Link to Homepage
CALL 1-231-845-6211

Email contactus@westshore.edu

Humanities & Visual & Performing Arts

Do you want to be a performer, artist, designer, entertainer, philosopher… The Humanities and Visual & Performing Arts may be perfect for you.

Students performing Footloose on stage

The fields in this section invite us to peer deeply inside and outside of our world through the examination of artistic achievements and philosophic ideas; they emphasize critical thinking, creativity, imagination, production and performance, and responses to the arts and philosophy.

These courses emphasize core‐value skills that are prized by all professions, and their study can lead to a wide variety of useful and highly rewarding careers. Our graduates will use their learning and critical thinking skills in careers which permit them to express their creative and practical talents, doing work that is both personally fulfilling and of service to their communities.

Art

Study in the visual arts—including drawing, design, painting, sculpture, photography, video and film—gives students a solid background in creative problem‐solving, a skill that is important in many areas beyond the traditional art fields. In addition, most art students come away with manual and computer skills that are highly sought after. Most jobs in the visual arts require advanced degrees.

Potential careers in art include:

For more information about art at WSCC, contact:

Eden Ünlüata-Foley
Associate Professor of Fine Arts
Arts and Sciences Center 385
(231) 843-5902

 

Music

The music profession is one of the most competitive fields in the world. When you complete an Associate of Arts with a music concentration at WSCC, you will obtain the musical tools necessary to prepare you to transfer to a 4‐year institution. A vast sea of opportunity for employment is available upon receiving an undergraduate degree in music, such as K‐12 music education, music performance, and more.

Potential careers in music include:

For more information about music and theater at WSCC, contact:

Ted Malt
Professor of Music, Director of Performing Arts
Arts and Sciences Center, 332
(231) 843-5776
Philosophy

Philosophy helps you develop critical thinking and communication skills that are useful in almost every line of work and field of study. A concentration in philosophy shows that you can think deeply and critically and express yourself effectively in both writing and speech. This makes it an ideal program to pair with other fields of study, such as psychology, English, religious studies, or business.

Potential careers in philosophy include:

For more information about philosophy at WSCC, contact:

Matt Sanderson
Professor of Philosophy & Ethics
Arts and Sciences Center, 386
(231) 843-5937

 

Theater

Studying the theater arts prepares one for a career in professional and non‐professional theater production, performance, and education. It also equips students will skills like creativity, empathy, teamwork, and public speaking.

Possible careers in theater include:

Check out the latest things happening at WSCC

 
An image of the four main characters from the Wizard of Oz skipping down the yellow brick road with a rainbow in the background.

WSCC Theater Department presents The Wizard of Oz

by | Oct 16, 2026 | Performing Arts | 0 Comments

West Shore Community College’s Theater Department will present The Wizard of Oz at the college’s Center Stage Theater across three weekends, beginning Oct. 23. The...

A female presenter speaking in front of an audience in the Center Stage Theater at West Shore Community College.

West Shore Business and Economic Summit set for Nov. 12

by | Oct 15, 2026 | Business Training | 0 Comments

West Shore Community College, in partnership with West Shore Bank, the Chamber Alliance of Mason County and the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, will host the West...

A finger touching on a virtual screen with a healthcare cross.

HumanKind to explore technology and human connection in healthcare

by | Oct 14, 2026 | Humankind Series | 0 Comments

West Shore Community College will host “Balancing Technology and Humanity in Healthcare, a panel discussion” at noon on Monday, Oct. 19, in the North Lounge of the WSCC...

A picture of a Hale Ekinci's art piece. The piece is a brightly colored embroidery painting featuring flowers and lgbtq imagery.

WSCC to host artist workshops and exhibition

by | Oct 5, 2026 | Cultural Events | 0 Comments

West Shore Community College (WSCC), as a part of the Humankind series, is pleased to host artist Hale Ekinci for a unique series of workshops and exhibitions titled...

An image showing a person's head interacting with technology.

HumanKind presentation “Mental Health and AI”

by | Sep 18, 2026 | Humankind Series | 0 Comments

West Shore Community College will explore the growing intersection of artificial intelligence and mental health during its next HumanKind event, “Mental Health and AI,”...