School of the Arts, Emerson College

The School of the Arts at Emerson College is home to three academic departments and a cross-departmental program: Performing Arts; Visual and Media Arts; Writing, Literature and Publishing; and Comedic Arts.

The School of the Arts offers cutting-edge programs in acting, theatre education, comedy, filmmaking, media studies, media arts production, creative writing, and more. Our internationally recognized faculty members give our students a sense of ownership of their education. This autonomy provides students with the confidence needed to speak with the authority of the master artists, professionals, and scholars they aspire to be.

Our Vision, Mission, & Values

Our Vision: We are committed to educating leading professionals in the arts; to inspiring our students to be innovative and creative risk-takers; and to fostering our social, political, cultural, and civic communities.

Our Mission: We train students to become thinkers, makers, and citizens of a complex world by studying theory, practice, and the intellectual and artistic traditions that inform both.

Our Values: We value a teaching environment through which students learn to accept stylistic and ethical responsibility for their work, placing it in the context of diverse intellectual and cultural traditions.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The School of the Arts community understands that a diversity of people and perspectives fuels creativity, improves decision-making, and promotes organizational and academic excellence.

Departments in the School of the Arts

Performing Arts

Theatre is more than a craft: it’s a way of connecting with others, of approaching challenges, and engaging the world. As theatre artists in Emerson’s Department of Performing Arts, our students will receive the necessary tools to focus their creative talents toward a fulfilling career—and life—in the theatre.

Visual & Media Arts

Emerson’s Department of Visual and Media Arts is all about learning by doing. Whatever a student’s passion, our department offers unlimited opportunities to grow, collaborate, and thrive—plus access to sophisticated, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities that help creativity take flight.

Writing, Literature & Publishing

In Emerson’s Department of Writing, Literature & Publishing, the integrated relationship between writing, publishing, and the study of literature becomes a shared experience of finding one’s voice, refining one’s talent, and gaining the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s evolving literary landscape.

The School of the Arts Community

Faculty

School of the Arts faculty members are scholars and practitioners in the fields of performing arts; visual and media arts; and writing, literature and publishing. They bring a wealth of experience and insight to our curriculum.

Featured Alumni

After they leave Emerson, our alumni venture into a wide variety of fields and take on enterprises of their own, from directing films to acting on Broadway to writing award-winning poetry. They put the skills they have learned here into practice and have their hand in shaping the world through their art.

Experiential Learning in the School of the Arts

Programs & Highlights

The School of the Arts offers dynamic and inclusive learning experiences for students through our labs, centers, and production spaces.

News & Events

Find an event on Emerson Today!

Connect with Us

We encourage faculty, staff, alumni, and current students affiliated with the School of the Arts to submit news of accomplishments and upcoming events.