BFA Program at Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Founded in 1873, MassArt is the nation's first and only freestanding, publicly supported college of art and design, and the first to grant a degree. The college educates more than 2,000 students each year in a variety of disciplines including architecture, industrial design, painting, fashion design, and art education, offering undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare them to participate in the creative economy as fine artists, designers, and art educators.
Notable alumni include art dealer Arnold Glimcher; interior designer Kelly Wearstler; branding expert Brian Collins; performance and installation artist Christian Marclay; photographer William Wegman; mixed media artist Ambreen Butt; and filmmaker Hal Hartley.
MassArt is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The college is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) and of the Colleges of the Fenway and ProArts Consortium, a collegiate consortium located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area of Boston.
Undergraduate degree overview (BFA)
MassArt awards the bachelor of fine arts degree (BFA) in 20 disciplines:. animation, architectural design, art teacher education, ceramics, community education, fashion design, fibers, film/video, glass, graphic design, history of art, illustration, industrial design, jewelry and metalsmithing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, studio education, and the interdisciplinary Studio for Interrelated Media.
Curriculum overview
The undergraduate degree curriculum is sequential, and all students must complete the first-year foundation program, which provides compulsory exposure to the basics of 2D and 3D art and design. Graduation requirements include an elective studio and multiple critical studies courses. Fully one-third of the course requirements for the BFA degree program are in liberal arts. BFA students have specific course and distribution requirements in social sciences, writing and literature, and science and mathematics. Students must complete a total of 120 credits to earn the BFA degree from MassArt.
Each year of study requires satisfaction of 30 credits, as follows.
Freshman year (foundation year): Two semesters of Drawing -- figurative and breadth (6 credits); Visual Language 2D (3 credits); Time 4D (3 credits); Form Study 3D (3 credits); Studio Elective (3 credits); Written Communication (3 credits); Freshman Seminar (3 credits); Introduction to Western Art (3 credits); and History of Art Elective (3 credits).
Sophomore, junior, and senor years comprise select Major Requirements (12 credits); Studio/Open Elective (6 credits); and Liberal Arts/History of Art Electives (12 credits).
Campus and cultural resources
The MassArt campus spans an entire city block, offering students access to one million square feet of studio, classroom, living, and exhibition space. About 89% of MassArt freshmen live on campus. Public transportation to the campus is easily accessible, with bus and subway routes that stop at or near the college.
Located in the heart of an area rich in cultural and educational resources, the MassArt campus provides state-of-the art facilities and studios housed in nine buildings along Huntington Avenue in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, designated as The Avenue of the Arts. The MassArt Design and Media Center, a 70,000 square foot, $45 million project designed as a space for interdisciplinary collaboration, opened in January 2016.
Boston is the hub of a diverse and thriving art community. In addition to visiting the many local museums, galleries, and artist studios, students can stroll along the Charles River, walk the historic Freedom Trail, relax in Boston's numerous parks and public areas, and enjoy the city's entertainment venues and shopping districts.
Student experience and opportunities
The MassArt community attracts students from more than 42 states and territories and 50 countries. MassArt maintains consortium arrangements with 13 other colleges and art schools within a one-mile radius of campus, all of which provide cross-registration, performing arts, athletic, and social opportunities for students.
Three student galleries on campus offer students a variety of opportunities to share their work with the MassArt community and the public. MassArt is also home to the Bakalar & Paine Galleries, the largest free contemporary art space in New England, which showcases at least four professional exhibitions by emerging and established artists yearly, and exhibits student work twice a year.
The annual All School Show highlights student work from every department over a three-week period and students are invited to show their work for consideration alongside professional artists and alumni at the MassArt Annual Auction. The biannual MassArt Made Sale gives students experience in a professional jury process and an opportunity to sell their work.
Career resources
MassArt connects student talent to the creative economy through internships, job listings, career counseling, resume assistance, and workshops. Each year, the college posts 500 internships and holds a job fair to connect students with employers. Companies recently providing internships include Reebok, Elle Magazine, Hasbro, and the Boston Ballet.
Faculty and visiting artists
The MassArt undergraduate student to teacher ratio is 10:1. There are 115 fulltime and 152 part-time faculty members. Notable faculty include Flip Johnson, an award-winning animator whose work has been screened at major international film festivals; Robert Gerst, whose teaching interests include film history and film aesthetics; and Marika Preziuso, whose teaching interests are Anglophone and Francophone Caribbean Literature; Latino Literature; and Women's Studies.
Students are also exposed to working designers and artists through the Visiting Artist Program, which features lectures, seminars, workshops, and classroom interaction. Recent visiting artists include Janette Brossard, Dan Clayman, Andre Dubus, and Maya Hayuk.
Financial assistance
MassArt provides financial assistance to students in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study.
