ARTS. VCU.EDU/ RVAALLDAY
VCUarts IS RANKED #1 AMONG PUBLIC ARTS AND DESIGN SCHOOLS IN AMERICA BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT. VCUarts IS THE BEST VALUE FOR ARTS EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY, BASED ON ANNUAL TUITION COMPARISON AND NATIONAL RANKINGS. ARTS.VCU.EDU
MAJORS @ VCUARTS
BFA = BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS / BA = BACHELOR OF ARTS / BM = BACHELOR OF MUSIC arts.vcu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs
Fine Arts ART EDUCATION (BFA) Would you like to teach art one day? Our program trains students as idea-based artists/instructors who view art as important, meaningful work that makes a difference in the world. Students take courses in painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography and a variety of arts and design electives, which prepare students to teach multiple media through innovative lessons. ART HISTORY (BA) is the study of works of art in a variety of media, including painting, photography, sculpture, architecture, film and performance art. The discipline also investigates images from popular and corporate culture. Art historians examine the creation, meaning and reception of works of art as well as their social, political and historical contexts. CINEMA (BA) students focus on the art and craft of narrative filmmaking with an emphasis on the practices of US independent filmmakers. Cinema students learn to create films that tell a story and work in teams. Emphasis is placed on writing, casting, directing, camera work, editing, etc. Students are required to complete a second undergraduate major in another field of study.
PAINTING + PRINTMAKING (BFA) students tailor a course of study suited to their professional and personal ambitions. Students are provided opportunities for concentrated experience in both practice and theory as a foundation for independent exploration and artistic development. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM (BFA) students may focus on still photography, filmmaking or both. The program provides students with the ability to intelligently express, investigate or document using photography or film. Students study industry-standard working practices in both traditional darkroom techniques as well as the latest digital technology. Film students work individually to create experimental films and documentaries. SCULPTURE + EXTENDED MEDIA (BFA) students are introduced to a myriad of construction methods and techniques in addition to learning how to communicate ideas through artworks. The “Extended Media” acknowledges the many non-traditional techniques that the department also embraces, such as video, performance, sound, installation, robotics, 3D digital modeling and more.
COMMUNICATION ARTS (BFA) explores the qualities and technologies that enable us to create and communicate with insight, vision and voice. Students create visual solutions using a variety of media such as illustration/digital/electronic imaging for print, television, film and the web. CRAFT/MATERIAL STUDIES (BFA) is designed to develop technical skills within the fields of fiber, metal, clay, glass and wood. Students are encouraged to visually realize original ideas through the investigation of material, development of technique and utilization of process or technology. KINETIC IMAGING (BFA) is for motivated students with vivid imaginations and inexhaustible curiosity, attracted to video, sound or animation. Students develop the technical skills required for professional work in a variety of industries. More importantly, students learn critical thinking and observation, creative self expression and the application and significance of media being defined in the digital age.
ART FOUNDATION (AFO) is the first-year program for students who wish to enter the following majors: Art Education, Communication Arts, Craft/Material Studies, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Kinetic Imaging, Painting + Printmaking, Photography and Film, Sculpture + Extended Media
MAJORS, CONTINUED
BFA = BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS / BA = BACHELOR OF ARTS / BM = BACHELOR OF MUSIC arts.vcu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs
Performing Arts DANCE & CHOREOGRAPHY (BFA) students train in modern dance and ballet techniques as well as in creative-track courses, which include improvisation, composition and choreography. There are many opportunities to continue training through the summer, and frequent public performances as well as an exciting guest artist program. MUSIC (BM OR BA) students either hone their skills on a specific instrument, learn the best techniques for teaching tomorrow’s musicians, collaborate with other great chambers of jazz musicians or make music a foundation for other career goals. Students pursue a degree in one of three areas: Performance (guitar, percussion, piano, strings, vocal, woodwind or brass emphasis); Jazz Studies; or Music Education (instrumental or choral). THEATRE (BFA OR BA) students are educated in theatre as an art form while preparing to enter the profession or continue training in an advanced program. Students can concentrate in performance, costume design, scenic and lighting design or stage management. Throughout the four years, the performer works daily with voice, body and imagination, while the designer/technician is involved in studio classes and practical application.
Design FASHION DESIGN (BFA) & FASHION MERCHANDISING (BA) Fashion Design students learn professional processes for garment construction, patternmaking, draping and fashion drawing. Students progress to an industry driven curriculum that concentrates on addressing specific markets and solving various design challenges. Fashion Merchandising refers to the planning required to have the right merchandise at the right time, place, price and with the right sales promotion. This curriculum emphasizes analytic abilities, creative problem solving and a global perspective. GRAPHIC DESIGN (BFA) students learn to integrate form and information for the purpose of eective visual communication. Students are educated to address the needs of client and audience, focus on ethics, embrace technology as a vehicle of communication and practice design as a dynamic process. INTERIOR DESIGN (BFA) provides a studio-based education grounded in interior architecture. Students study and apply the aesthetics of space, form, color and light; they investigate human factors, building codes, materials, construction methods and documentation. There is a focus on the history of interior environments, design theory, business procedures and current trends in the profession.
BENEFITS @ VCUARTS An art school within a university offers lots of benefits. Art students account for about 2,900 of 31,000 students on the VCU campus. ADVANTAGES ABOUND when you’re part of a major urban research university: • Double majors and minors outside of the arts • A gym that will blow your mind • Career services, advisors, counselors and tutors • Countless clubs • Internships and entrepreneurial studies • Study abroad • Exchange programs • Research grants for undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty • Sports – lots of sports – including the HAVOC that is the men’s Rams basketball team! HONORS – You can earn Arts Honors and University Honors at VCU. Perks include smaller class sizes, priority class registration, access to more scholarship funding and honorsonly housing. arts.vcu.edu/honors VCU DA VINCI CENTER – A unique opportunity where students who study the arts, business, engineering and the humanities come together to solve real-world problems from real clients. www.davincicenter.vcu.edu
OPPORTUNITIES @ VCUARTS
DEAN’S INTERNATIONAL STUDY GRANTS / STUDENT EXCHANGE / SUMMER PROGRAMS arts.vcu.edu/opportunities
Travel There are many ways to study abroad, including VCU facultyled programs, exchange programs and travel grants. VCU has partnerships with universities around the globe, including schools in China, Brazil, Spain, Australia and Italy. ARTS.VCU.EDU/OPPORTUNITIES/TRAVEL-ABROAD
The best thing about going to Florence, Italy for study abroad was that it was the perfect transition since VCU professors came to Italy with us to teach and I wasn’t completely thrown into a new environment.
Over the summer, I got to go to Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Another thing I got to do was go to our sister campus in Doha, Qatar, which is located in the Middle East.
Sophia Fashion Merchandising major, Media Studies minor
Ilijana Interior Design major
RESEARCH & ENTREPRENEURSHIP / CREATIVE DISRUPTION LAB / STUDENT EMPLOYMENT / SCHOLARSHIPS / AWARDS arts.vcu.edu/opportunities
Undergraduate Research Grants
Featured Outcome: The People’s Library
Our students’ incredible ideas, level of thinking and curiosity continue to amaze and impress us. That’s why VCUarts puts its money where its mouth is, with grants totaling $35,000 annually for undergraduate research.
What began as a VCUarts Undergraduate Research Grant turned into an ongoing project with national reach.
ARTS.VCU.EDU/UGRG
Three students created The People’s Library, taking books headed for the recycling bin and removing pages and shredding the paper to make new paper, then inserting that into the old covers for the public to author. Mark Strandquist, a Photography & Film and Sociology student, Riley Duncan from Sculpture + Extended Media and Courtney Bowles, a VCU student of Anthropology and Environmental Studies, secured funding for their idea and worked with the Richmond library to develop public art off erings. They’ve facilitated dozens of free public workshops at the library, Visual Art Center, Neighborhood Resource Center, Art 180, Studio 23 and other locations, where hundreds of participants shared skills, made paper, silk-screened title pages and bound books. This innovative project allows the public to check out repurposed books and write our own stories, thoughts or histories in these books that used to be something else completely. A spin-off, the People’s Librarians internship program, was initiated with VCU students mentoring local high schoolers. People’s Librarians learn the creative and community-based skills necessary to lead workshops and facilitate their own workshops. They silkscreen, bind books, make paper and learn how to be community organizers. Librarians all over the country now say they want to start their own People’s Library. One way the team is disseminating information is through an exhibition at Columbia College in Chicago, creating a visual model of the project that will include a DIY-guide for visitors.
VCUQATAR
DOHA STUDENT EXCHANGE / TASMEEM DOHA CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION / ISLAMIC ART SYMPOSIUM qatar.vcu.edu • arts.vcu.edu/opportunities
Since 1998, VCUarts has had a sister campus in the Middle Eastern state of Qatar. VCUQatar offers BFA degrees in Fashion, Interior and Graphic Design, Painting + Printmaking; a BA in Art History with an Islamic focus and a master’s degree in Design Studies – the fi rst of its kind in the region. Select students from each of our campuses visit the other, take classes and get a taste of a completely different culture. QATAR.VCU.EDU
The best event I have attended at VCU was Qatar Day. The festivities celebrating the culture and design of our sister campus in Qatar were both inspiring and educational, from the extraordinary gallery and fashion show, to the food, music and literature. Amelia Communication Arts
During my week-long visit to the VCUQatar campus, I realized that the students are a big part of the unique multi-cultural experience and landscape in Doha. There was a real emphasis on education and the arts especially. I had the opportunity to see the work of big-name artists like Takashi Murakami, Louise Bourgeois and Richard Serra, and I learned about Qatar’s new contemporary art museum, Mathaf, which offers an Arab perspective on modern and contemporary art. Ginna Double major in Sculpture + Extended Media and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
VALUE OF AN ARTS EDUCATION Education in the visual, performing, and design arts, specifically a VCUarts experience, develops creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Students learn how to work in a team environment and be flexible. Discipline and innovative thinking are fostered and arts students develop confidence as well as the ability to take criticism and speak articulately about their work.
CAREERS & ALUMNI Based on the latest survey data from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP), we know that: 91% of VCUarts alumni rated their experience as good or excellent. When asked if they would attend VCUarts again, 80% said yes. 9 in 10 students would recommend VCUarts to another student. 82% of VCUarts alumni who attended graduate school said they were prepared.
BRIAN GARTSIDE BFA: Graphic Design, 2011 | briangartsi.de While a student in the Graphic Design program at VCUarts, Brian interned at Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design consultancy. After graduating, Brian moved to New York to work at Pentagram full-time. He is now employed with DDB Worldwide Communications Group in New York.
BRANDON GRAHAM BFA: Fashion Design, 2003 | wouldyourockthis.com Brandon has designed for Nike, Fila, Levi’s and Dockers and created his own menswear line called Brentwood. His website, wouldyourockthis.com helps fashion designers find out what people really think about their designs.
JAKE LYELL BFA: Photography + Film, 2003 | jakelyell.com
VIRGINIA GRISWOLD BFA: Craft/Material Studies, 2004 | virginiagriswold.com Virginia has exhibited around the world and received a Brooklyn Arts Council Re-Grant to fund the project What it is, What it will be: Objects Found and Altered in Brooklyn, as well as a fellowship in Sculpture from the New York Foundation for the Arts. She was awarded a residency fellowship to study at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France, where she investigated the aesthetics of liquid on flat surfaces, as well as French material culture and decorative arts.
Jake has been using the lens to give us an honest look at the lives of underrepresented individuals around the globe. He has photographed and filmed in over thirty countries for non-profit groups and editorial publications. Clients include UNICEF, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Guardian, Corbis, BBC, CNN.com, Conde Nast, The Times London, Marie Claire magazine, The Daily Telegraph, and Harper’s Bazaar.
TARA DONOVAN MFA: Sculpture + Extended Media, 1999 Tara uses materials such as tape, pins and straws en masse to create large scale sculptures that often have a biomorphic quality. Her many accomplishments include a solo show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and Corcoran Gallery of Art, D.C.. She has received awards such as the Alexander Calder Foundation’s first annual Calder Prize in 2005 and a 2008 MacArthur Fellowship “genius” grant, which acknowledges outstanding achievement on the very edge of discovery and new synthesis.
VISIT VCUARTS The best way to get to know whether a school is right for you is to visit. VCUarts oers tours every weekday and Open Houses are held each fall and winter. This is a great time to see the university as a whole, tour VCUarts facilities and meet faculty first-hand. We also host a National Portfolio Day event each fall, which is a perfect opportunity for those interested in the visual arts and design to learn what art schools want to see in a portfolio. VCUarts information sessions and tours begin at 1:00 pm, Monday–Friday, except holidays. Our tour guides are current art students who will speak about their personal experiences and show you the studio and classroom facilities that you are most interested in visiting. ARTS.VCU.EDU/VISIT
I had no idea I would be surrounded by such a wide spectrum of culture, people and things to do. Jonathon Graphic Design
RICHMOND Richmond is Virginia’s capital, just two hours from Washington, D.C., the beach and the mountains. The city has a thriving arts scene with dozens of galleries, a renowned First Fridays Art Walk, a top-10 art museum (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts/ VMFA) and impressive performance venues. Vintage shops, independently owned stores, great restaurants and coffee shops add to the charm of Carytown, just blocks from VCU. Richmond is urban, green, historic and filled with surprises. World renowned architect Steven Holl has designed the VCU Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA). This stunning venue for art of all kinds will be an incredible opportunity for students and the community at large.
FUN Hiking and biking year round Rapids cut through the city Hundreds of annual festivals Robust indie music scene CONVENIENT Mountains are 2 hours west Beach is 2 hours east Washington, D.C. is 2 hours north NYC is a quick flight or bus ride RIC is our easy breezy airport GREEN Richmond named Best River Town In America (Outside magazine) Farmers’ markets Beautiful parks close to campus Great bike trails ART CENTRIC First Fridays Art Walk Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Dozens of great galleries Top notch performance venues 3rd most tattooed city in the U.S.
Joseph H. Seipel Dean, VCUarts New York City
Richmond is a really great place. It’s like everything you love about the city and everything you love about the country all in one place. When I came and visited, before I even decided to apply, I fell in love.
Washington, DC
Brittiany Fashion Design major
Richmond Williamsburg Virginia Beach
My favorite spot in Richmond is Maymont because it has so much to offer, from the animals to the Zen garden. Also, it’s the best place to have a picnic or play a game of football. When I need to get away, I go to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and get lost in a sea of art. Theresa Art History
MORE HELPFUL INFO Most-Asked Questions IS IT HARD TO GET INTO VCUARTS? The best way to answer is by letting you know that annually, we have approximately 600 available freshman seats and we receive over 2500 applications. Review committees carefully evaluate all application components, including GPA, SAT scores, portfolios or auditions, personal statements, extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation. WHAT KIND OF HIGH SCHOOL GPA AND TEST SCORES SHOULD I HAVE? VCUarts does not have set minimums for SAT scores or GPAs; we examine your overall application to determine your potential for success in the School of the Arts. That being said, you’d probably like to see some numbers. The average SAT of accepted students for Math and Verbal is 1150 (ACT composite = 25). The average GPA is 3.6. APPLICATION PROCESS All of the VCUarts application criteria can be found at arts.vcu.edu/apply. There is only one application for admission to VCU and VCUarts. Applications are only accepted online. Applicants to the visual arts apply to our first-year program, Art Foundation. Details about the application process may be found at arts.vcu.edu/apply. WHAT ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID? Each fall, the Undergraduate Scholarship Program grants financial awards to outstanding students entering VCUarts. Selection of scholars is made on the basis of merit in the area of academic achievement and artistic talent. Students who wish to be considered for a scholarship must apply by the scholarship deadline of December 1. Financial Aid is available in the form of grants, loans and work-study. All applicants seeking financial aid must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Answers to most frequently asked questions can be found on our website: arts.vcu.edu/faq If you can’t find what you’re looking for online, contact us at arts@vcu.edu or 804-VCU-ARTS
Checklist for a student who dreams about attending VCUarts ❏ MAKE A LIST of what is important to you in a college and start researching. Some things to consider include cost, diversity, size, location, rankings and accreditation, career services, student life and other university offerings. ❏ INVESTIGATE application requirements and deadlines and plan accordingly. Look out for early scholarship deadlines! (VCU’s is December 1.) > arts.vcu.edu/apply ❏ START PREPARING your portfolio, audition or essay for your application. ❏ PRACTICE for the SATs and/or ACTs and keep your grades up! VCU offers many merit-based scholarships to high-achieving students. ❏ CONNECT with VCUarts on the web. > twitter.com/vcuartsapply ❏ MAKE SUMMER COUNT. Volunteer, get a job, or work on your art! Apply for our amazing Summer Intensive program. > arts.vcu.edu/summerintensive ❏ FIND US in your area at college fairs and National Portfolio Days. > arts.vcu.edu/admissions/events-in-your-area ❏ TALK to current VCUarts students to get an idea of what college life is like. Follow our tour guides on Tumblr and ask them anything! > vcuartstour.tumblr.com ❏ MEET OUR TOUR GUIDES in person to see our amazing facilities! VCUarts offers personalized tours Monday– Friday at 1pm. > arts.vcu.edu/visit ❏ CONNECT with the friendly VCUarts admissions staff and ask them for advice on how to prepare. You can reach us at arts@vcu.edu and 804-VCU-ARTS.
NATIONAL RANKINGS VCUARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM
VCUarts is Ranked #1 among Public Art Schools in America by U.S. News & World Report.
RANKING AMONG ALL U.S. PROGRAMS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
RANKING AMONG U.S. PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
OVERALL
#4
#1
SCULPTURE Department of Sculpture + Extended Media
#1
#1
FIBER ARTS Department of Craft/Material Studies
#4
#1
GLASS Department of Craft/Material Studies
#5
#1
GRAPHIC DESIGN Department of Graphic Design
#5
#1
PAINTING Department of Painting + Printmaking
#7
#2
CERAMICS Department of Craft/Material Studies
#9
#6
METALS/JEWELRY Department of Craft/Material Studies
#10
#5
PRINTMAKING Department of Painting + Printmaking
#10
#9
PHOTOGRAPHY Department of Photography + Film
#13
#4
MULTIMEDIA/VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS Likely a combination of our departments of Communication Arts, Graphic Design, Kinetic Imaging and Photography + Film
#14
#3
OTHER RANKINGS INFORMATION In 2014, DesignIntelligence has ranked VCUarts Department of Interior Design BFA and MFA programs third in the south region (VA to TX). DANCE AND CHOREOGRAPHY is an invited member of the Council of Dance Administrators (CODA), a forum of the nation’s 25 leading dance programs.
SUMMER INTENSIVE PROGRAM
for High School Students
The action-packed VCUarts Summer Intensive for high school students offers exciting fine arts, design arts and performing arts instruction. Stay in dorms, attend classes, build your portfolio, and get a great preview of a real college experience. ARTS.VCU.EDU/SUMMERINTENSIVE
VCU ANNUAL COLLEGE COSTS, BEFORE FINANCIAL AID In-State Tuition and Fees: Out-of-State Tuition and Fees: Room and Board:
$12,398 $29,847 $9,318
The prices listed above are cited from collegeboard.org, which provides an accurate estimate of expenses before financial aid. Keep in mind that you are likely to receive some type of financial help in the form of grants, loans, scholarships and/or work-study. For more information about the cost of attending VCUarts, visit: www.enrollment.vcu.edu/accounting Rankings come from U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of graduate school programs. You can see the complete directory at: usnews.com/rankings
{ Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Office of the Dean PO Box 842519, Richmond, VA, 23284-2519
COME VISIT! American Express ranks Richmond, VA as the #1 U.S. City to Visit in Summer 2015
VCUarts is ranked the #1 public university arts + design program in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
ARTS.VCU.EDU INSTAGRAM.COM/VCUARTS FACEBOOK.COM/VCUARTS TWITTER.COM/VCUARTS YOUTUBE.COM/VCUARTS Front cover: Proj ect for Surface Research by first-year Art Foundation student Marin Leong.
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