APPLYING TO CONCENTRATE IN VES

To be admitted as a concentrator to the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies (VES) a student must be a currently matriculated undergraduate at Harvard College and have at least a B average. Students wishing to focus in the studio arts or film/video production must ordinarily take at least one studio or production course in the department in advance of their application. Those students wishing to focus on either Film Studies or Environmental Studies should take at least one course related to their area of interest with a resident faculty member of the VES Department before applying.

Please refer to the department calendar for the specific dates by which to do so for the current academic year. Application forms may be obtained from the Department Office and the complete application should be dropped off at the Department Office with the Manager of Academic Programs.

Admission to the concentration requires a written application for committee evaluation. This consists of the form itself, an annotated plan of study, and a Harvard Plan of Study or Change of Concentration form. The criteria for acceptance also include a grade point average of at least B. Additionally, the Honors Board considers evaluations submitted by faculty pertaining to a student’s performance in their VES course(s). For this reason, prospective applicants are required to take an introductory course (preferably related to the proposed area of focus) before applying to the department. Those proposing to emphasize Studio or Film/Video can choose from a wide variety of introductory-level studio or production courses, generally numbered 10-69. Students considering a focus on Film Studies should take Literature and Arts B-11 (The Art of Film), VES 71 (Silent Cinema), or VES 72 (Sound Cinema).  Those students considering a focus in Environmental Studies should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Manager of Academic Programs about an appropriate first course and subsequent Plan of Study.

For consultation about filling out a Plan of Study in VES, please schedule an appointment with the Acting Director of Undergraduate Studies, JD Connor, jdconnor@fas.harvard.edu, Tel (617) 496-6799; or Paula Soares, Manager of Academic Programs, soares@fas.harvard.edu, at 617-496-4469. For questions about a VES concentration in Film Studies, please schedule an appointment with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Film Studies, JD Connor, jdconnor@fas.harvard.edu, Tel (617) 496-6799.

Application Form (download the pdf)