National Association of Schools of Art and Design

The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), founded in 1944, is an accrediting organization of colleges, schools and universities in the United States. The organization establishes standards for graduate and undergraduate degrees. Member institutions complete periodic peer review processes to become, and remain, accredited. NASAD accreditation should not be confused with regional accreditation. While the association works with other professional organizations, including the AIGA, the American Craft Council, and the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, NASAD remains the only accrediting agency for higher education art and design programs in the United States that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.[1]

Standards for accreditation

The National Association for Schools of Art and Design has stringent criteria for accrediting schools. For example, the NASAD requires that schools clearly publish their tuition rates and course descriptions.[2] In addition, board members assess the schools' art curricula and promote new standards to advance art education.

History

Richard F. Bach, Dean of Education at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, played a pivotal role in founding the association in 1944. That year, he convened representatives from leading art and design institutions at the museum to discuss the emerging field of industrial design. This initial "conference of schools of design" garnered enthusiastic support and led to regular meetings. By 1948, these gatherings had evolved into a formal organization called the National Association of Schools of Design.[3]

Prior to World War II, the number of art and design schools that offered four-year degrees was few. Among the association's 22 charter members, some were on the cusp of doing so, but less than half offered comprehensive art education programs at the time: Those private schools offering four-year fine art degrees included the Carnegie Institute of Technology,[4] Maryland Institute,[5] Moore Institute of Art,[6] Rhode Island School of Design,[7] and Syracuse University.[8] And among the public institutions that helped found the association, only Auburn University[9] and University of Illinois (Urbana)[10] had been offering four-year fine art degrees before WWII and the initial conference which became NASAD.[3]

The name was changed to the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in 1981 to more accurately reflect its broadening scope and interests. Over the better half of a century, its membership has expanded to over 300 institutions from all regions of the United States. This growth has strengthened NASAD's role in developing and upholding educational standards in art and design, fostering mutual understanding and respect among schools and departments nationwide.[3][11]

See also

• Council on Higher Education Accreditation
• Higher education accreditation in the United States
• List of recognized accreditation associations of higher learning
• School accreditation
• US Department of Education

References

1. "NASAD Accreditation Recognizes UXD Program Quality". Kent State Online. 2 Jan 2022. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025.
2. "NASAD Handbook 2012-13" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
3. "NASAD Information" (PDF). National Association of Schools of Art and Design. 2024. Retrieved 2 Feb 2025.
4. "History and Organization" (PDF). Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025.
5. "Historical Milestones (1905-1960)". Maryland Institute College of Art. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025. 1931-Art Education department accredited by State of Maryland; first to offer BFA program.
6. "28 Will Graduate From Art School". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 31 May 1925. p. 73. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025.
7. Tikkanen, Amy. "Rhode Island School of Design". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025. The school was founded in 1877 but did not offer its first instruction at the college level until 1932.
8. "Timeline". Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025. B.F.A. 1874. Syracuse launches the nation's first bachelor of fine arts program.
9. "The History of Auburn University". Auburn University. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025. College of Architecture, Design & Construction 1907.
10. "University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Art and Design | University of Illinois Archives". University Library at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025. In 1931 it adopted a fine arts degree in painting and correlated the work in art along the lines of a specific professional curriculum.
11. "Winthrop College art department accredited". The Index-Journal. 12 May 1985. p. 14. Retrieved 3 Feb 2025.

External links

• Official website