is offered in Performance and Composition. The Artist Diploma is a non-degree, post-baccalaureate credential for advanced performers seeking focused pre-professional training, typically completed in one to two years. The department maintains three ensembles in residence: the ACAPA Orchestra, the Chamber Choir, and the Contemporary Music Ensemble. Weekly masterclasses are held throughout the academic year, with guest artists drawn from major orchestras and conservatories.
BM Majors: Performance (instruments, voice); Composition; Music Theory & Analysis; Music History & Literature; Jazz Studies; Collaborative Piano
Graduate Programs: MM Performance; MM Composition; Artist Diploma
Notable Facilities: Eastbridge Concert Hall (850 seats, Steinway D concert grand, pipe organ); Tannenbaum Recital Hall (200 seats); 14 individual practice rooms (7 with grand pianos); Electronic Music Studio (Pro Tools, MAX/MSP); Recording Suite (ACAPA Records student label); Instrument Library and Repair Workshop
Ensembles: ACAPA Orchestra; Chamber Choir; Contemporary Music Ensemble; Jazz Big Band; String Quartet in Residence; Early Music Consort
Annual Events: Fall Orchestral Concert (October); Composition Forum (November); Chamber Music Series (year-round); MM/Artist Diploma Recitals (ongoing); Spring Gala Concert (May)
Department of Dance
Established in 1961 as an extension of the Theater Department, Dance became an independent academic department in 1974 following significant enrollment growth. The BFA in Dance provides intensive conservatory training with concentrations in Ballet, Contemporary/Modern, and Choreography. The MFA in Dance is a low-residency program designed for mid-career dance artists combining intensive summer residencies in Eastbridge with distance mentorship during the academic year. All BFA students are required to participate in the annual Dance Concert each spring and are encouraged to audition for the ACAPA Dance Ensemble, a student performing company that tours regionally each fall.
Concentrations (BFA): Ballet; Contemporary & Modern; Choreography & Composition; Dance Studies (history, theory, criticism)
Graduate Programs: MFA in Dance (low-residency, 3 years)
Notable Facilities: Marlowe Dance Center (dedicated building, opened 1991); Studio 1 (sprung floor, 3,400 sq ft, mirrored); Studio 2 (rehearsal, 2,100 sq ft); Pilates & Conditioning Room; Anatomy and Somatics Classroom; Costume and Storage Wing; Rooftop Observation Deck (used for site-specific work)
Annual Events: BFA Dance Concert (April); Fall Regional Tour (October); Choreography Showcase (February); MFA Summer Residency Showing (August)
Department of Film & Media Arts
The newest of ACAPA’s five departments, Film & Media Arts was founded in 1979 following a major equipment donation from the Delacorte Foundation. The BFA offers tracks in Narrative Filmmaking, Documentary, Experimental Film & Video, and Screenwriting. The MFA (two years, full residency) is oriented toward advanced practice in any of these areas and culminates in a feature-length or feature-equivalent thesis project. The department hosts the Eastbridge Film Festival each October, a student-organized event that screens BFA and MFA thesis films alongside invited short films from other institutions. Students have access to professional camera packages, a full soundstage, an ADR suite, and color grading workstations. The department maintains a close working relationship with the Theater and Music departments for cross-disciplinary production work.
Concentrations (BFA): Narrative Filmmaking (directing, cinematography, editing); Documentary; Experimental Film & Video; Screenwriting; Producing & Media Management
Graduate Programs: MFA in Film & Media Arts (2 years, full residency)
Notable Facilities: Delacorte Film Building (dedicated, opened 1983, expanded 2009); Soundstage (4,500 sq ft, grid lighting, cyclorama); Camera Cage (RED, ARRI, and Sony cinema packages); Post-Production Suite (12 Avid/DaVinci workstations); Color Grading Suite; ADR Studio; Screening Room (80 seats, 4K DCP projection, 7.1 surround)
Annual Events: Eastbridge Film Festival (October); Thesis Screenings (May); Documentary Marathon (February); Screenwriting Roundtable (November)
Interdisciplinary Programs
Several programs at ACAPA are administered jointly across departments. These include:
- Arts Administration Certificate — offered jointly by all five departments and the Office of Academic Affairs
- Arts Education Track — available to BFA students in Fine Arts, Theater, Music, and Dance; includes student teaching placement
- Performance Studies Colloquium — interdisciplinary graduate seminar series, open to all MFA/MM students
- Senior Interdisciplinary Project — optional capstone for BFA seniors working across two or more disciplines
Cross-Departmental Facilities
- Aldrich Library of the Arts — 42,000-volume specialized collection; scores, scripts, film archive, listening rooms
- Eastbridge Student Gallery — student-run exhibition and screening space in the Collins Student Center
- Health & Wellness Center for Performing Artists — physical therapy, movement screening, injury prevention programming
- ACAPA Digital Commons — networked computing labs with discipline-specific software suites
Questions about specific programs? Contact the relevant department directly via the Contact page, or call the main Registrar at (802) 555-0100 ext. 1. Full course listings are available in the Academics section. For admissions requirements by department, see Admissions.