BFA Visual and Critical Studies

Visual and Critical Studies at SVA (VCS) offers an extraordinary opportunity to unite your interests in art and design with a cross-disciplinary, individualized and academic experience exploring critically important societal questions. Highly respected artists, designers and scholars from fields such as art, visual studies, film and philosophy serve as the teachers and mentors to students who choose to embark in this critical inquiry.

New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood is the ideal location from which you will access freelance artists, museums, nonprofit and corporate organizations. These vital connections will serve as the primary resources to support your exploration of the historical and contemporary societal and cultural perspectives that inform and motivate artists and designers to create.

The program places significant focus on helping you explore, deepen and enhance your making, application and methodological skills so you are able to both pursue your artistic and intellectual passions resulting in a portfolio of experiences and work that will allow you to succeed in a career or advanced degree.