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

ARTS.VCU.EDU/

RVAALLDAY

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 diff erence 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, fi lm 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 fi lmmaking with an emphasis on the practices of US independent fi lmmakers. Cinema students learn to create fi lms 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 fi eld of study.

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, fi lm and the web.

CRAFT/MATERIAL STUDIES (BFA) is designed to develop technical skills within the fi elds of fi ber, 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 signifi cance of media being defi ned in the digital age.

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, fi lmmaking or both. The program provides students with the ability to intelligently express, investigate or document using photography or fi lm. 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 fi lms 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.

MAJORS @ VCUARTS BFA = BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS / BA = BACHELOR OF ARTS / BM = BACHELOR OF MUSICarts.vcu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs

ART FOUNDATION (AFO) is the fi rst-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

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 specifi c 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 specifi c 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 eff 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.

BFA = BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS / BA = BACHELOR OF ARTS / BM = BACHELOR OF MUSICarts.vcu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs

BENEFITS @ VCUARTS

An art school within a university off ers lots of benefi ts. 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 honors-only 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

Travel

There are many ways to study abroad, including VCU faculty-led 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.

Sophia Fashion Merchandising major, Media Studies minor

DEAN’S INTERNATIONAL STUDY GRANTS / STUDENT EXCHANGE / SUMMER PROGRAMSarts.vcu.edu/opportunities

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.

IlijanaInterior Design major

Undergraduate Research Grants

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.

ARTS.VCU.EDU/UGRG

RESEARCH & ENTREPRENEURSHIP / CREATIVE DISRUPTION LAB / STUDENT EMPLOYMENT / SCHOLARSHIPS / AWARDSarts.vcu.edu/opportunities

Featured Outcome: The People’s Library

What began as a VCUarts Undergraduate Research Grant turned into an ongoing project with national reach.

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.

DOHA STUDENT EXCHANGE / TASMEEM DOHA CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION / ISLAMIC ART SYMPOSIUMqatar.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

VCUQATAR

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.

AmeliaCommunication 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 off ers an Arab perspective on modern and contemporary art.

GinnaDouble 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 fl exible. Discipline and innovative thinking are fostered and arts students develop confi dence as well as the ability to take criticism and speak articulately about their work.

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.

CAREERS & ALUMNI

BRIAN GARTSIDEBFA: 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 LYELLBFA: Photography + Film, 2003 | jakelyell.com

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 fi lmed in over thirty countries for non-profi t 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 DONOVANMFA: 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 fi rst 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.

VIRGINIA GRISWOLDBFA: 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 fl at surfaces, as well as French material culture and decorative arts.

The best way to get to know whether a school is right for you is to visit. VCUarts off 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 fi rst-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

VISIT VCUARTS

I had no idea I would be surrounded by such a wide spectrum of culture, people and things to do.

JonathonGraphic Design

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.

FUNHiking and biking year roundRapids cut through the cityHundreds of annual festivalsRobust indie music scene

CONVENIENTMountains are 2 hours westBeach is 2 hours eastWashington, D.C. is 2 hours northNYC is a quick fl ight or bus rideRIC is our easy breezy airport

GREENRichmond named Best River Town In America (Outside magazine)Farmers’ marketsBeautiful parks close to campusGreat bike trails

ART CENTRICFirst Fridays Art WalkVirginia Museum of Fine ArtsDozens of great galleriesTop notch performance venues3rd most tattooed city in the U.S.

RICHMOND

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.

BrittianyFashion Design major

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.

Joseph H. SeipelDean, VCUarts

My favorite spot in Richmond is Maymont because it has so much to off er, 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.

TheresaArt History

Richmond

Washington, DC

Williamsburg

Virginia Beach

New York City

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 PROCESSAll 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 fi rst-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 fi nancial 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 fi nancial aid must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

MORE HELPFUL INFO Answers to most frequently asked questions can be found on our website: arts.vcu.edu/faqIf you can’t fi nd 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.

VCU ANNUAL COLLEGE COSTS, BEFORE FINANCIAL AID

In-State Tuition and Fees: $12,398 Out-of-State Tuition and Fees: $29,847Room and Board: $9,318

NATIONAL RANKINGS

OVERALL

SCULPTUREDepartment of Sculpture + Extended Media

FIBER ARTSDepartment of Craft/Material Studies

GLASSDepartment of Craft/Material Studies

GRAPHIC DESIGNDepartment of Graphic Design

PAINTINGDepartment of Painting + Printmaking

CERAMICSDepartment of Craft/Material Studies

METALS/JEWELRYDepartment of Craft/Material Studies

PRINTMAKINGDepartment of Painting + Printmaking

PHOTOGRAPHYDepartment of Photography + Film

MULTIMEDIA/VISUAL COMMUNICATIONSLikely a combination of our departments of Communication Arts, Graphic Design, Kinetic Imaging and Photography + Film

RANKING AMONG ALL U.S. PROGRAMS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

RANKING AMONG U.S. PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

VCUARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM

#4

#1

#4

#5

#5

#7

#9

#10

#10

#13

#14

#1

#1

#1

#1

#1

#2

#6

#5

#9

#4

#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 PROGRAMfor High School Students

The action-packed VCUarts Summer Intensive for high school students off ers exciting fi ne 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

VCUarts is Ranked #1 among Public Art Schools in America by U.S. News & World Report.

The prices listed above are cited from collegeboard.org, which provides an accurate estimate of expenses before fi nancial aid. Keep in mind that you are likely to receive some type of fi nancial 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 UniversitySchool of the Arts, Office of the DeanPO Box 842519, Richmond, VA, 23284-2519

Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAIDRichmond, VirginiaPermit No. 869

ARTS.VCU.EDUINSTAGRAM.COM/VCUARTSFACEBOOK.COM/VCUARTSTWITTER.COM/VCUARTSYOUTUBE.COM/VCUARTS

VCUarts is ranked the #1 public university arts + design program in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

Front cover: Proj ect for Surface Research by first-year Art Foundation student Marin Leong.

{

COME VISIT!American Express ranks

Richmond, VA as the #1

U.S. City to Visit

in Summer 2015