Please note: The illustration B.F.A. program is no longer accepting applications. Beginning in Fall 2026, the program has evolved into the new illustration and animation B.F.A., which combines the strengths of the former illustration and computer art and animation programs with an updated curriculum.
Students currently enrolled in the illustration B.F.A. may complete their degree requirements or, where appropriate, transition to the illustration and animation B.F.A. program in consultation with their academic advisor.
Illustrators arouse curiosity, tell stories and illuminate issues. Our bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree program balances imagination and self-expression with refinement of skills in drawing, painting, digital media and research.
As an illustration major, you will take classes in traditional, digital and alternate media to develop competency with techniques. You’ll study conceptual thinking, research methods and how to communicate narrative while developing familiarity with illustration history and the contemporary field. You’ll be encouraged to develop your unique vision and aesthetic, with guidance toward your professional goals.
Senior illustration majors may show their work in the B.F.A. thesis exhibition at VPA’s Warehouse Gallery. Work by Mohamed Keita ’25
