The IDSVA PhD in Visual Arts: Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Art Theory is a research-based, low-residency PhD for artists and creative thinkers who want to push the boundaries of how we understand art, culture, and human experience.IDSVA’s pioneering curriculum — fusing interactive online education with intensive residencies — allows working art professionals to pursue rigorous advanced scholarship without having to interrupt or abandon their teaching careers, art practice, or other professional responsibilities. You don’t have to choose between your current work and your intellectual growth — our program is designed for both.As a truly nomadic institution without a traditional campus, our global community of learners spans continents. Your education unfolds through interactive online seminars combined with intensive residencies in Rome, Spannocchia Castle in Tuscany, Siena, Venice, Berlin, Athens, Madrid, Marrakech, Mexico City, and New York City.“I was hired [by Georgia State University] in 2015 and received tenure in 2020 on the basis of my publications, conference presentations, exhibitions, a whole mix of things that wouldn’t have been on my CV without the IDSVA experience.”— Dr. Jason Hoelscher (IDSVA Alumn 2019), author of Art as Information Ecology: Artworks, Artworlds, and Complex Systems Aesthetics (Duke University Press 2021) and Full Professor at Georgia Southern UniversityInternational Applicants: Although we are a nomadic program, IDSVA is regarded as a United States institution. Foreign students are encouraged to apply and can complete their doctoral studies from their home country. IDSVA can issue F-1 visas to international students for a one-week residency in the US, but these visas do not grant full-time residence in the US. Want to learn more? Book a conversation with Dr. Jeanne Moore, Director of Admissions. Apply now for 2026 enrollment. Applications for May 2026 are due December 8, 2025. Email info@idsva.edu. For more information, visit idsva.edu.