Academic Programs Catalog

The Department of Art, Art History, and Design organizes exhibitions featuring undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and work resulting from national and international juried exhibition calls in the Kresge Art Center Galleries 101 and 114, MSU Union Art Gallery, and off-campus at (SCENE) Metrospace. Each academic year, the department hosts 15 to 20 free public visiting artist and scholar lectures. Annually the department features undergraduate research in the Art History and Visual Culture Symposium, the Apparel and Textile Design Fashion Show, and the Undergraduate Juried Exhibition. Students completing their M.F.A. present their graduate student research each spring in the Master of Fine Arts Exhibition at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. All students are welcome to view exhibitions, attend lecture series events, and join in activities offered by the department. For additional information call 1-517-355-7610, email art@msu.edu or visit www.art.msu.edu.

 

The Department of Theatre sponsors a wide variety of productions including dance-related events. Productions occur at the Pasant Theatre in the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, the Fairchild Theatre, Arena Theatre, and Studio 60 Theatre in the Auditorium, the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities Auditorium, and site-specific locations. Graduate and undergraduate talent is featured in these productions, and all students of the university are invited to participate.

Student theatrical productions occur throughout the year in the Arena Theatre and Studio 60 Theatre. Dance performances are also sponsored by the Michigan State University student dance association, ORCHESIS. Summer Circle Theatre offers students the opportunity to be involved in theatre production during the months of May and June. For additional information, call 1-517-355-6690, e-mail: theatre@msu.edu, or visit www.theatre.msu.edu.

 

In nearly every aspect of campus life, Spartans can feel the presence and positive impact of the College of Music. Offering dozens of opportunities each year for the entire community to witness the skill and artistry of students, faculty, and visiting artists, the College also provides opportunities for every student. Music majors enjoy opportunities to audition for a seat in top ensembles like the MSU Symphony Orchestra, MSU Wind Symphony, University Chorale, and Jazz Orchestras, and more. At the same time, undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of their field of study, can perform and take courses with excellent faculty in composition, music theory, and music education, studying music, culture, creativity, theory, education, and history.

Performance options for students not majoring in music include the active musical community of the Concert Orchestra as well as MSU Band ensembles that perform the full spectrum of wind music including chamber, contemporary, and traditional repertoire. The powerful Spartan Marching Band and Spartan Brass bands perform at sporting events and other high energy functions. Jazz ensembles at MSU offer dynamic opportunities for students to explore and perform diverse jazz repertoire, and there are multiple choral ensembles for those who love to sing. Most choral groups are open to all students, and faculty can find the right fit for singers unsure which one to pursue. The College of Music also features several chamber music groups including Musique 21, Percussion and African Diaspora Percussion ensembles, Trombone Choir, and the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. For additional information call 1-517-353-5340 or visit www.music.msu.edu.
 

The Class Councils (senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman) consists of up to 25 students, each chosen to represent the views of and initiate activities for  Michigan State University. During the year, the Class Councils are involved in sponsoring workshops, hosting events pertinent to their class and coordinating special projects. For more information, contact ASMSU at 1-517-355-8266, or https://asmsu.msu.edu/.

The University Activities Board (UAB) programs events for students, by students, to enhance the Spartan experience at Michigan State University.  UAB strives to provide unique, high quality experiences that contribute to student growth. Involving the diverse student body, we aspire to have a substantial impact on campus life and for every student to graduate with a UAB memory. Our core values are: Inclusion, Collaboration, Student Voice, Flexibility, Accessibility, and Development. Our events include live music, comedians, craft nights, open mic nights and so much more. UAB membership is free and open to all MSU undergraduate students.  Visit www.uabevents.com or@UABatMSU on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter, phone 1-517-355-3354 or e-mail: uab@msu.edu.

Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU). As the all-university undergraduate student governing body, ASMSU provides representation through the General Assembly. The work of ASMSU is conducted through its boards and committees. Offices are maintained in the Student Services Building. The web site is www.asmsu.msu.edu.

The General Assembly (GA) is composed of proportional representation elected from each college and one representative selected by each of the following groups: MSU Student Housing Cooperative, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, National Panhellenic Council, Independent Greek Council, Jewish Student Union, Residence Halls Association, University Apartments Council of Residents, Arab Cultural Society, Black Student Alliance, Cultural de las Razas, Muslim Student Organization, North American Indigenous Student Organization, Asian Pacific American Student Organization, International Student Association, Alliance of Queer and Ally Student (AQAS), Women’s Council and Student Veterans of America. The GA represents students on relevant issues; provides a forum for discussion of these issues; provides free legal services, bluebooks, printing and copying, and interest free loans; approves appointments of undergraduates to various university committees, provides the free Readership Program and special student services and acts as the official representative for the welfare and rights of undergraduate students. ASMSU also provides a free iClicker, calculator rental program and a safe ride program. 

ASMSU Student Allocations Board provides funding for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) as well as groups that are part of the Council of Racial and Ethnic Students (CORES) and Council of Progressive Students (COPS). RSOs are eligible to receive up to $4,500 in funding through a reimbursement process once each academic year. Groups can apply for funding for a wide variety of projects, including speakers, conferences and educational programming events.
 

 The Council of Graduate Students represents all registered Michigan State University graduate and graduate-professional students. COGS is composed of one representative from each degree-granting college and seven officers. COGS exists to promote the academic, social, and economic goals of graduate and graduate-professional students; to establish effective communication among these students, and to create channels of communication with other student organizations and with the academic and administrative units of the University. COGS maintains an office at 120 Chittenden Hall where it provides a copy service and a thesis and dissertation printing service. A loan program, sponsored by COGS, is administered by the Office of Financial Aid. ASMSU/COGS Legal Services provides graduate students a prepaid legal services plan.

Since 1872, Michigan State University students have had the choice of participating in a nationally affiliated Greek letter organization.  Today, the Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) community is comprised of more than 60 internationally affiliated social Greek letter organizations with a combined membership of over 5,000 students.  Greek letter organizations merge almost every segment of the campus community into their chapters-leadership development, community service, athletics, social life, housing, management, and business functions, alumni relations, accountability, and responsibility. Through quality educational experiences, fraternities, and sororities support the guiding principles of the institution, as well as provide an avenue whereby all students experience active learning through self-governance.

The 62 fraternities and sororities are governed by governing councils responsible for representing constituents to the greater campus and East Lansing communities, providing programs and services to chapters and their members, and creating and enforcing standards and policies throughout the Greek community.  Through mutual interdependence, the governing councils assist all 62 member organizations in providing a quality Greek experience for their members. The governing councils include:

• Interfraternity Council (IFC), governing 31 internationally affiliated men's Greek letter organizations.
• Panhellenic Council (Panhell), governing 14 National Panhellenic Council Greek letter organizations.
• National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), governing nine historically.
• African-American men's and women's Greek letter organizations.
• Multicultural Greek Council, governing eight multicultural men’s and women’s Greek letter organizations.

Other community-wide organizations that are collaboratively coordinated by the governing councils are Greek Week and the Order of Omega National Greek Leadership Honorary.
For more information on the Greek community, contact Fraternity and Sorority Life, 316 Student Services Building, 1-517-355-8286 or www.greeklife.msu.edu.


 

The Student Housing Cooperative (SHC) is the governing group for cooperative living units. Cooperatives are student owned and managed organizations that contribute to the living experiences, social benefits, and economic savings of the members. The SHC meets regularly to discuss problems and coordinate activities of cooperative living and is represented on the ASMSU General Assembly. The primary goal of the SHC is to provide affordable housing for the East Lansing area. Additional purposes and goals are: democratic control, open and voluntary membership, continuous education, improvement of services, and cooperation and communication among cooperatives.

Information about cooperatives is available at the MSU Student Housing Cooperative office, 541 E. Grand River, East Lansing, MI 48823, telephone 1-517-355-8313.

The University Apartments Council of Residents (UACOR) is recognized by the university as a governing group with authority to govern the affairs of the residents of MSU Spartan Village Apartments, University Village, and 1855 Place.

UACOR provides activities and services for residents. The group also represent students' views to University Residence Education and Housing Services, and other institutional partners.

The Executive Board, along with Village Representatives, are elected by the general membership. Voting privileges are extended to the aforementioned. Residents are encouraged to participate in monthly Town Meetings and bring their ideas, interests, and concerns to the attention of UACOR. A tax is assessed every semester. For further information contact UACOR at the University Apartments Residence Education office at 1-517-353-9499. The UACOR office is located in Room 138B, Spartan Village Community Center.

Residence Halls Association (RHA) represents the highest level of undergraduate residence hall government and is the governing body for all undergraduate residence halls. Membership is composed of an elected representative from each hall on campus and from:  Black Student Alliance, Cultural de las Razas Unidas, North American Indian Student Organization, Asian Pacific American Student Organization, Alliance of Queer and Ally Students, Women’s Council, Arab Cultural Society, and Council of Students with Disabilities and area-based caucus groups. RHA is recognized as a legitimate part of the university decision-making process and its purposes include developing communication between individual halls and the university community; sponsoring and coordinating all-university activities for students living in residence halls; formulating policy and regulations pertaining to residence halls students; and representing areas of interest and concern to such students. In addition, RHA sponsors workshops, the Campus Center Cinemas, Movie Rental offices, Spartan Leadership Conference, RHA-TV (channels 11 and 12), RHA Karaoke, concerts, and special events. All residents of Michigan State University undergraduate residence halls are members of RHA and may exercise their voting rights and opinions through the representatives of their respective halls. A tax is collected during registration for fall and spring semesters from each undergraduate and graduate student living in a residence hall to support the activities listed above. The fall and spring only tax also supports the functions of each hall government. Contact RHA at: rha@msu.edu.

 

Owen Graduate Association OGA) represents the interests of Owen Graduate Hall residents and functions as the major governing body for that hall. OGA provides a program of information and services for Owen Graduate Hall residents and participates in the formulation of policies and regulations pertaining to residents of that hall. All residents of Owen Graduate Hall are members of OGA and pay a tax to support the activities of the OGA.