Pictured | David Saleh | Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, Public Relations and Strategic Communication; Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, Relational Communication and Social Interaction / Minor in Political Science  | South Bend, Indiana (hometown)
Volunteer Activities | South Bend Community School Corporation (head wrestling coach–middle school; head girls' wrestling coach–high school)
Club Affiliation | Muslim Student Association

Mission

The mission of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts is to develop engaged citizens with exceptional abilities in the arts.

General Information

Welcome to the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts, center stage at IU South Bend for Communication Studies, Music, New Media, Theatre & Dance, and Visual Arts. The creative arts are the essential core of civilization, reflecting the heart and soul of communities and individuals. The arts are our heritage and guide our vision of the future. At the Raclin School of the Arts we celebrate with breathtaking performances, spirited conversation, and thought provoking imagery, all born out of our dedication to providing students with a superb arts education.

Our international faculty of celebrated performers, recognized artists, and dedicated educators offer their expertise and talent in small classes where one-on-one interaction isn’t the exception, it is the rule. Raclin School of the Arts students enjoy the advantages of a liberal arts degree program combined with exceptional arts training.

Residency Requirement

A candidate for a degree from the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts must complete a significant portion of work, especially during the senior year, while in residence at IU South Bend. (See the specific requirement listed under the degrees that follow.) A student is normally expected to complete the work for a degree within 10 years. Failure to do so may require passing comprehensive examinations on the subjects in the area(s) of concentration, and fulfilling the requirements in the current IU South Bend Bulletin.

GPA Requirement

The faculty of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts expects all students to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA). This includes all courses in the major, campuswide general-education courses, and electives. All arts students required to take ENG-W 131 Reading, Writing, and Inquiry I or SPCH-S 121 Public Speaking must complete the courses with a C or higher. Grades below C– in any course required for the major do not count toward the completion of the degree.

Bachelor’s Degrees

The Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts offers instruction leading to the Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in fine arts, communication studies, music, and theatre; Bachelor of Fine Arts with concentrations in fine arts, new media, and theatre; Bachelor of Music; and Bachelor of Music Education, and Bachelor of Art Education.

Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts students must meet the following minimum degree requirements by the time they expect to graduate:

• Complete at least 120 credit hours (see specific degree requirements). 
• Complete at least 26 credit hours of the work of the senior year and at least 10 credit hours above the first-level courses in the major subject (not necessarily during the senior year) while in residence at IU South Bend. The 10 credit hours in the major subject must be taken in courses approved by the major department. Transfer students may expect to transfer no more than 95 credit hours toward the minimum 120 credit hours necessary for graduation in the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts. This limit applies also to credit hours earned at other campuses of Indiana University. Ensemble credit hours earned by music majors do not apply to the 120 credit hour minimum.
• Achieve a minimum CGPA of 2.0.
• Complete all requirements in the student’s major and minor areas with a C– or higher. However, the overall GPA in these areas may not fall below 2.0 (C). Any course in which the student receives a grade of F does not count in the credit hours accumulated for graduation.
• Pass an upper-division examination. Students are eligible for placement in the upper-division approximately halfway through the degree program, upon completion of 56 credit hours, with a significant number of hours in the major area. A student’s readiness for the upper-division is determined by the student’s faculty advisor and department chair with input from the coordinator of arts student services. Upper-division reviews are a portfolio review in finel arts, a twenty-minute performance in music and a monologue or portfolio review in theatre. Students in communication studies do not have an upper-divisional requirement to fulfill.
• Complete at least 30 credit hours of coursework at the 300– or 400–level.
• Any student completing the undergraduate requirements for a degree in the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts with a cumulative grade point average of 3.65 is graduated with distinction; 3.80, with high distinction; 3.90 (3.95 in music courses), with highest distinction.

Restrictions

Not more than 60 credit hours earned in accredited two-year institutions may be credited toward a bachelor’s degree.

Transfer students must consult with the coordinator of arts student services to determine their placement examination requirements. Transfer course equivalencies and fulfillment of degree requirements in the major are not guaranteed and the number of courses that transfer and count towards an IU South Bend degree is limited (see the specific information listed under each degree). The faculty in each area may require a transfer student to retake courses transferred from another university or Indiana University campus in order to guarantee proficiency. Should questions arise regarding the transfer of general-education courses, transfer students must be prepared to present a syllabus and course description or a portfolio (if appropriate) to facilitate appropriate course transfers.

By special permission of the dean or department chair, a maximum of 12 credit hours toward a bachelor’s degree may be earned through special credit examination, correspondence study, or online instruction. Ordinarily students in residence in the school are permitted to enroll concurrently in courses offered through the Indiana University Independent Study Program (correspondence courses). Any correspondence courses in the student’s major must also have the approval of the departmental department chair. SPCH-S 121 Public Speaking may not be taken by correspondence. SPCH-S 121 Public Speaking, SPCH-S 205 Introduction to Speech Communication, and JOUR-C 200 Introduction to Mass Communications may not be accomplished by special credit examination.