The College of Art and Design
The Lesley College of Art and Design was founded in 1912 as the School of Practical Arts to primarily teach commercial art skills. In 1967 the school changed its name to the Art Institute of Boston (AIB) and added fine art programs to establish itself as a professional art and design school. In 1998 the school merged with Lesley University. In 2013 AIB changed its name to Lesley University College of Art and Design in anticipation of its move from Boston to Cambridge. The Boston-Cambridge area has on average 98 cultural events per day, bringing art and design education outside the studio and classroom. In 2015,The Lesley College of Art and Design (LA+D) moved into the new Lunder Arts Center in Cambridge to join its sister colleges at Lesley. This merger and move strengthened and broadened the college’s curricula as one of the few professional art and design schools within a university that provides a strong liberal arts education to complement its art and design education. Art and design students are educated, not just trained, in liberal arts courses.
An accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, the college's mission remains focused on providing artists and designers with rigorous studio education and training grounded in the liberal arts. Its goal to produce contributing and responsible citizens is supported by professional art and design careers and a 94% post graduate employment rate. Students are able to work in the art and design community with one of over 50 community partners, gaining experience teaching, organizing, and exhibiting their work. Three gallery spaces feature over 20 exhibitions per year by professional artists and designers, community artists, and students. Undergraduates benefit from studying with graduate students in the LA+D MFA programs, ranked in the top 20 in the United States. With 600 students, the college is not too big, not too small, but rather just right - a close, inclusive, supporting community.
A Place for Practice, Application, Dialogue, and Critique
As a student at The College of Art and Design, you will participate in an internship seminar, an external internship, and/or a Professional Practices course to broaden your experience, develop your skills, and expand your professional network. You may be able to complete an internship at a top design firm; work at a gallery on Newbury Street or take an apprenticeship with a successful national or international artist. Additionally, you can catch lectures at The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, view classic treasures and masterpieces at the many fine arts museums, observe classic examples of architecture, to music, dance and dramatic performance. Students have access to every kind of artistic experience. A surprising juxtaposition of the old and new, historic and innovative, Boston and Cambridge are ideal spots for urban immersion, professional experience, and enlightened inspiration as an artist. You can take advantage of the vibrant arts scene, rich history, intellectual culture, exciting urban landscape of New England's charm with ease of access. Each major of study focuses on a rigorous critique and jury process that integrates critical dialogue and feedback, allowing students to articulate their ideas, while being informed of how their work reaches a wider audience. This allows them to gain the skill sets necessary to express their ideas and provide informed opinions regarding their own work, as well as the work of others, in a public setting, in preparation for being an active participant in visual culture.
Degree Programs
The College of Art and Design offers fully accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree programs, which are: Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interactive Design, Interdisciplinary Studies, Photography, and Visual Narrative as well as Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Design for User Experience. The College also offers two types of certificate programs: Professional Certificates (60 credits) in Animation & Motion Media, Illustration and Design and Post-Baccalaureate Certificates (18 credits online) in Graphic Design, User Experience and Web Design. These are in addition to various double majors and minors available to students. The College also offers two Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degrees: one full-residency MFA in Photography & Integrated Media and one low-residency program in Visual Arts. The College of Art and Design also offers a dual degree, BFA/M.Ed., in Visual Art Education for Initial License as Teacher of Visual Art for students interested in becoming an artist as well as a licensed visual art teacher in public schools (PreK-8 or 5-12). Students can begin M.Ed. coursework while completing their BFA degree.