Doctor of Philosophy in Media Art and Text

VCU’s interdisciplinary doctoral program in media, art, and text is a joint endeavor of the Department of English, the School of the Arts and the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication. The program prepares students primarily to teach at the college or university level, although some pursue careers in related media fields. MATX emphasizes the historical and theoretical foundations essential to the scholarly study of media, both old and new, broadly defined. It provides an intellectually stimulating environment that encourages students to work both collaboratively and independently, as well as across and between disciplines and media. Students maintain a base in their primary area of research, which is usually but not always the field in which they have done prior graduate work.

Applicants must hold a master's degree (M.A., M.F.A., M.S.) in a relevant field.Applicants must submit the following, in the formats indicated via VCU's online application portal..Writing sample of no more than 40 pages demonstrating the ability to write clearly, analyze effectively and conduct original research in advanced doctoral-level seminars – This may be a master’s thesis, a graduate-level seminar paper or a published essay. Submit as a PDF.Statement of purpose describing the applicant’s interest, motivation and goals in pursuing this degree – The statement should specifically address the importance of interdisciplinarity to the applicant’s academic goals, and it should also offer evidence of preparation for the study of media, art, and text. The applicant should indicate the specific area of study and research to be pursued at VCU and identify faculty who might potentially direct dissertation research. Submit as a PDF.Academic curriculum vitae or professional resume – List all colleges and universities attended and degrees earned, all professional and academic positions held, all publications and/or exhibitions, technical skills, and any other relevant information. Include URLs for personal and/or professional websites. Submit as PDF.Letters of recommendation – Provide letters from three present or former instructors or other individuals qualified to evaluate the applicant’s ability to engage in interdisciplinary study at the doctoral level. Have recommenders submit their letters via the online application portal.Applicants who wish to pursue creative work at VCU must also submit a portfolio. Those with an M.F.A. who do not wish to continue creative work should consult with the MATX director about this requirement. Materials submitted should demonstrate excellence in studio or professional practice and the potential to do graduate-level work in media, art, and text. Portfolios will be reviewed by the MATX admissions committee as well as relevant faculty in the School of the Arts and the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication. Please observe the following guidelines:Those working in 2-D or 3-D mediums should provide 20 images of representative work arranged chronologically, beginning with the most recent.Those working in sound and time-based media, as well as those in the performing arts, should provide clips totaling no more than 10 minutes.Those working across media may submit a combination of the above.The portfolio should include title, date, media and dimensions of each work, as well as a brief statement or other information that will help the admissions committee in its evaluation.Small files illustrating 2-D or 3-D work should be submitted in a single PDF. Sound or video files should be posted to Vimeo or Sound Cloud with a functioning link submitted in a PDF with the required information posted to the portal. Portfolio materials may also be posted to a personal or professional website and the link submitted in a PDF posted to the portal.