PRE-CONCENTRATION ADVICE

For those considering a concentration in Visual and Environmental Studies

VES is a concentration comprising various curricular paths in the visual arts, including Studio Art, Film/Video Production, Film Studies, and Environmental Studies. To be admitted to the concentration, students are required to take a VES course in the student’s area of interest, maintain a B average, and submit an application. Some suggestions for first courses are listed below:

Those interested in the Studio area can choose from among several introductory courses in the studio arts and photography. These are course numbers VES 10-49; intermediate studio and photography courses are VES 110-149.

Students interested in Film/Video should take a course in photography, video, or animation. These are course numbers VES 40-59 and 140-159. Note: VES 50, the year-long introductory filmmaking course, is ordinarily taken starting in the fall of the sophomore year, and students should plan accordingly.

Students interested in Film Studies can choose from a wide array of courses on the history and theory of the moving image, numbers VES 70-79 and 170-199. Specifically, Literature and Arts B-11, VES 71, or VES 72 are recommended as introductory courses. These courses are required for the film studies concentration and offer an excellent introduction to the area.

Finally, if a student would like to construct a plan of study in Environmental Studies or in an aspect of the visual arts that lies outside the curricular paths mentioned above, she or he should set up a time to speak with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).

For other questions about the concentration, please consult with the DUS (Robb Moss, robbmoss@fas.harvard.edu, 496-6614), for those interested in film studies, the DUS for Film Studies (JD Connor, jdconnor@fas.harvard.edu, 496-6799), or Paula Soares, Manager of Academic Programs, soares@fas.harvard.edu, at 617-496-4469.