Rice University is an upper-tier, liberal arts research university; the department offers study in film production and photography, theatre, and the studio arts (printmaking, painting, drawing, and sculpture). Many Visual Arts students link their careers in art to other disciplines of study. We provide an active, dynamic environment where individuals can pursue art interests while continuing other fields of scholarly study. We stress the importance of these connections and feel that the artwork produced is clearly richer and more diverse because of collaborative engagement. Rice University has approximately 4,800 graduate, undergraduate, and professional students with approximately 650 full- and part-time faculty. A new Center for the Arts has been announced and is currently in the pre-design phase for the Rice campus. This interdisciplinary center will provide space for arts research, production, and education, performances and gallery exhibitions, and promote collaborations with Houston's world-class art museums.