Majors
Finding a Future Right for You
Choose from a variety of majors in degree programs across our four schools. From design-centric fields to landscape architecture, studio art, and more – students looking for creative options geared towards the future of our communities are sure to find something they're interested in pursuing.
Unsure of which major you’d like to pursue?
Consider EXPLORE AAD, a new major which serves as a gateway to the college’s different degree programs. You’ll take classes across the college while exploring and preparing to transition to an AAD major.
School of Architecture
Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture takes five years to complete. The first year students work through a Foundation Program. The second and third years, students work through the Core Professional Program. Fourth and fifth year students complete the Advanced Professional Program.
School of Design
Landscape Architecture
This five-year program comprises four major study areas: Virginia Tech Core Curriculum, Landscape Architecture Core Curriculum, Supporting Professional Courses, and General Electives. These courses enable students to receive a well-rounded university education. A required design studio anchors each semester of the program. Technical, theory, and methods courses complement the studios and complete the program core curriculum.
Industrial Design
This internationally recognized program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and prepares individuals to enter this dynamic field through a rigorous curriculum and with the guidance of an experienced, dedicated faculty.
Interior Design
This program is a balance of design, history, and professional practice. All courses are supplemented by the required University Core Curriculum. This balanced curriculum ensures that every graduate has the knowledge and skill needed to successfully contribute to the work of a design firm as an intern and as a graduate.
All architecture, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture majors study together for the first year. The focus in the first year of the Foundation Program is involved with basic elements of design, addressed visually, conceptually, and haptically.
School of Performing Arts
Music
Receive high-quality training to develop the skills to build a rewarding career as a well-rounded musician. The music program provides many options of study for your individual success: creative technologies, composition, education (pre-teacher certification), music education choral / general, music education instrumental, performance liberal arts, performance professional instrumental, performance professional vocal, technology liberal arts, and technology professional.
Theatre
Join award-winning faculty in a collaborative learning environment. From day one, learn-by-doing through your coursework and production opportunities. The Theatre program offers three different options for the student’s individual focus: theatre general, theatre design and technology, and theatre performance.
Cinema
A cinema degree provides a well-rounded education in the history, art, technology, and methods of the cinema and theatre industries. Through a high-quality classroom experience and hands-on collaborative work with other performing arts students and faculty, prepare for a career in the film industry. The cinema curriculum features courses in film history, criticism, and production, along with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of theatre performance, history, and production, while earning a B.A. degree in Theatre Arts with a cinema major.
School of Visual Arts
Art History
This program is oriented toward the history of western art, although courses are frequently offered on non-western topics. The foundation is a two-semester survey of the history of art. At the intermediate level, there are 14 courses offered on a regular basis that cover a wide range of art topics. Upper-level courses are designated as special topics courses. In recent years they have ranged from the Seven Wonders of the World to Japanese prints to the History of Photography.
Creative Technologies
Creative Technologies is a program that prepares students to become future leaders of many new artistic fields and industries. Students who graduate with a Creative Technologies BFA will go on to pursue careers spanning gaming, film, animation, motion graphics, video production, and fine arts. Some students will also pursue graduate programs in these fields. Creative Technologies classrooms are rigorous and focused. Students are provided with dedicated mentorship and guidance to develop their ideas, and our program has facilitated many ongoing collaborations between students and Virginia Tech faculty. Many Creative Technologies undergraduate students get paid to work on funded research projects.
Graphic Design
This program prepares students for a career in graphic design by focusing on conceptual thinking, semiotics, and problem-solving tactics. The program demands individual creativity, teamwork skills and adaptability while preparing students to enter the job market with practical experience and a full, professionally reviewed portfolio.
Studio Art
The Studio Arts Program is looking to the future to prepare students for the digitally-enhanced world by offering a range of classes in new media and creative technologies including digital photography, digital video and visual effects, digital painting, and 3D animation and modeling. This program is specially addressed to students who aim to continue their education as artists at the graduate level.