Visual and Environmental Studies

The principal educational goal of the department of Visual and Environmental Studies is to provide students in a liberal arts college with an opportunity to gain an understanding of visual quality and expression through both study and practice. The aim is to achieve an understanding of the structure and meaning of the visual arts and culture through practical and theoretical explorations of media such as drawing, film, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, sculpture, sound, video and writing. In addition to offering a regular concentration in these areas, the department also offers students the opportunity to explore VES as a secondary field. Specifically, the secondary field offerings reflect the department's diversity by providing students with four distinct areas of focus. In each area a total of six course are required; however, each area has its own set of requirements and students may choose only one area when filing for a secondary field.

• Environmental Studies
• Film/Video
• Film Studies
• Studio

Other Information

Courses in the studio arts and film/video production are, of necessity, small and intensive, and priority is given to concentrators. Additionally, some courses in environmental studies also have an enrollment limit. Students wishing to pursue any of these areas as a secondary field are welcome to apply to limited-enrollment classes but will not be given preferential access to them.

All secondary field courses must be taken for a letter grade with the exception of a freshman seminar given by a VES faculty member. There is no minimum grade for counting courses for the secondary field.

Harvard Summer School and study abroad courses taught by department faculty may count towards the secondary field. Students may petition the department to count, at most, one related study abroad or summer school course taught by non-department faculty by submitting a Course Requirement Substitution Form, available in the department office or on the department's website www.ves.fas.harvard.edu. Approval occurs after the course is completed and the syllabus and work are reviewed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. It is therefore advisable to check with the Director of Undergraduate Studies before making plans.

Up to one related cross-listed course may count toward the secondary field.

Advising Resources and Expectations

In addition to informational meetings at the start of each term, to which all students are invited, advising is done by regular faculty as well as the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Robb Moss (robbmoss@fas.harvard.edu); Manager of Academic Programs, Paula Soares (soares@fas.harvard.edu); and for those students focusing on Film Studies, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Film Studies, Professor JD Connor (jdconnor@fas.harvard.edu).

Students are not required to inform the department if they are doing a secondary field; however, to be added to the department's mailing list, to receive information about courses and events in the department, and to receive information about special advising hours, students should attend one of the information sessions or inform the program using the Secondary Fields Web Tool.*

* The on-line tool will be available by the 7th Monday of the 2007 spring term. In the meantime, please contact the department directly.