The Department of Visual and Environmental Studies (VES) cultivates skills in both the practice and the critical study of the visual arts. Its components include photography, filmmaking, animation, video art, painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture, as well as film and visual studies, critical theory, and the study of the built environment.  Its faculty comprises individuals working and teaching in all of these modes. The department has a strong commitment to fostering dialogue among makers, critics, and theorists. VES also offers a Ph.D. in Film and Visual Studies.