artist measuring art hanging

Art & Design

Continuing Education

artist with installation

Never Stop Learning and Growing

Art and Design professionals at every stage of their careers turn to Lesley’s continuing education programs to refine their skills and stay competitive in today’s dynamic, creative landscape. Led by our experienced alumni, these offerings are designed to strengthen technical expertise, deepen business understandings, and unlock new opportunities for growth. Through a variety of courses, videos, workshops, and seminars, you’ll access relevant, pertinent content that supports your continued artistic development—no matter where you are on your professional path.

LAUNCHING FALL 2025 

We are excited to introduce our new continuing education programs beginning in Fall 2025. Would you like to be notified when they become available? Email: feedback@lesley.edu

Microlearnings

Lesley University Microlearnings are free, one to three-minute videos that feature our faculty or alumni offering timely, relevant information on a range of important topics in the field of art and design. We’re always adding to our Microlearnings library – check back often so that you can tap into our latest ideas and insights.  

Telling Stories Across Media: Narrative, Memory, and Place

Discover how to bring stories to life across sound, image, voice, and text. In this 2–3 minute microlearning, artist and Lesley alumnus Roberto Mighty shows how multimedia storytelling can transform history, identity, and lived experience into immersive narratives that resonate with audiences. Get inspired to combine traditional and digital forms to create layered stories that engage deeply and linger long after they’re told.

Market Yourself - Quick Tips for Job Search Success 

This three-minute microlearning video provides an introduction to job seekers containing essential strategies for positioning themselves effectively in today's competitive market. Participants will discover key techniques for tailoring resumes and portfolios to match job descriptions, optimizing their online presence, and identifying relevant networking opportunities. The video offers immediate takeaways for aligning professional materials with target positions and building authentic connections that can lead to career opportunities. This accessible introduction serves as a valuable starting point for anyone looking to enhance their job search strategy and present themselves more effectively to potential employers.

Workshops & Seminars

Our alumni-led workshops and seminars give working professionals the opportunity to dive deep into current topics impacting their field. They’re an opportunity to build crucial skills and gain exposure to new ideas and best practices. We frequently add new workshops and seminars, so check back often.

Today’s job seekers can struggle to stand out in a competitive job market and effectively showcase their value to potential employers. This comprehensive interactive 3-hour seminar provides job seekers with in-depth training on strategic self-marketing and positioning for career success. Participants will engage in hands-on activities to tailor resumes, portfolios, and outreach strategies specifically to their target positions, learning how to effectively align their professional materials with job descriptions and employer expectations. The seminar includes detailed guidance on refining online presence across professional platforms, developing authentic networking strategies, and building meaningful connections within relevant professional networks. Through interactive workshops, peer feedback sessions, and personalized coaching, participants will develop comprehensive job search strategies that showcase their unique value proposition and position them competitively for the roles they truly want.

Facilitator
Joseph DeSouza, '18, BFA, Graphic Design 
Joe DeSouza, BFA Graphic Design, is a senior designer, mentor, and advocate for inclusive access to creative careers. After transferring from Bunker Hill Community College to Lesley University, he discovered a sense of belonging that shaped his journey as an artist, educator, and leader. During his time at Lesley, he served as a teaching assistant for Design Thinking & Research and worked as an Alumni Ambassador. He is now Senior Graphic Designer at Encore Boston Harbor, while continuing to mentor students at BHCC in creative development and career pathways. His professional portfolio highlights a design approach that blends innovation with accessibility.

Dates and times
1 hour remote asynchronous and 2 hours remote synchronous

Dates and times for the synchronous times (the seminar repeats up to four times, so audience members have the opportunity to enroll at different times):

  • 1st session: November 19th –7:00 - 9:00 pm EST
  • 2nd session: December 10th – 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST
  • 3rd session: TBD
  • 4th session: TBD

Seminars cost $75 for Lesley alumni and $100 for non-alumni participants

Many artists and storytellers want to create rich, layered narratives that engage history, identity, and lived experience but may lack familiarity with multimedia approaches that combine traditional and digital formats. Without guidance on integrating multiple forms— video, stills, sound, voice, text, and digital media —creators often miss opportunities to develop immersive storytelling experiences that can resonate across different platforms and audiences. This session explores multimedia storytelling as both a personal and public practice, led by alumni working at the intersection of art, culture, and technology. Participants will examine how artists use multiple forms to tell layered stories while exploring projects that combine traditional and digital media to address themes like migration, place, and ancestral memory. Through hands-on exploration and collaborative discussion, participants will learn tools for building immersive experiences, working with archives, interviews, original multimedia, site-specific materials and found objects, and shaping narratives that resonate across platforms. Participants are encouraged to bring a story idea or work-in-progress they'd like to develop during this interactive multimedia storytelling workshop. Artist and Lesley alumnus Roberto Mighty will lead this seminar.

Facilitator
Roberto Mighty '11, MFA, Visual Arts
Roberto Mighty is a PBS producer, award-winning filmmaker, multimedia artist, and educator. He currently serves on the Museum of Fine Arts’ Table of Voices advisory panel, and is completing an augmented reality project for the City of Boston’s Un-Monument initiative. Roberto is the writer, producer, and director of 39 PBS TV episodes and is developing a new series on the history of creativity around the world. Roberto has produced and directed several video projects with the Harvard Forest Long Term Ecological Research Program and this year directed the Concord Museum’s film about the work of an Indigenous artist. He is America’s first artist-in-residence at a National Historic Landmark cemetery. Roberto earned his MFA in Visual Arts from Lesley University. His faculty appointments include Emerson College, Boston University, and the American Graphics Institute. Roberto also teaches master classes, workshops, and guest lectures across the USA. www.robertomighty.com

Dates and times
1 hour remote asynchronous and 2 hours remote synchronous

Dates and times for the synchronous times (the seminar repeats up to four times, so audience members have the opportunity to enroll at different times):

  • 1st session: November 18th – 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST
  • 2nd session: December 9th – 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST
  • 3rd session: TBD
  • 4th session: TBD

Seminars cost $75 for Lesley alumni and $100 for non-alumni participants

Hands-On Print + Paper: Cyanotypes, Zines, and Relief Prints

Earn 10 PDPs (first 2 are free!)

Join us for a dynamic, three-part professional development workshop series designed for elementary and secondary art and design educators seeking fresh, engaging techniques to bring back to their classrooms. Participants can earn up to 10 PDPs upon completion of all three sessions.

Each workshop offers hands-on learning with classroom-friendly processes that are low-tech, budget-conscious, and adaptable across a variety of student skill levels. All workshops meet on each of the dates scheduled in a synchronous, in-person format.

See below for how to register for a workshop.

Workshop Schedule:

Faculty: Brian Unwin
When: Saturday 11/1, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Includes: 2 hour workshop, 2 PDPs + tour of Art + Design facilities
Cost: FREE

Discover the magic of alternative process photography through cyanotypes. You'll explore the historical context and creative possibilities of this sun-powered process while producing your own blue-toned photographic prints using natural materials and found objects.

Included in the first workshop is a tour of the Lesley’s Art and Design facilities! Experience our light-filled studios and professional-grade photography and printmaking labs to animation, illustration, and digital media spaces, the Lunder Arts Center is designed for making—across every medium. Work in active classrooms, view our current exhibitions, and see the kind of work our students produce at the highest level. Whether you teach drawing to 4th graders or guide high schoolers through portfolio prep, you’ll leave with fresh ideas, inspiration, and a clear sense of the opportunities Lesley offers for the next generation of artists and designers.

Sign up here if you’d like to receive registration information about Cyanotype Printing

Faculty: Lilla Szekely
When: Sunday 11/9, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Includes: 4 hour workshop, 4 PDPs
Cost: $50 General Admission, $40 Lesley Alumni

Explore a range of accessible relief printmaking techniques using easy-to-source materials. You’ll learn how to carve and print your own matrices by hand, using a press-free setup that can be easily replicated in a classroom. Multiple techniques will be demonstrated, offering a toolkit of ideas to adapt for different age groups and curricula.

Each session models effective pedagogy, encourages collaborative learning, and equips you with ready-to-implement projects to energize your teaching practice.

Sign up here if you’d like to receive registration information about Relief Printmaking

Faculty: Kate Castelli
When: Saturday 11/22, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Includes: 4 hour workshop, 4 PDPs
Cost: $50 General Admission, $40 Lesley Alumni

Learn how to design and produce zines—mini-publications perfect for storytelling, self-expression, and portfolio development. This workshop covers layout strategies, folding techniques, and how to facilitate zine projects with your students using readily available materials.

Sign up here if you’d like to receive registration information about Folded Books

Find out more

Our programs will be launching in mid-fall 2025. Want to be notified when these programs become available? Email us and we'll make sure you're in the loop.

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