During finals week at Portland State University, most students will be sitting in a classroom with their peers taking an exam they spent hours preparing for and scrambling to complete final projects. But for some College of the Arts students, finals look a little different. There’s no final exam, no paper and pencil racing a timer. Projects often span more than just one term and culminate in a tangible body of work.
College of the Arts finals are unique and creative, but just as nerve-wracking as any other finals.
We looked at three different kinds of final exams: art, music and architecture.
Here’s just a snapshot exploring how things work in College of the Arts.
Music
Heather Sessler has been preparing for her senior recital for months.
On an accelerated track speeding toward graduation, Sessler had her junior recital just last October.
“It’s a huge undertaking,” she said.
As a jazz vocalist, she’s putting on a show for her final. Literally. Sessler is in charge of arranging music for her hour-long concert, booking the space, rehearsing and finding a band to accompany her — and at the end of all that, performing for family, friends and professors.
“You’re really demonstrating your knowledge in a direct way,” Sessler said.
Bonnie Miksch, PSU School of Music & Theater director, said recitals allow students to showcase what they’ve learned in an applicable way. Students are evaluated by a jury made up of Music Department professors.
“They're going to be looking for you to demonstrate command of the genre, as well as command of the technical aspects of your instrument,” Miksch said.
Sessler said this type of final exam is more beneficial than a scantron test because the skill-set needed to arrange not only the music but the performance as well translates more directly to the real world. It’s also more personal than a written exam could ever be.
“I agonized over these songs,” she said. “It’s really tailored to you and you’re showing who you are.”
Art
Art is subjective. So it makes sense that PSU art students aren’t graded on their final projects per se, but rather the development process, engagement in thoughtful discourse and the ability to defend their body of work. That work just happens to be on display for anyone to see.
“I didn’t expect it coming into college, so it was really overwhelming,” said Courtney Gallardo, a senior in the art program. “But now, it’s really fun.”
For seniors, the end of year final is more than producing a single project. Students are responsible for producing a unique, self-motivated body of work, said Pat Boas, professor of Art Practice.
Like music students, art students are responsible for figuring out how to display their work and design a cohesive display for exhibition.
“They’re figuring out how to talk about their work, they’re figuring out how to write about it,” Boas said. “Those are skills they need if they want to go into graduate schools, get into galleries or apply for public projects. It’s not just the work they’re doing, but the way they’re thinking and able to communicate about their work.”
Boas added they hope the experience sets students up for success regardless of what post-graduation path they may choose.
But it’s not just about figuring out your individual body of work, said Linneah Hanson, also a senior in the art program. Students also need to participate in their community.
“Having a respect for the community and being willing and able to nurture that community is definitely something you get graded on,” Hanson said. “No art student is an island. You have to invest your time and energy in the work that other people are doing in order to get that same thing reciprocated for yourself.”
Architecture
Ally Sligh studied digital media as an undergraduate, so coming to PSU’s 3-year Masters of Architecture program she was starting from scratch. But she’s now working with a cohort of students with different backgrounds who are all working toward the same goal: not only design a final product, but have the ability to develop and defend a design proposition.
The camaraderie that comes with working in a cohort is invaluable, Sligh said.
Much like the art program, architecture students are evaluated on their creative work the entire term. Participation and the ability to defend your thought process matter just as much as the final model on display.
“They're supposed to present the most mature and sophisticated version of what they've been working on,” said Clive Knights, School of Architecture director. “And that typically entails a set of architectural drawings and an exquisite model.”
Sligh said professors are also considering if students are taking a risk and listening to feedback they’ve received throughout the year.
“Are you experimenting, really digging in and trying to discover your own voice in your own language?” Sligh said. “No matter how awesome your product is, how perfect you think it is, there’s going to be feedback that’s going to make you a better student and architect.”
Like the other College of the Arts programs, students’ projects are evaluated by a group. In architecture, the critique panel is made up of experts and professors who can offer realistic feedback. Knights said for the graduate thesis presentations, they usually bring in directors from other universities as well.
“It gives you a really good understanding of where you’re headed, what’s realistic to expect and what you need to work on,” Sligh said. “I think having a mix of outside people and experts is definitely helpful. It teaches you to defend your own work.”
Video by Heidi Williams, Peter Simon and Spencer Rutledge