Academics

Liberal Arts & Sciences

The liberal arts and sciences are crucial to a well-rounded education, providing students with knowledge and skills that are essential for personal and professional growth.

Overview

By studying the liberal arts and sciences, students develop critical thinking, cultural awareness, communication skills, creativity, empathy, and personal growth, all valuable assets in today’s changing world. These skills are crucial for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions.

VCUarts Qatar’s Liberal Arts & Sciences (LAS) program fosters a deeper understanding of the world’s cultures, histories, and traditions, and encourages students to think creatively and explore new ideas. Here, students learn to question assumptions, analyze evidence, and engage in rigorous and independent thinking.

How does studying LAS help aspiring artists and designers?

Liberal arts and sciences courses are particularly valuable for artists and designers. They help develop a deeper understanding of human nature and society.

For example:

Studying history can provide artists with insights into the cultural and societal contexts that shaped previous artistic movements.
Courses such as mathematics and logic can teach students how to approach problems and develop solutions systematically.
Communication and writing can help students effectively articulate their ideas and intentions.
Studying natural and physical sciences opens students’ minds to the complexities of the world and enable analytical thinking.

Curriculum

As a VCUarts Qatar student, you will engage in the ConnectED general education curriculum.

ConnectED expands the horizons of students, both inside and outside the classroom.

More info:

connected.vcu.edu

ConnectEd Curriculum Requirements

Foundations of Learning requirements

Foundations of Learning courses ensure a solid basis in competencies and skills, setting you up for success in the classroom and beyond.

These skills include:

Communicative fluency
Ethical reasoning
Global and cultural responsiveness
Information literacy
Problem-solving (critical and creative)
Quantitative literacy

Areas of Inquiry requirements

As the main organizational structure behind ConnectED, the Areas of Inquiry introduce students to a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, building essential core skills.

The Areas of Inquiry are:

Creativity, innovation, and aesthetic inquiry
Diversities in the human experience
Global perspectives
Scientific and logical reasoning

The Breadth of Knowledge requirements

The Breadth of Knowledge requirements ensure that, as part of your general education experience, you have an introduction to and understanding of three distinct areas:

Humanities and fine arts
Natural sciences
Social behavior sciences

These subject areas align with VCU’s accreditation body (The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) and its requirements for general education programs.

Meet our Faculty

Students learn from LAS faculty who are accomplished scholars in diverse disciplines, from creative writing and nanotechnology to Lie algebra and linguistics. These faculty have created a fruitful transaction between their teaching and research and the reciprocal manner in which they inform each other. Some of their outstanding and impactful research can be explored here:

An Award-winning Children’s Book

Congratulations to Liberal Arts and Sciences Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Summer Bateiha and Associate Professor of English Sadia Mir, whose book “Spring Bloom” has won joint first prize in the General category at the Purple…

Inspiring Hope in the Face of Climate Change

Words, when written with conviction that comes from experience, have the power to inspire – no matter how grave the truth they convey. A book written by a VCUarts Qatar…

Music from the Films of Joel and Ethan Coen

Dr. Jesse Ulmer, Associate Professor of English and American Film from our Liberal Arts & Sciences department, is the author of a new book, titled, “The Coen Brothers and American Roots Music”…

HH Sheikha Moza Wears Design by VCUarts Qatar Fashion Student

Combining arts and science, VCUarts Qatar fashion design student Noor Rashid Butt’s designed an abaya using fabric that has been treated using nanotechnology. It was worn by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser on National Sport Day…