BA, BFA and MFA programs

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) has opened the application process for the academic year 2024.

Students joining VCUarts Qatar will be part of a worldwide network that boasts more than 1,000 alumni employed in roles as varied as art and design, filmmaking, interior design and incubation development. Over the last 25 years, many of them have garnered international recognition on the global stage, winning coveted awards such as the Red Dot Award and the International Property Awards. Their creative flair was on display at the latest football FIFA World Cup 2022.

The Bachelor of Arts in Art History program at VCUarts Qatar offers a distinctive concentration in Islamic art within a global perspective. Aside from Islamic art, our program’s global focus encompasses the visual cultures of Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, providing students a comprehensive understanding of the world’s diverse artistic and cultural heritage traditions. 

Students on this pathway examine culture, past and present, develop visual literacy skills and develop the skills needed to be critical thinkers and cultural heritage stewards who understand the interrelatedness and complexity of global issues. 

VCUarts Qatar’s four-year BFA in Graphic Design program provides professional skills that help young creatives understand communication problems through critical thinking and creative problem-solving. 

Graphic designers work with multiple mediums, including print, web, interactive design, video, and various forms of three-dimensional experiential design, to deliver precise and targeted communication. Our graduates are skilled specialists in print, web, and multimedia who can apply strategic thinking skills to a number of professional careers where visual communication is required. 

The BFA in Painting + Printmaking at VCUarts Qatar prepares young creatives to become accomplished and confident artists with independent professional practices in the arts.  The program reflects the dynamic attitude towards contemporary art, with emphasis on experimentation and intellectual inquiry. 

Our students experiment with a wide range of traditional and contemporary media, including drawing,  painting, 3D art, new media, sculpture, installation, photography, film, sound, performance, animation, and printmaking, gaining the skills and knowledge to become versatile artists with a broad range of expertise.

VCUarts Qatar’s BFA in Interior Design pathway is a studio-based program where students engage in interdisciplinary approaches that explore the built environment. The curriculum is fully accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), in the US.

Using space, form, materials, color and light, students in this program imagine and re-imagine human-centric living and working spaces. Interior designers are essential to the architecture, engineering and construction sectors. Their solid understanding of construction and building systems helps them create practical and appealing spaces where people can live, work, and play.

The MFA in Design is a full-time, two-year graduate program that trains students to understand clients, collaborators and design challenges in original and authentic ways. Our program’s strength lies in its ability to support each student’s unique interests, providing a custom education tailored to each individual. 

Our students can train in a fully-equipped Fabrication Lab with 3D printers, laser cutters and vinyl cutters, a vacuum-forming machine, computer numerical control routers, woodshop and a unique Materials Library, which is stocked with traditional and cutting-edge materials—the only facility of its kind in the Gulf region.

Coming soon!
VCUarts Qatar is excited to announce that a new BFA in Kinetic Imaging will launch soon! Kinetic Imaging teaches students various technology-based formats such as video, animation, and sound for the purpose of art, self-expression, and experimentation. The program is designed for students who want to study video art, sound and game design, and experimental two-and-three-dimensional animation. 

Visit here to begin your application process or simply learn more.

*Images above: (1) Student workshop with Lebanese arabic type and graphic designer Wael Morcos, held in a Graphic Design Department classroom, January 15, spring 2020. (4) Simon Mwaniki, University of Cape Town, speaks at the Emerging Voices in Indian Ocean Art and Culture: Flashtalks in Doha on May 21, 2022 in the atrium. (5) Furniture design by VCUarts Qatar Interior Design student Maryam Yacoub AlKuwari (Class of 2021) installed in fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg’s Msheireb Downtown Doha apartment, November 2020.