As Wisconsin’s premier urban research institution for visual arts, performing arts, and interdisciplinary creative studies, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts delivers nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate programs spanning dance, film, music, theatre, visual arts, and design through its five dynamic departments – Art & Design, Dance, Music, Theatre, and Film, Video, Animation & New Genres – fostering innovative artistic practice within Milwaukee’s vibrant cultural corridor.

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UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts

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Academic Departments & Program Offerings

The Peck School’s comprehensive curriculum features 30+ specialized degree paths including:

• Art & Design: BFA concentrations in Ceramics, Digital Studio Practice, Fibers, Graphic Design, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Painting & Drawing, Photography & Imaging, Print & Narrative Forms, Sculpture + MFA programs
• Dance: BFA Performance/Choreography, BA Dance Studies, MFA with biomechanics research
• Music: BM Music Education, BA/BM Performance (jazz studies emphasis), MM/PhD with electro-acoustic focus
• Theatre: BFA Acting, BA Theatre Studies, MFA Directing/Design (costume/scenic/lighting)
• Film/Video/Animation: BFA Experimental Animation, Narrative Film Production, Media Arts Hybrid Practice
• Interdisciplinary: Arts Administration certificate, Digital Arts & Culture PhD, community arts partnerships

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Occupying 500,000+ sq ft across Milwaukee’s East Side, resources include:

• Kenilworth Square East: Digital fabrication labs (3D printing/CNC), 16,000 sq ft galleries, animation studios
• Performing Arts Complex: Helen Bader Concert Hall (600 seats), Mainstage Theatre (proscenium), Kenilworth Studio Theatre (black box)
• Specialized Spaces: Motion capture studio, electronic music suites, foundry, textile arts workshop, costume shop
• Exhibition Venues: INOVA/Kenilworth contemporary gallery, Arts Center Gallery, nomadic public art initiatives

Faculty Distinctions & Creative Research

150+ faculty include Guggenheim Fellows, NEA grant recipients, and internationally exhibited creators like:

• Cinematographer Chris Thompson (Sundance award-winning filmmaker)
• Choreographer Simone Ferro (Brazilian contemporary dance research)
• Composer Christopher Burns (computer-mediated electroacoustics)
• Visual Artist Nicolas Lampert (social practice environmental installations)

Annual research expenditures exceed $2M through projects like the Design & Visual Communication Speaker Series and Animation Showcase screenings at international festivals.

Industry Partnerships & Community Integration

Strategic collaborations provide experiential pathways:

• Milwaukee Repertory Theatre: Shared season productions with BFA actors
• Milwaukee Art Museum: Curatorial practicums for art history students
• Milwaukee Film Festival: Annual student film competition
• Artist-in-Residence Programs: Partnerships with RedLine Milwaukee arts incubator
• ArtsECO: K-12 teacher development in arts integration

Performance & Exhibition Opportunities

Students annually produce 300+ public events including:

• Dance Department’s Winterdances & Springdances repertory concerts
• Music Department’s 50+ ensembles (Balinese gamelan to jazz orchestra)
• Theatre mainstage season (4 fully produced plays/musicals)
• Student Art & Design Exhibition juried by industry professionals
• Film Department’s Real Tinsel screening series at Avalon Theater

Career Development & Alumni Impact

Industry-focused support includes portfolio reviews with recruiters from Netflix, Pentagram, and Steppenwolf Theatre, plus alumni achievements:

• Tony-nominated scenic designer Scott Davis (Come From Away)
• Documentary filmmaker Brad Lichtenstein (Peabody Award winner)
• Ceramicist Linda Lopez (2023 USA Fellowship recipient)
• Costume designer Kara Harmon (Broadway’s Hadestown)

The school’s ZIP MKE incubator provides microgrants for student-led arts entrepreneurship ventures.

Admissions & Financial Support

Audition/portfolio reviews required for BFA programs with talent-based scholarships including:

• Peck Scholar Awards (full tuition + $10,000 stipend)
• Departmental awards ($2,000-$8,000 annually)
• Graduate teaching assistantships (full tuition remission + stipend)

Application deadlines: December 1 (priority scholarships), February 1 (regular). Portfolio guidelines emphasize conceptual development and technical proficiency across creative disciplines.

Positioned at Milwaukee’s cultural crossroads, the Peck School maintains 100+ articulation agreements with Wisconsin technical colleges while driving the region’s creative economy through public performances, gallery exhibitions, and community design initiatives that engage 50,000+ annual attendees across its multifaceted artistic venues.

Department of Art & Design

BFA in Studio Arts

• Concentrations: Ceramics, Digital Studio Practice, Fibers, Graphic Design, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Painting & Drawing, Photography & Imaging, Print & Narrative Forms, Sculpture
• Description: Intensive studio-based program emphasizing conceptual development and technical mastery through dedicated studio spaces and individual mentorship. Includes professional practices curriculum covering portfolio development and exhibition strategies.
• Outcomes: Exhibition-ready portfolio, gallery representation opportunities, preparation for MFA programs, and careers in commercial studios, design firms, and arts organizations.
• Structure: 120-credit program (75% in studio courses) culminating in senior thesis exhibition. Full-time duration: 4 years.

MFA in Studio Arts

• Description: Terminal degree program focused on developing independent artistic research with dedicated private studios, graduate critiques, and professional development seminars.
• Outcomes: College-level teaching qualifications, competitive artist residencies, public commissions, and gallery representation.
• Structure: 60-credit program with final thesis exhibition and written component. Full-time duration: 3 years.

Department of Dance

BFA in Dance

• Tracks: Performance/Choreography, Dance Science
• Description: Integrates daily technique training (ballet, modern, jazz) with choreographic laboratories, kinesiology studies, and production practicums. Features annual mainstage performances at Helene Zelazo Center.
• Outcomes: Professional company placement, choreographic commissions, dance medicine certifications, and arts administration careers.
• Structure: 120-credit program with senior capstone project. Full-time duration: 4 years.

MFA in Dance

• Description: Advanced research in choreography, performance, or dance science with biomechanics lab access. Includes teaching mentorship and national conference presentation requirements.
• Outcomes: University teaching positions, artistic director roles, published research in movement science.
• Structure: 60-credit program with written thesis and evening-length production. Full-time duration: 2-3 years.

Department of Music

BM in Music Education

• Description: Prepares for K-12 certification with instrumental/vocal pedagogy, conducting labs, and semester-long student teaching placement. Includes jazz studies and world music components.
• Outcomes: State teaching certification, public school positions, community music school leadership.
• Structure: 132-credit program with semester-long student teaching. Full-time duration: 4.5 years.

MM in Music Performance

• Emphases: Orchestral Instruments, Piano, Voice, Jazz Studies, Electro-Acoustic Composition
• Description: Advanced performance training with weekly private lessons, ensemble participation, and recital requirements. Features recording sessions in Helen Bader Concert Hall.
• Outcomes: Professional ensemble placement, solo career development, doctoral program preparation.
• Structure: 30-credit program with two full recitals. Full-time duration: 2 years.

Department of Theatre

BFA in Acting

• Description: Conservatory-style training with Meisner technique, voice/speech, movement, and on-camera acting. Includes mainstage casting opportunities and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre collaborations.
• Outcomes: Equity membership candidacy, regional theatre casting, film/TV representation.
• Structure: 120-credit program with showcase for agents/industry. Full-time duration: 4 years.

MFA in Theatre Design

• Tracks: Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound Design
• Description: Professional preparation through design assignments for mainstage productions, portfolio development, and USITT conference participation.
• Outcomes: Union design careers (USA, IATSE), academic appointments, Broadway/regional theatre design contracts.
• Structure: 60-credit program with three fully realized productions. Full-time duration: 3 years.

Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres

BFA in Film

• Concentrations: Narrative Production, Experimental Animation, Documentary Studies
• Description: Hands-on production curriculum using ARRI cameras and Adobe Creative Suite. Includes Milwaukee Film Festival partnerships and LA industry immersion trip.
• Outcomes: Festival awards, industry employment (PBS, Discovery), independent film production.
• Structure: 120-credit program with senior thesis film. Full-time duration: 4 years.

MFA in Media Arts

• Description: Interdisciplinary research merging digital media with performance/installation. Features motion capture studio access and international artist residencies.
• Outcomes: Gallery representation, museum exhibitions, tenure-track academic positions.
• Structure: 60-credit program with solo exhibition/public screening. Full-time duration: 2-3 years.

Interdisciplinary Programs

BA in Arts & Humanities

• Description: Combines studio practice with art history/theory. Allows cross-departmental coursework in visual/performing arts.
• Outcomes: Arts journalism, museum education, nonprofit arts management.
• Structure: 120-credit flexible curriculum. Full-time duration: 4 years.

Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration

• Description: Covers nonprofit management, fundraising, and cultural policy through partnerships with Milwaukee arts organizations.
• Outcomes: Leadership roles in arts organizations, development director positions.
• Structure: 18-credit program with internship requirement. Duration: 1 year full-time.

PhD in Digital Arts & Culture

• Description: Research-focused program examining technology’s impact on creative practices. Requires digital project development and dissertation.
• Outcomes: Academic research positions, digital humanities centers, creative technology industries.
• Structure: 54-credit post-master’s program. Duration: 4-5 years.

Contact Peck Schools of the Arts:

Address:

2400 E. Kenwood Blvd.
Theatre Building, Room 120
Milwaukee, WI 53211

Phone:  414-229-4763