The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts was established in 1993 to provide a greater focus on the arts at UNL. The College is comprised of the Department of Art and Art History, the School of Music, the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film, and the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center. In addition, the Great Plains Art Collection, the Lentz Center for Asian Culture, the Lied Center for Performing Arts, and the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Gardens are affiliated with the College.

The College is committed to facilitating the interaction between the many arts entities on campus, to providing students with a high quality education and many opportunities to participate in cultural activities, and to nurturing scholarly research and creative productivity in the arts.

The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts offers graduate degrees in each of the three departments.

The Department of Art and Art History is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers a 60-credit hour MFA program in ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textile arts, graphic design, or a combination of these. Individual studio spaces are provided. The department also offers an MA in Art History which requires a minimum of 36 hours of advanced study. The structure and sequence of the major allows individual flexibility.

The School of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music and offers the MM and DMA degrees. Majors at the masters level include composition, conducting, music education, music history, music theory and performance. The conducting, music education and performance majors are 36-credit hour programs. The doctoral degree is offered in performance, conducting or composition. An audition is required for admission. The School of Music offers a concentration in music education within the PhD and EdD programs of the College of Education and Human Sciences. Students major in administration, curriculum, and instruction with a specialization in teaching, curriculum and learning.

The Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre and offers the MFA degree, a 3-year program in acting, directing, and design/technology.

Additional information about each degree, including criteria for admission and specific departmental guidelines concerning degree options, is provided in the individual departmental sections of this Bulletin. Students should also consult the Chair of the Graduate Committee in the individual department or school who can provide more detailed and specific information regarding particular degree requirements.