2024-2025
Photography and Film, Bachelor of Fine Arts
VCU
Community college:
Uniform Certificate of General Studies (Virginia Community College System)
Associate degree
Uniform Certificate of General Studies (UCGS)
Associate of Fine Arts in Visual Arts (please consult with the VCU Transfer Center for additional course recommendations)
Completing the UCGS or associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
Program description
The Department of Photography and Film offers a variety of basic, intermediate, and advanced photography and filmmaking classes leading to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Film.
The program provides students with the ability to intelligently express, investigate or document using photography and/or film, and to interpret meaning in still and moving images. Emphasis is placed on photography and film as contemporary fine arts. The department promotes a fundamental and effective philosophy that students maintain creative freedom, have access to resources, and are enrolled in courses in which they can refine their voices and skills through traditional and contemporary media, tools, and professional working methods. All student work in the program will culminate in an in-person exhibition or film screening in the fourth year.
Career opportunities
Graduates are well prepared to enter the industry as commercial, freelance, industrial and staff photographers and videographers, independent filmmakers, exhibiting artists, media content providers, gallery managers, advertising associates, art educators, film editors, producers and studio, location and production technicians. In addition, they enjoy careers as social media content providers and managers, film festival and museum curators/programmers; film commission and television station personnel.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Exhibiting Artist
- Independent Filmmaker
- Advertising Associate
- Film Commissioner
- Film Editor
- Gallery Manager
- Media Content Providers
- Social Media Content Manager
- Staff Photographer
- Studio Technician
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Arts Educator
- Commercial Art Director
- Museum Curator
- Professional Artist
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
- No guaranteed admission.
- Apply for admission during first year at community college.
- Review deadlines and portfolio requirements for transfer applicants here.
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
- Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
Transfer major map
2024-2025
Photography and Film, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
- Enroll in the SDV student success course.
- Prepare a portfolio as part of your application to VCU.
- Complete your math and english requirements.
- Explore community college financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the School of the Arts website.
- Review application deadlines and portfolio requirements for visual arts applicants.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
- Volunteer for community service projects.
- Register to vote.
- Research housing options for next year.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
- Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Complete career assessments through the Virginia Education Wizard.
- Browse information about occupations and job titles associated with photography and film.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Recommended courses
2024-2025
Photography and Film, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 154 | Quantitative Reasoning (or any other approved MTH course) | MATH 131 | 3 | General education |
| ART 101 | History of Art: Prehistoric to Gothic (this course fulfills a requirement for the Art Foundation program at VCU) | ARTH 103 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| ART 102 | History of Art: Renaissance to Modern (this course fulfills a requirement for the Art Foundation program at VCU) | ARTH 104 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| ART 121 | Foundations of Drawing (depending on your portfolio and admission to VCU Arts, this courses will either transfer as an ARTS 1XX elective or as ARTF 131). | ARTS 1XX or ARTF 131 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| ART 131 | Two-Dimensional Design (depending on your portfolio and admission to VCU Arts, this courses will either transfer as an ARTS 1XX elective or as ARTF 132). | ARTS 1XX or ARTF 132 | 3 | Major (Art Foundation) |
| Social science | Select one of the following (UCGS Block III): ECO 150, ECO 201, ECO 202, GEO 210, GEO 220, PLS 135, PLS 140, PLS 241, PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211, SOC 268. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| Lab Science | Select one of the following (UCGS Block IV): BIO 101, BIO 102, BIO 106, CHM 101, CHM 111, CHM 112, ENV 121, ENV 122, GOL 105, GOL 106, GOL 110, PHY 100, PHY 201, PHY 202, PHY 241, PHY 242. | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
| History | Select one of the following (UCGS Block VI): HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 121, HIS 122. | HIST | 3 | General education |
| Community college credits transferred to VCU | 32 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Foundation Program. Students must complete the Art Foundation program at VCU or equivalent courses at another institution to be eligible for admission to the Photography and Film degree. | |||
| ARTF 133 | Space Research (ART 132 at community college will fulfill this requirement if admitted to VCU Arts) | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ARTF 134 | Time Studio (ART 130, ART 203, or ART 208 will fulfill this requirement if you are admitted to VCU Arts) | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ARTF 139 or ARTF 138 | Project Studio or Project Seminar | 2 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Photography and Film, Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A) with a concentration in photography | |||
| PHTO 280 | Moving Pixels | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 281 | Digital Imaging I | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 350 | Concepts I | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 243 | Darkroom | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 260 | Experiments in Sequencing | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 307 | Processes and Techniques | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 340 | Lighting I: Studio | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 352 | Concepts II: Junior Project | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 381 | Digital Imaging II | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 420 + PHTO 421 | Senior Thesis I + Senior Thesis II | 6 | Major |
| PHTO 435 | Professional Practice | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 442 | Lighting II: Location | 3 | Major |
| PHTO 474 | Contemporary Critical Perspectives | 3 | Major |
| ARTH | Select one: ARTH 270, ARTH 271, or ARTH 370 | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ARTH 372 | History of Photography | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Arts electives | 10 | Major (Ancillary) | |
| Open electives | 22 | Elective | |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 88 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||