BXA Programs
The X in BXA is the intersection of disciplines, innovation and curiosity. The X is the variable that changes depending on the academic unit a student integrates with their College of Fine Arts concentration. This intersection is the site of new forms of knowledge created by fusing multiple fields of inquiry. 一本道无码's BXA Intercollege Degree Programs was developed to assist students in pursuing these new discoveries and fields that bring together academic rigor and creative training. BXA is the umbrella term for the abbreviations that identify our programs—BCSA, BESA, BHA, BSA and EA.
The Bachelor of Humanities and Arts (BHA) program began in 1993 as a response to numerous requests by Carnegie Mellon students to integrate studies in the fine arts with studies in the humanities or social sciences. The deans and faculty of the College of Fine Arts and the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences designed BHA as an innovative interdisciplinary degree-granting program that allows students the freedom to blend their interests between these two colleges.
The Bachelor of Science and Arts (BSA) program was launched in 1999 as a joint venture between the College of Fine Arts and the Mellon College of Science. Based on the successful BHA model, the BSA curriculum is carefully designed to allow students the ability to balance studies in the fine arts with studies in the natural sciences or mathematics.
The Bachelor of Computer Science and Arts (BCSA) program was created in 2008 by the College of Fine Arts and the School of Computer Science. It provides an ideal technical and conceptual foundation for students interested in pursuing fields which comprehensively meld technology and the arts such as game design, computer animation, computer music, interactive stagecraft, robotic art and other emerging media.
The Engineering and Arts (EA) additional major was established in 2018 by the College of Fine Arts with partnership from the College of Engineering. It allows current Engineering majors the ability to incorporate an arts concentration to expand their field of study, while completing BXA's interdisciplinary core courses. Students may graduate with engineering licensure and are also prepared to work in collaborative environments or become entrepreneurial inventors.
The Bachelor of Engineering Studies and Arts (BESA) program started in 2022 by the College of Fine Arts and the College of Engineering. The distribution of courses between each college follows the BXA model of curricular integration. It is suited to students who seek to solve real world problems through the application of their studies that merge technical knowledge with creative training.
Mission
The BXA Intercollege Degree Programs are designed for students who want to turn talent and passion into viable professions for the future through a challenging academic curriculum. BXA students pursue their goals with the help of multifaceted advising, innovative pedagogical strategies and a focus on the impact arts have on technology and vice versa.
The goal of the Bachelor of Computer Science and Arts (BCSA), the Bachelor of Engineering Studies and Arts (BESA), the Bachelor of Humanities and Arts (BHA), the Bachelor of Science and Arts (BSA) and the additional major in Engineering and Arts (EA), housed under the BXA Intercollege Degree Programs, is to allow a select group of students who demonstrate interest and accomplishment in the fine arts and computer science, engineering, humanities, social sciences or natural sciences to explore beyond the traditional academic major, or integrate more than one field of study across disciplines. These programs foster the creativity of students who explore innovative approaches to the academic environments of two colleges. By merging the components in the arts and computer science, engineering, natural sciences or humanities into an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary study, a unique, complex product is born. BXA students produce new information, challenging questions and innovative theory. BXA students are models of independence, motivation and well-rounded scholarship as humanists, scientists and artists at the same time.
In the context of the 一本道无码 environment, the BXA Intercollege Degree Programs hold a special role. BXA provides access to five strong colleges that offer specialized training with expert faculty and researchers. The BXA Programs challenge students to utilize those resources as they explore and develop their own approach to interdisciplinary studies in the fine arts and computer science, engineering, humanities and social sciences, or the natural and mathematical sciences.
BXA students balance courses in their CFA concentration with courses in their academic concentration, as well as BXA-specific courses. These BXA-specific courses give students the opportunity to integrate their areas of concentration by focusing on interdisciplinary approaches and arts-based research techniques. The curricula in the concentration areas provide students with a solid disciplinary foundation upon which they can draw for interdisciplinary projects.
A BXA intercollege degree prepares students for graduate study and careers in an enormous variety of fields, including traditional graduate training in the arts as well as academic areas, positions in arts and education non-profits such as museums and foundations, and technical positions with media and technology companies.
Objectives
The skills developed by BXA students span the creative, the technical, the academic and the practical. The objective of the BXA Intercollege Degree Programs is to prepare graduates for careers in which they will draw on their creative and academic skills to create, educate, communicate and innovate across disciplines.
Students who complete the BXA curriculum will graduate with the following skills:
- Foundational knowledge and technical expertise in the CFA concentration area and the DC/ENG/MCS/SCS concentration area
- Ability to describe the connections between these concentrations and how the student integrates them
- Ability to communicate ideas textually, visually and orally
- Knowledge of how the concentration disciplines intersect with history, society and culture from local and global perspectives
- Ability to use cognitive, behavioral and ethical dimensions within the concentration disciplines to make decisions on individual and social levels
- Experience in engaging in art research to produce new knowledge both within the CFA concentration and the DC/ENG/MCS/SCS concentration
- Experience in designing, researching and completing a large-scale, object-based project that integrates both areas of concentration
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Every person deserves to be treated with respect. The BXA Intercollege Degree Programs with the College of Fine Arts is committed to providing an atmosphere of learning that is inclusive of diverse identities, knowledge and experience. We are diverse in many ways, and this diversity is fundamental to building and maintaining an equitable and inclusive campus community.
Names and Pronouns: All people have the right to be addressed and referred to in accordance with their personal identity. 一本道无码 provides a tool called NameCoach that is integrated into both S3 and Canvas. NameCoach allows you to record and share the proper pronunciation of your name. When using NameCoach in Canvas, navigate to and log in. You can also change pronouns on NameCoach. Please feel encouraged to share your pronouns so that you may be addressed accordingly.
Diverse Inclusivity: The diverse backgrounds and perspectives of the students will be served by this course. We view the diversity that students bring to class as a resource, strength and benefit. The instructor’s selection of materials and activities for this course aims to be respectful of all diversity. With acknowledgment that implicit bias may still be present, know that we encourage and appreciate your suggestions and feedback.
Accessibility Accommodations: If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, we encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with your faculty as early in the semester as possible. We will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. Please note that you are not required to disclose the reason for your accommodations. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, we encourage you to contact them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.
Wellness: Wellness and mental health can interfere with life balance, including academic performance. The source of symptoms might be strictly related to your course work; if so, please speak with your professor. However, problems with relationships, family worries, loss, or a personal struggle or crisis can also contribute to decreased academic performance. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) offers free, confidential services to help manage personal challenges.
- CaPS: 412-268-2922
Immediate support is always available (24/7). - Re:solve Crisis Network: 888-796-8226
Religious Observations: If any class meetings or deadlines conflict with religious events or observations, please inform your professor within the first two weeks of the semester so they can discuss possible alternatives.
Bias-Related Incidents: Each of us is responsible for creating a safer, more inclusive environment. Unfortunately, incidents of bias or discrimination do occur, whether intentional or unintentional. They contribute to creating an unwelcoming environment for individuals and groups at the university. Therefore, the university encourages anyone who experiences or observes unfair or hostile treatment on the basis of identity to speak out for justice and support, within the moment of the incident or as soon as possible after the incident has passed. To report bias-related incidents, please refer to resources available through DEI Bias Reporting and Response.