University of Puget Sound

Located in Tacoma, Washington, we are centrally located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Portland, Oregon, and just 35 miles south of Seattle. The region offers diverse cultural, artistic, and social opportunities, as well as numerous recreational activities on Puget Sound and in the nearby Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges. 

Our approach to the liberal arts is interdisciplinary and innovative, including a renowned School of Music and more than 50 areas of study, including Studio Art, Art History, and Theatre Arts. Whether you choose to major in the performing arts or another field, you can perform at a high level, audition for scholarships, and participate in a wide variety of music, theatre, and arts programming.

With an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, teaching is a priority for faculty members, who are known for being accessible, approachable mentors; take a collaborative approach to learning; and are generous with their time.

Academics at Puget Sound mean more than just classes; it’s an experience that extends far beyond the classroom. Students have access to independent research opportunities, can choose to study abroad in more than 40 countries, and engage in hands-on learning. Puget Sound students are uniquely prepared to continue their studies or pursue careers in every known field of endeavor, including the arts, medicine, law, finance, media, education, and public service.

School of Music
Puget Sound provides students a conservatory-style focus on music with the depth and flexibility of a liberal arts education. You’ll be part of a vibrant music community with performance opportunities, master classes, chamber groups, and student-run clubs. Numerous ensembles regularly perform on campus, including the Symphony Orchestra, Underground Sound (a cappella ensemble), Curtain Call (musical theatre revue), Jazz Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Adelphian Concert Choir.

School of Music faculty members perform in their own chamber music ensembles, are active soloists and music scholars around the globe, and perform locally with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, Portland Symphonic Choir, and Symphony Tacoma, just to name a few. Music is their passion, but they love mentoring and collaborating with young musicians even more.

Graduates study music at institutions including the Cleveland Institute of Music, Columbia University, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, University of Southern California, and Yale University, among others.

Theatre Arts
University of Puget Sound’s Theatre Arts department offers students a rich program of classes and productions within the context of a vibrant liberal arts education. Students develop skills and connect insights in acting, directing, design, production, dramaturgy, research, and writing throughout their course work, culminating in thesis projects presented as part of the Senior Theatre Festival. Through participation in student- and faculty-directed productions, students ground their study of theatre in rehearsal and performance.

Faculty members have active professional careers as designers, directors, dramaturgs, production managers, and writers but remain deeply committed to teaching and collaborating with students.

Graduates earn internships at theatres in the Northwest, including Seattle Repertory Theatre and Seattle Children’s Theatre, as well as around the country. They also enter MA, MFA, and PhD programs at institutions including Brown University; Columbia University; The New School; University of California, San Diego; University of Washington; University of Wisconsin–Madison; and University of California, Santa Barbara, and go on to excel in many different professions from theatre and film to education and business.

Be here now
The best way to get a sense of the Puget Sound experience is by seeing us in person. Go on a student-led tour, sit in on an information session, and meet with professors and coaches. Interviews, School of Music tours, and class and overnight visits are also available. To register, go to pugetsound.edu/admission/visit.