All About the Arts at NYU (Part 2)

NYU is a place where artistic types with technical minds come to find their niche. For example, Game Design majors at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts approach games as an art form. At the same time, they complete coursework on game development, design, and the business of gaming. “Games are fun to study. They encompass many of the subjects Iʼm passionate about, like writing, design, and visual arts,” says recent graduate Nick Carbonara. Additionally, students participate in Playtest Thursdays, a weekly open house where locals come to test and play student work in development.

For music enthusiasts who love technology, opportunities to gain professional production experience abound. At the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Music Technology majors take courses in recording and electronic technology. In addition, they frequently intern at music companies and venues throughout the city, like Sony Music and Radio City Music Hall. They can also attend the NYU Tisch Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, the only Bachelor of Fine Arts program of its kind in the country. Here, students gain practical skills in the creation and business of recorded music. They learn from a permanent faculty of top music industry professionals as well as artists-in-residence through workshops, advanced seminars, artistic collaborations, and in-class visits. Former artists-in-residence include producers Jack Antonoff and Pharrell Williams.

For those drawn to art, tech, and design, a major in Integrated Design and Media at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering plunges students into a project-based curriculum covering image, sound, narrative, and interactivity. Students in this program graduate fluent in the latest technology. Additionally, in the Interactive Media Arts program at NYU Shanghai, students conceptualize and create through the lens of computation. Equally important, they apply the hard skills of coding, data analysis and manipulation, and software development to generate new forms of communication. Finally, in the Interactive Media program at NYU Abu Dhabi, students are encouraged to imagine new forms of expression as they explore robotics, virtual reality, and projection. Ultimately, they master various digital media technologies to bring their creative projects to life.

Literature and Creative Writing majors at NYU Abu Dhabi approach literature from a global perspective, asking how translation, adaptation, and circulation impact literature. Students build a rich literary foundation that complements the development of their creative work as members of a diverse, international community. At the same time, students at NYU’s New York City campus can pair the Creative Writing minor with any major. In fact, this option helps deepen their writing skills and refine their artistic voice.

Dramatic Writing majors at NYU Tisch develop their talent in a city that’s home to a huge population of screenwriters and playwrights. There, students work with professional writers to learn to write for the screen or stage. They polish their scripts and gain valuable insights into the life and work of a dramatic writer. “Writing classes at Tisch are taught by professionals in the field. So their feedback comes from a place of knowledge and vast experience,” says recent graduate Catherine Woo. “They can give you notes, recommendations, and suggestions that you would have never thought of on your own.”

Studying the Arts Away
A semester abroad doesn’t have to mean a break in your artistic studies. Most of NYU’s 15 additional global sites offer coursework that allow arts students to continue fulfilling their major requirements. For example, at NYU Berlin, studio art students take experimental interdisciplinary classes in one of Europe’s most dynamic artistic capitals. Instrumental performance students continue their study with courses taught by renowned local musicians at NYU Prague. Similarly, drama students at NYU London perfect their craft in a unique partnership with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Applying to the Arts
If you’re interested in applying to arts programs at NYU, you may need to submit additional application materials. For the visual arts, you may need to submit a portfolio of work that showcases your talent and areas of interest alongside the Common Application. Performing arts applicants must undergo an artistic review audition prior to admission. So check the website of your preferred school or college for detailed application instructions and important dates and deadlines.