Studio Art

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio Art

The post-baccalaureate certificate is a one-year program that offers intensive studio art study and practice, closely advised and supported by SMFA faculty. The program is ideal for students who have completed a bachelor's degree and want to immerse themselves in rigorous studio art-making. Whether you have recently graduated or are changing careers, the post-baccalaureate certificate also provides excellent preparation for graduate study in art or for professional practice as an artist.

The post-baccalaureate program attracts applicants from a wide range of backgrounds. Some students are recent college graduates seeking a year of intensive studio education before beginning independent work as artists. Others come to initiate professional art practice after working in a different field. Still others are working artists who seek to expand their skills or explore new media.

Learn more at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts

Related Programs

• Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
• Master of Arts in Teaching: Art Education (M.A.T.)

View faculty on the SMFA website

In addition to the general application requirements, the post-baccalaureate certificate program requires the following supplemental information.

View General Application Requirements

Application Deadline

The application deadline for fall enrollment is August 1st for domestic applicants and June 1st for international applicants.

Prerequisites

• All applicants must hold an undergraduate degree, such as a B.A.or B.F.A., from an accredited institution of higher education.
• All applicants are expected to be engaged in an art practice or have had some art training, general educational advancement, and/or professional experience.

Portfolio

Students must submit 10-15, pieces of their recent work and/or up to 10 minutes of time-based work. It's important to make sure that the work represents your strengths and interests, and represent your current skills and experiences.

Portfolios must be submitted online through Slideroom. Like the online application, you will need to create a user account. Once this is created, you will be able to view all of your portfolio submissions in one location.

This is a quick drag and drop process, which allows you to submit images, video, audio, models, and more. It will also allow you to embed media from other sites, like Vimeo, YouTube, Soundcloud, and Dropbox.

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required for the post-baccalaureate certificate application.

Resume/CV

Applicants must submit a resume that chronologically outlines your background in the arts. This should include exhibitions and awards, as well as professional experiences and related activities, such as research.

Personal Essay

The personal essay should not exceed three pages and should address the following questions:

• What lies behind your current work and what drives your process?
• How do you see your work and you practice in the context of contemporary art?
• In what ways do you hope to expand and further your art practice at the SMFA at Tufts?

Standardized Test Scores: Not Required

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test is not required for the post-baccalaureate certificate program.

International Students

A minimum TOEFL score of 85 (iBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 is required for admission. 

More information for international students

For questions about the post-baccalaureate certificate program, please contact SMFA admissions at 617-369-3626.

School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University

230 The Fenway

Boston, MA 02115

Phone: 617-267-6100