Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a public, independent institution that prepares artists, designers, and educators from diverse backgrounds to shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good.
We pursue a just, compassionate, and equitable learning environment.
We cultivate rigorous creative practices by observing, questioning, making and remaking.
We honor courage, honesty, mutual respect, and self-expression.
We believe in the power of art and design to transform our world.
History of Massachusetts College of Art and Design
The Massachusetts Drawing Act, which became law in 1870, required most cities in the state to provide drawing instruction in public schools. The act was in response to the belief that art is vitally important to building a strong economy and thriving communities.
ART AND DESIGN FOR ALL
At MassArt, we’ve always understood that art and design have the power to make positive change. We’re committed to providing an education and the promise of a future based on talent, ambition, and drive. As the nation’s first and only independent public college of art and design, we’ve worked to make a world-class education accessible to worthy students, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.
That belief in making art and design accessible to all extends into the community through exciting partnerships. These include bringing art to Boston’s public schools, hosting local community events, and supporting artists working for racial justice. Partnerships allow our students to connect and collaborate with our neighbors and communities.
A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE. AN EYE ON THE FUTURE.
We were founded to provide challenging and forward-thinking academics to talented and committed students, and that hasn’t changed. Our highly respected programs are taught by globally recognized faculty who work side-by-side with students in cutting-edge facilities across our Boston campus.
Since 1873 we have grown and evolved in response to the needs of a changing world. Today, we are more committed than ever to partnership and progress, and to bringing all that we have to the work of empowering the next generation of artists, designers, and educators.
Size and Scope
Massachusetts College of Art and Design provides state-of-the art facilities and studios housed in nine buildings along Huntington Avenue in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, close by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The college offers twenty-two areas of concentration in fine arts, design and art education, and awards one undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and graduate degrees including the Master of Fine Arts, the Master of Art in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Design Innovation, and the Master of Architecture. The college also offers certificate programs in Comic Arts, Communication Design, Fashion Design, Furniture Design, and Industrial Design.
The Fall 2023 undergraduate enrollment was 1741, graduate enrollment was 108 and certificate enrollment was 72. MassArt is a Massachusetts State University and receives support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There are differentiated tuition charges for in-state and out-of-state undergraduate students. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is accredited by the the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as NEASC, and by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).