The art of education: Methodist University's Division of Fine & Performing Arts prepares artists for success in the workforce

By Faith Hatton, posted Jun 29, 2023 on BizFayetteville.com

PHOTO PROVIDED BY METHODIST UNIVERSITY
Methodist University has performance opportunities for all students, even those not majoring in the arts, including the
Methodist University Chamber Orchestra.

Methodist University’s College of Arts, Humanities & Sciences has been preparing artists focused on all forms of expression to join the workforce through the Division of Fine and Performing Arts since the school was established in 2004. Now in 2023, after being one of three remaining Colleges within Methodist University following a reorganization of academic departments in 2021, the Division is continuing with their primary goal of ensuring that all students at Methodist University have an opportunity to “investigate, collaborate, and experience the arts.”

The Division of Fine and Performing Arts includes programs in performance, music education, composition, arts management and theater, offering nine undergraduate majors and three undergraduate minors.

According to the Head of the Fine & Performing Arts Division Dr. Susan Durham-Lozaw, the demand for each of the programs changes every year, but Music Performance, Music Education and Graphic Design are the most popular programs being offered.

“We always try to offer the degrees that a) students need to realize their dreams and b) that fill needs within our community. We are actually in the process of redesigning our music degrees to make them even more student-focused,” shared DurhamLozaw. “Our goal is always to meet the needs of our students and to prepare them well for their futures!”

With each undergraduate major and minor offered, the requirements for each ensure two of the primary goals the institution has for their students: help students to compete at the highest level for employment within the arts community and have the ability to enter graduate school fully prepared both artistically and academically.

“Training in the arts can be paralleled with sports – you have to be both talented and smart. They [students] spend hours training the talented side of their experience, but they also attend related courses (think music theory, art history, etc.) so that they are well-versed in the field,” said Durham-Lozaw who also serves as a Professor of Music and Voice Coordinator. “I feel extremely lucky to work with some of the finest pedagogues in the field at Methodist. In the eight years that I have been on this faculty, I cannot think of a single student who failed to get into graduate school or failed to get a great job post-graduation.”

Along with an in-class education, students are able to get performance experience on campus as well. Performance opportunities are available year-round to majors and non-majors through the Methodist University Chamber Orchestra, MU Theatre productions, the Methodist University Chorale, the MU Dance Team and more.

According to University officials, about nine out of 10 Methodist University graduates have a job or are in graduate school six months after graduation and graduates consistently rank among the top 20-25 percent of graduates in NC four-year colleges/ universities when measuring average salary 10 years after enrollment.

Methodist University has compiled data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to help showcase some of the average annual salaries for artbased positions (which may require additional education) in North Carolina in 2021:

The average annual salary for graphic designers: $53,770.
The average annual salary for an archivist, curator, and museum technician: $58,830.
The average annual salary for a music director and composer: $52,550.

Moving forward, Durham-Lozaw said that the 11 faculty and staff members within the Division of Fine and Performing Arts will consistently look at their curriculum to ensure they are meeting the ever-changing demands across different art industries, with new developments soon coming thanks to the influential funding over the past few years from the William Frederick Bethune Fund for the Arts of Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc.

“We follow the related national associations’ recommendations, communicate often with our peers at other institutions, and consistently evaluate our offerings. In fact, we are in the process of a complete redesign of our music offerings. Our goal is to provide students with two distinct choices – the first is a ‘professional’ Bachelor of Music degree; the second is a Bachelor of Arts in music that takes less time to complete, leaving more time for a double major,” shared Durham-Lozaw. “We are in the process of building a brand-new MakerSpace that will provide a host of new creative outlets for our students, regardless of major. Moreover, we will welcome some exciting new art shows in our gallery next year. Whenever you look at Methodist, you can be sure that there is much going on in the Division of Fine and Performing Arts!”

Copyright © 2025 Enhanced Media Management Inc. dba Greater Fayetteville Business Journal
This story may be displayed, reformatted and printed for your personal, noncommercial use only and in accordance with our Terms of Service located at https://bizfayetteville.com/useragreement.