College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

College Administration

Dean: Peggy Shannon
Associate Dean: Kurt Lindemann (Interim)
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs: Alane S. Lockwood
Director of Development: Elise Moersch
Director of College Communications: Lizbeth Persons

College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA) views its connection to the local and global community as a “laboratory for learning.” As the most disciplinary-diverse college at SDSU, our more than 5,000 majors and nearly 300 high-caliber faculty members are engaged in the community through applied research, in-class service opportunities, public performances, and presentations that provide meaningful and real-world learning experiences for PSFA students. With seven schools, three departments, and 15 interdisciplinary centers and institutes, PSFA faculty share the common goal of advancing human knowledge and understanding while cultivating a rich environment in which students can access opportunities for growth, ask insightful questions, and experience discovery that will transform their lives. Whether through internships, faculty-led research, and/or international experience(s), the hallmark of PSFA is an educational experience that prepares each student to engage in the worldwide community upon graduation. With the support of the largest alumni group at the university, PSFA bridges the college experience by providing students access to professional opportunity through internships and contact with industry professionals in the classroom and the community. Our alumni serve as key advisers and provide a critical link to the professional community. The PSFA experience links college, community, and career. The college houses the schools of Art and Design; Communication; L. Robert Payne Hospitality and Tourism Management; Journalism and Media Studies; Music and Dance; Public Affairs; Theatre, Television, and Film. The college also houses three ROTC departments with programs that lead to commissioned officer status upon graduation. PSFA also boasts Arts Alive, an interdisciplinary arts, teaching, and research initiative.

College Centers and Institutes

Arts Alive (Eric Smigel, Director)
Center for Communication, Health, and the Public Good (Wayne A. Beach, Director)
Center for Hospitality and Tourism Research (Carl Winston, Director)
Center for Science and Media (Amy Schmitz-Weiss, Director)
Center for the Study of Media and Performance (Kurt J. Lindemann, Director)
Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film (Martha M. Lauzen, Director)
Center for Surf Research (Jess Ponting, Director)
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Volunteer and Mentorship Center
Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations (Kathleen Sweetser, Director)
Institute for the Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice (Annie Buckley, Director)
Institute for Dialogue and Social Justice (Yea-Wen Chen, Director)
Institute for Leisure and Tourism Management (Lawrence A. Beck, Director)
Institute for Meetings and Events (Stephanie Dathe, Director)
Institute for Innovative Governance (Patricia A. Frosio, Director)
Sycuan Institute on Government Gaming (Katherine A. Spilde, Director)
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Student Center for Professional Development (Christina Jeffries, Director)
Production Center for Documentary and Drama (Timothy Powell, Director)