Does Harvard offer a strong art program?
I'm really passionate about art and I'm starting to look into different colleges, but I keep hearing mixed things about Harvard. Some people say it's all about academics and not really the place to go if you want to study art seriously. But then I saw something about them having a Visual and Environmental Studies department?
Does anyone know how strong Harvard's art program is? Are there good studio art classes, and are the facilities decent? I'm mostly interested in painting and drawing, but I also dabble in digital art.
If anyone is currently at Harvard or recently applied, I'd love to know what the vibe is like for artists, and whether it's a supportive environment. Do people go on to art-related careers from there, or is it more for people who want to keep it as a side interest?
Does anyone know how strong Harvard's art program is? Are there good studio art classes, and are the facilities decent? I'm mostly interested in painting and drawing, but I also dabble in digital art.
If anyone is currently at Harvard or recently applied, I'd love to know what the vibe is like for artists, and whether it's a supportive environment. Do people go on to art-related careers from there, or is it more for people who want to keep it as a side interest?
1 month ago
•
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Luis Nario-Malberg
• 1 month ago
Advisor
Harvard has a solid offering for students interested in art, but it’s a bit different from dedicated art schools or even some other universities with standalone art colleges. The department you’re thinking of—previously called Visual and Environmental Studies (VES)—is now named the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS).
The AFVS program allows you to major or minor in studio art, and you can focus on painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, video, and digital work. The faculty includes established artists and the class sizes, especially in upper-level studios, tend to be small, giving you a lot of feedback and support. Harvard’s Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts (designed by Le Corbusier) is the hub for much of this activity and includes studio spaces, galleries, classrooms, and specialized equipment (like print shops and digital media labs). Many students say the facilities are surprisingly impressive—especially given Harvard’s general academic reputation.
If your main interest is painting, drawing, or digital art, you’ll find a good range of classes. For example, students often take introductory studio courses and then specialize as they progress. You might see courses like "Drawing, Painting, and the Expanded Field," "Introduction to Digital Media," or "Advanced Topics in Studio Art." There’s freedom to propose independent work, too, especially junior and senior year.
The artistic community at Harvard tends to be tight-knit and highly motivated. Because it’s a smaller group, artists get to know each other well, often collaborating on outside projects or student-run exhibitions. You can also participate in extracurriculars like The Signet Society, art magazines, or public exhibitions.
When it comes to outcomes, quite a few Harvard alumni have gone on to earn MFAs at places like Yale or RISD, become professional artists, work in museums, or find careers in art curation, design, or digital media. But the student body does include some who are there for a strong liberal arts foundation with their art practice as a complement, so you’ll find a wide mix of approaches and ambitions.
In summary, Harvard’s art program is rigorous and offers lots of chances to grow as a studio artist, but if you’re set on an all-art, all-the-time environment, it’s different from an art school. If you want both first-rate academics and a supportive, creative cohort, it’s a great place to consider—the main thing is deciding if that balance fits what you’re looking for.
The AFVS program allows you to major or minor in studio art, and you can focus on painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, video, and digital work. The faculty includes established artists and the class sizes, especially in upper-level studios, tend to be small, giving you a lot of feedback and support. Harvard’s Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts (designed by Le Corbusier) is the hub for much of this activity and includes studio spaces, galleries, classrooms, and specialized equipment (like print shops and digital media labs). Many students say the facilities are surprisingly impressive—especially given Harvard’s general academic reputation.
If your main interest is painting, drawing, or digital art, you’ll find a good range of classes. For example, students often take introductory studio courses and then specialize as they progress. You might see courses like "Drawing, Painting, and the Expanded Field," "Introduction to Digital Media," or "Advanced Topics in Studio Art." There’s freedom to propose independent work, too, especially junior and senior year.
The artistic community at Harvard tends to be tight-knit and highly motivated. Because it’s a smaller group, artists get to know each other well, often collaborating on outside projects or student-run exhibitions. You can also participate in extracurriculars like The Signet Society, art magazines, or public exhibitions.
When it comes to outcomes, quite a few Harvard alumni have gone on to earn MFAs at places like Yale or RISD, become professional artists, work in museums, or find careers in art curation, design, or digital media. But the student body does include some who are there for a strong liberal arts foundation with their art practice as a complement, so you’ll find a wide mix of approaches and ambitions.
In summary, Harvard’s art program is rigorous and offers lots of chances to grow as a studio artist, but if you’re set on an all-art, all-the-time environment, it’s different from an art school. If you want both first-rate academics and a supportive, creative cohort, it’s a great place to consider—the main thing is deciding if that balance fits what you’re looking for.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years