Visual & Performing Arts

Program Description

School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (SMFA), is a unique institution dedicated to educating artists and focused on fostering creative investigation, risk-taking, and individual vision. Everyone at the SMFA recognizes that disciplines converge and influence each other and that contemporary art is truly interdisciplinary. All students are encouraged to build solid foundations and acquire skill sets in numerous disciplines in order to create new possibilities and forms of artmaking rather than majoring in one studio area. Students are given the freedom to design a program of study that best suits their needs and goals. This freedom comes with strong support and guidance from faculty advisers.

In partnership with Tufts University, the School offers the following degree programs: the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), the Bachelor of Fine Arts Plus Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Art Education, the five-year combined-degree program (B.A./B.F.A. or B.S./B.F.A.), the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), and the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in art education. In partnership with Northeastern, the School offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in studio art. All students in degree programs are fully enrolled at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts or Northeastern University and graduate with a Tufts or Northeastern degree. The School also offers the Diploma Program, the one-year Fifth Year Certificate Program, and the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program. The School is a division of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which is located across the street from the School.

The diversity of the faculty members and the range of facilities allow the student to develop a very personal and individual means of expression. Course teaching methods range from structured classes, with regular attendance, to individual instruction for work done independently outside the School. Class sizes are generally small, and every area of study is supported by accomplished, professional faculty members; extensive programs with visiting artists; and an energetic schedule of exhibitions. At the end of each semester, the student presents a body of art work to a review board consisting of faculty members and students. There is a discussion of the total semester experience, and suggestions are made for future study. A block of credits is awarded, appropriate to the term’s accomplishments, and a written evaluation is made.

Boston is home to many educational and cultural institutions. The Museum School is a vital member of the art community, presenting a dynamic schedule of exhibitions, lectures, and panel discussions throughout the academic year. As a division of the Museum of Fine Arts, students also have special access to the educational resources, collections, curatorial departments, and special programs of one of the most comprehensive and outstanding collections of art in the world.

Program Facilities

 The SMFA campus features several buildings with 24-hour security and extensive access for students. The two main buildings house classrooms, studios, state-of-the-art equipment, exhibition spaces, computer and video labs, the Writing Center, the W. Van Alan Clark Jr. Library, and Café des Arts, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The School provides a limited number of individual studio spaces for undergraduate degree students and diploma students. Students have 24-hour access to most studio spaces and facilities. Students may apply for studio space in the summer months.

There is a limited amount of residential housing in the Artists’ Residence Hall at Massachusetts College of Art. The majority of students choose to live in nearby off-campus apartments, and the SMFA Student Affairs Office can help find the right location and the right roommate.

Faculty, Visiting Artists, and Alumni

 All studio faculty members are practicing professional artists with regional, national, and international reputations. The Visiting Artists and Curators program encourages students to interact with prominent artists.

Exhibition Opportunities

 The Museum School provides students with more than 8,000 square feet of exhibition space in six galleries. These excellent sites are in addition to contemporary gallery space at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where winners of the prestigious Traveling Scholarship awards exhibit every year. Student-curated exhibitions are also on view at the Museum throughout the year. The School also sponsors a number of special prize funds, offering students the chance to win travel grants, cash awards, and exhibition opportunities.

Special Programs

 The School is a member of the Pro Arts Consortium in Boston, which allows students to take classes on a space-available basis at Berklee College of Music, the Boston Architectural Center, Emerson College, the Boston Conservatory, and Massachusetts College of Art. The School also offers selective cross-registration with MIT. As a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), students also have the opportunity to study at colleges throughout the United States and abroad.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen: February 1; transfers: March 1. Notification date--freshmen and transfers: continuous. Required: essay, high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, 2 letters of recommendation, portfolio, SAT or ACT test scores. Recommended: interview. Auditions held 1 time. Portfolio reviews held weekly on campus and off campus in National Portfolio Days; the submission of slides may be substituted for portfolios.

Undergraduate Contact

Ms. Susan Clain, Dean of Admissions, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 230 The Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; 617-369-3626, fax: 617-369-4264.

Graduate Contact

Mr. Jesse Tarantino, Assistant Dean of Admissions, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 230 The Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; 617-369-3626, fax: 617-369-4264.