Academic Departments

students in painting studio

VCUarts offers several bachelor’s and master’s degrees in scholarship, design, visual arts and the performing arts. Graphic design, fashion, film, photography, sculpture, illustration, dance, music, theatre, animation, interior design, painting, glassblowing, ceramics and metalworking are just a few examples of what you can learn at one of the top-ranked public arts programs in the country.

Here, artists are at the center of innovative thought, and inventing work that feeds the soul and serves society.

Art Foundation

First-year students in the Art Foundation program present their double portraits in Ryan Lauterio's drawing class.

The Art Foundation Program (AFO) is the first year experience for students who want to major in Art Education, Communication Arts, Craft/Material Studies, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Kinetic Imaging, Painting + Printmaking, Photography + Film and Sculpture + Extended Media.

Learn more

Unsure of what area you want to study? You can look quickly across all of our programs with this tool, see which programs you’ll need a writing sample, portfolio or audition for, and which programs require your first year to be in our art foundation program.

Or, if you’re ready, you can apply now!