The excellence and diversity of its design curriculum, academically rigorous general education studies, the scholarly and inspiring accomplishments of its faculty, small studio classes with one-to-one feedback from faculty members, a diversity of student activities and honor clubs and its commitment to the Qatari community have made Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQ) exclusive in the country and region.

Located in the heart of a city and region with an extraordinarily vibrant and diverse cultural heritage, VCUQ plays a central role in the modern cultural life of Qataris and Middle Easterners.  Whether in the studio, the library, the computer laboratory, or the lecture halls, students can expand their cultural perspectives as well as acquire expertise for the workplace within an energetic and compassionate learning environment.

The VCUQ experience is one of cultural, as well as, academic discovery.  The University's multicultural environment cultivates artistic expression as well as individual growth.  The presence of VCUQ within an Arab/Islamic environment enables students to foster a critical outlook towards the globalization of visual cultural and its impact on design.  VCUQ is distinctive as it foresees, distinguishes, and catalyzes design as the currency of our time.  Studies at VCUQ incorporate traditions that define design in past centuries and embrace emerging models that illustrate design for the future.

VCUQ offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design, Fashion Design or Interior Design, through a comprehensive four-year curriculum.  The only fully accredited design program in the Middle East, VCUQ is a branch campus of the prestigious VCU School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia.  The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), and the Ministry of Education in Qatar accredit VCUQ.  The combination of all these elements has allowed VCUQ to establish an enviable reputation as a university of excellence with a distinct identity.