Application steps
January 15, fall entry only
MAE in Art Education
Ph.D. in Education, Art Education concentration
MA in Art History (Historical Studies, Museum Studies)
MFA in Fine Arts (Ceramics, Fibers, Glassworking, Jewelry/Metalworking, Kinetic Imaging, Painting, Printmaking, Photography and Film, Sculpture)
MFA in Design (Visual Communications)
February 1, fall entry only
MFA in Design (Interior Environments)
March 15, fall entry only
MFA in Theatre (Pedagogy/Performance)
International Applicants should apply one month before the following deadlines to ensure that application materials are received by the deadline.
Please contact artsgrad@vcu.edu with any questions.
Make sure to check your program specific requirements below before submitting your University Graduate Application.
All applicants must apply online using the University Graduate Application and are required to submit a $70 application fee. Applicants applying to more than one program must submit a separate application and application fee for each program.
School of the Arts applicants are asked to submit their personal statement/artist statement through the University Graduate Application.
Three letters of reference are required for each program and should be submitted online by your recommenders. In your University Graduate Application, you will enter the recommender names and email addresses to send a message requesting the reference. Letters of recommendation from professional associates such as instructors, supervisors, or colleagues should address the applicant’s ability to succeed in a graduate program.
Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions should be uploaded with your electronic application and may be used for departmental admission review purposes.
If offered admission, you will be directed and required to submit to the VCU Admissions Office an official transcript from any institution from which a degree has been awarded to finalize your admission. Transcripts are considered official if they are sent to VCU directly from the issuing institution.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Office of Graduate Admissions
P.O. Box 843051
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2526
Official transcripts that are not in English must be accompanied by an official English translation. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request English translations of diplomas prior to granting admission.
Prospective students who have studied outside of the U.S. must provide an official course-by-course external credential evaluation as a required part of the admissions process. This report should be sealed and unopened, and sent directly to the Office of Admissions. All official transcripts and relevant credentials (e.g., diplomas and marksheets) will be required if admitted. All external credential evaluations should be no older than two years as of the official date received by the Office of Admissions. Once credentials and/or credential evaluations are sent to VCU, they will not be returned to the prospective student or sent to a third party.
Test scores
GRE scores are required for the following program:
PhD in Education with an Art Education concentration
Scores must be directly reported to VCU by testing agencies. You can submit student copies pending receipt of official scores. An official copy must be received before a final offer of admission can be made. The school code for admission testing is 5570.
GRE scores are no longer required for the MA in Art History and MAE in Art Education programs.
GRE scores not required for MFA programs.
If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, be sure to review additional requirements on the International Admissions graduate student page.
If the program you are applying to requires you to submit a portfolio you must submit these supplemental materials through the VCUarts Graduate Programs SlideRoom website. A link to this portfolio upload can be found in the University application. SlideRoom charges applicants $10 to upload the portfolio.
Acceptable files for supplemental materials:
Documents: .PDF
Images: .JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, .TIF, .TIFF, .BMP, .TGA
Videos:.M4V, .MOV, .MP4, .WMV, .FLV, .ASF, .MPEG, .MPG, .MKV
Audio: MP3, MP4, OGG, .FLAC
You may also link media from YouTube and Vimeo
Images can be up to 5 MB each. Video can be up to 250 MB each.
Specific program requirements
Personal Statement
Please submit your statement on the University Graduate Application. In approximately 500 words, indicate the applicant’s interest in graduate study and research. Please also indicate your preferred enrollment as either full-time or part-time and explain your previous experiences teaching. There are two tracks in the MAE program. One is designed for practicing art teachers. The other track allows students to earn both the MAE degree and teacher licensure at the same time.
Be sure to indicate in your Statement of Purpose which track you would like to pursue.
GRE test scores
MAE applicants. (GRE requirement waived for 2023-2024 admissions cycle)
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Portfolio
10-15 images of personal or student work. Please show both breadth of media competency as well as depth of ability in at least one area. Write a caption for each work and clearly indicate if it is your work or student work.
Admission decisions expected to be made by March 15th.
For general required materials, please view application instructions on the School of Education’s website.
In addition to general requirements, applicants to the Art Education concentration must also submit an academic writing sample (e.g., thesis chapter or scholarly paper) with their application. Applicants may also be asked for an interview with members of the admissions committee. If an applicant is interested in obtaining licensure while working toward the Ph.D., it should be indicated on the application materials.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to speak with the track coordinator prior to applying. Applications must be submitted to the Graduate School by January 15 for Fall admission to the Art Education Doctoral Program. Earlier applications may increase opportunity and consideration for funding through graduate assistantships.
- Personal statement
Personal Statement of 750-1000 words in length, that briefly recounts applicant’s academic background, describes an avenue of inquiry that the applicant expects to explore, notes applicant’s professional goals beyond graduate study and explains why VCU art history is suited to applicant’s interests. Please upload your statement on the University Graduate Application - A research/writing sample that has a clearly articulated thesis statement, identifies and interprets primary and/or secondary sources in support of a well-argued thesis, and offers a coherent, cohesive narrative.
- Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which are from faculty members who can assess the applicant’s preparation and promise for graduate work (Some applicants may choose to solicit the third letter from a museum professional who has supervised the applicant’s professional work in a museum setting.)
- Official transcripts from schools where applicant completed coursework applied toward the baccalaureate degree
- An official report of GRE scores (*GRE requirement waived for 2020-2021 admissions cycle)
Same as above except the following letter of reference requirements:
References: three letters of recommendation, at least two of which are from faculty members who can assess the applicant’s preparation and promise for graduate work (Some applicants may choose to solicit the third letter from a museum professional who has supervised the applicant’s professional work in a museum setting.)
Admission decisions expected to be made by March 15th.
Personal statement
Please submit your statement on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Writing sample
This should be a 3-5 page (minimum) sample of academic writing.
Portfolio
A Portfolio is only required if you have a background in design or the arts; however, even if you do not have a background in design or the arts, we highly encourage you to present any creative work you might have completed as a hobby, such as photography, home crafting projects, creative writing, poetry, art classes at a local museum, etc.
Your Portfolio should contain 15 images of design projects that exemplify awareness, understanding, and competency in creative design, graphic skills, and technical ability.
Your portfolio will be submitted via SlideRoom. Specific technical guidelines regarding the submission of digital images, video files, sound files, and text files are available in the SlideRoom system. SlideRoom charges applicants $10 to upload the portfolio. Click the SlideRoom tab in the menu bar above.
Admission decisions expected to be made by March 1st.
Personal statement
Please submit your statement on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Portfolio
20 submissions. Please include the year, client or class for which this work was created and the type of project.
Interview
The department will contact selected applicants regarding the interview (may be via telephone or Skype).
Admission decisions expected to be made by March 1st.
Personal statement
Please submit your statement on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Portfolio
20 still and/or moving images. Present your work chronologically with the newest work first and the oldest work last. Images are reviewed one at a time. Please include any additional information to help us understand the image.
Admission decisions expected to be made by March 1st.
Personal statement
Please submit your statement on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Portfolio
12-20 images/videos of representative work
Admission decisions expected to be made by the end of March.
Artist statement
Please submit your artist statement in the personal statement section on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Portfolio
20 images of representative work. Present work chronologically with newest work first and oldest work last. You may submit still and/or moving images. Each video clip will count as a single image. Please include any pertinent information that will assist the jury in understanding the work.
Interview
Applicants selected by the jury as finalists will be interviewed by members of the faculty in February.
Artist statement
Please submit your artist statement in the personal statement section on the University Graduate Application.
This should be a three or four paragraph artist statement that directly places the work being reviewed within the context of contemporary art practice, art history, and critical theory.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. Include education, exhibitions, curatorial activity, residencies/fellowships, honors and awards, organization membership. If you have a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Interview
The admissions process is highly selective. If you are shortlisted by the faculty review committee for acceptance consideration, you will be contacted in late February for a mandatory personal interview on campus or by phone. During the personal interview, graduate faculty will determine if your interests, experience, and abilities would be best served by the Photography and Film MFA program and faculty. In this regard, you will also have an opportunity to ask questions to assess the program’s suitability in relation to your personal artistic and educational goals.
Other
Acceptance decisions are made in early April. The graduate program requires 36 term hour credits in studio art at the undergraduate level with a minimum of 9 term hour credits concentrating in photography or cinematography. However, applicants who do not meet these requirements will be considered.
Portfolio
20 still images; or a minimum of three recent films or videos for which the applicant has had primary responsibility in production; or a combination of still images and short video clips, not to exceed 20. Single media, as well as mixed-media and multimedia works, may be submitted.
Admission decisions expected to be made by the end of March.
Undergraduate preparation
Applicants must have earned an undergraduate bachelor’s degree. Visual Arts applicants should have completed a minimum of 36 semester hour credits in art and 20 credits of sculpture or related course work at the undergraduate level.
Artist statement
Please submit your artist statement in the personal statement section on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Portfolio
20 still and/or moving images. Present your work chronologically with the newest work first and the oldest work last. Images are reviewed one at a time. Please include any additional information to help us understand the image.
Artist statement
Please submit your artist statement in the personal statement section on the University Graduate Application.
Curriculum vitae/resume
Please submit your CV/resume on the University Graduate Application. If applicant has a website, please include a link in your CV/resume.
Writing Sample
This requirement is usually a research paper (preferably in Theatre) from previous undergraduate or MA coursework.
Interview
Required
Audition Type
Required for Performance Pedagogy students.
International applicants
If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, be sure to review additional requirements on the International Admissions graduate student page. Please also note that International Applicants should submit their application materials one month before the deadline listed above to ensure that all application materials are received by the deadline.
Questions?
Please contact artsgrad@vcu.edu with any questions or view our graduate admissions FAQ.