Academic Programs
As an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary center housed within the College of Arts + Architecture with strong ties to the College of Humanities, Earth, and Social Sciences, CHArt connects coursework and degree programs within both colleges. These include anthropology, history, public administration, public health, sociology, public administration, and education. CHArt also seeks to engage and support students and faculty from multiple graduate degree programs including the M.S. in Architecture – Critical Heritage Studies, M.A. in History – Public History, M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, M.A. Anthropology and the future MFA in Community Centered Practices.
Architecture, m.s. – critical heritage concentration
Graduate Program Director: Dr. Emily Makas (Architecture) – emakas@charlotte.edu
history, m.a. – public history concentration
Program Director: Dr. Tina Shull (History) – tina.shull@charlotte.edu
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES, m.A.
Graduate Program Director: Dr. Vaughn Schmutz (Sociology) – vaughn.schmutz@charlotte.edu
ANTHROPOLOGY, m.a.
Graduate Program Director: Dr. Sara Juengst (Anthropology) – sjuengst@charlotte.edu
dual degree options
Students can chose to combine the MS in Architecture with a second masters degree to enhance their interdisciplinary educational path. Options include the following.
- MS Architecture – Critical Heritage / MA History – Public History
- MS Architecture – Critical Heritage / Master of Architecture
- MS Architecture – Critical Heritage / Master of Urban Design
- MS Architecture – Critical Heritage / MA Anthropology
Future degree programs
M.F.A – Community Center Practices
The proposed MFA will provide cultural leadership and community engagement opportunities unique to UNC Charlotte’s urban research mission and unique within the UNC System. Community-engaged art, or in the case of our proposed MFA – community centered art practice – as defined by the Center for Performance and Civic practice, believes that with the right approach, the same tools and capacities that artists use to make meaningful art can be utilized to transform systems and improve the impacts of government and community-driven efforts and programs. In this work artists center civic practice as action, and propel projects that bring artists into collaboration and co-design with community partners and local residents around a community-defined aspiration, challenge or vision.