Art & Design Programs

At Lesley University, we prepare our graduates to build successful long-term careers as working creative professionals.

At Lesley's College of Art & Design, you’ll learn to turn your artistic vision into a meaningful and rewarding career as an artist, filmmaker, game designer, photographer, and so much more. Our accredited and highly respected programs combine a rigorous and relevant studio-based curriculum with deep faculty mentorship, extensive opportunities to gain practical industry experience, access to state-of-the-art labs and studios, and a far-reaching support network for students, alumni, and working professionals.

You’ll dig deep into your chosen discipline while also making the most of Lesley’s other programs and offerings, and graduate prepared to launch and grow your creative career.

Bringing Your Artistic Expression to the Real World

At Lesley, we prepare artists, designers, and creators for a lifetime of success by providing them with the practical experience that empowers them to establish and build long-term creative careers. Our community studio courses are in-class internships that allow students to work with Boston-area organizations on a range of art, design, and communication initiatives.

Lesley students have partnered with hospitals, museums, human service organizations, and more, on projects ranging from rebranding and website design to photography and environmental graphics. As an art and design student, you can also participate in our Scholar Partner Program, and work at an organization like the global manga publisher, Saturday AM. Our Scholar Partner guaranteed internships seamlessly connect your classroom and studio learning to real-world experience, truly enhancing the value of your Lesley education.

In a busy art studio, a diverse group of students of various ages participates in a life drawing class. They are scattered around the room, drawing on easels. In the foreground, a student holds up their charcoal portrait for critique, while an instructor looks on in the background.

A Practice-Based Curriculum Built for Artists and Innovators

Our art and design programs offer the combination of foundation, exploration, and specialization that today’s creative careers demand. Across all our programs, you’ll begin with core art and design coursework and general education requirements that provide a rock-solid base. From there, you’ll dive into specialized coursework within your specific discipline. You’ll also be encouraged to deepen your learning by pursuing studies outside your specific area, whether that’s exploring another art and design discipline, or taking courses from across Lesley in liberal arts, the business of being an artist, mental health, or education.

Students work side-by-side with faculty who are also seasoned and accomplished working professionals. They bring a combination of technical expertise, real-world experience, and deep mentorship to their teaching. It’s a curriculum and an approach that connects theory with practice by combining rigorous studio work with practical, business-focused learning.

Person spreading ink on a table in an art studio

World-Class Facilities

The Lunder Arts Center is Lesley’s creative heart and a hub for our art and design community to connect with one another and create together. It’s a buzzing, state-of-the-art facility that houses studios and labs, an art library, and a range of exhibition, collaboration, and workspaces. Resources at Lunder include:

State of the art digital photo lab and alternative process lab
One of the region’s top printmaking facilities, with dedicated areas for intaglio, screen printing, monotype, and lithography
A digital fabrication lab with 3D printers, a laser cutter, wire bender, and CNC router
Animation labs and studios
A new, state of the art game lab outfitted with PCs running UnReal Engine, Unity, Houdini, and ZBrush
Ceramics lab with state-of-the-art equipment, clay studios and firing facilities designed to support our students to explore traditional and contemporary clay techniques
Our on-campus Art Gallery, located right on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, showcases the diverse works of our students alongside pieces by renowned artists, creating a vibrant hub of creativity and artistic exchange.

Learn more about the Lunder Arts Center and Lesley’s world-class tools and facilities for artists and designers.

Committed to Excellence in Art and Design Education

Lesley’s College of Art and Design is accredited by both the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). These prestigious affiliations underscore the quality of our programs, and our deep commitment to meeting and exceeding the highest standards of art and design education.

Justin Richmond sits at a table and speaks with Lesley students

A Lifetime of Support for Artists and Designers

Lesley is a creative community that’s with you for life

Resources available to our alumni and the larger art and design community include:

Lesley’s Alumni Artist Studio – A high-tech space to continue creating, collaborating, and developing projects while building connections with fellow alumni
Continuing education courses including workshops, seminars, and timely, relevant microlearnings
Access to on-campus labs and creative workspaces for alumni to continue honing your craft and collaborate with peers after you graduate
Enhanced job matching and curated career fairs

Learn more about how we support professionals working in the field through every stage of their careers.

Scholar Partner Program

Explore our Scholar Partner Program which guarantees internships upon acceptance as well as other types of internships and field placements that uniquely prepare Lesley students for career success.

See Where Lesley Students Work through our Scholar Partner Program

ARTrelief
Buildwave
Cadbury Commons
Cambridge Women’s Center
Child & Family Services
Girls LEAP
JVS

Lilian Prep Early Education Academy
Saturday AM
Victory Programs
Vinfen
Yachad New England

Community Studios

Our students participate in community studio courses, partnering with local nonprofits on collaborative, real-world projects that support social and environmental goals. These “in-house” internships involve students working directly with clients in classroom settings, often with organizations in Boston and Cambridge.

Current Community Studio Projects

Studio Arts Community Studio projects:

Mount Auburn Hospital
Mass Audubon Boston Nature Center

Design Community Studio projects:

Ephraim Amu Score Project
Cambridge 400
Salem Food Policy Council
"New Landscapes” Client: Green Cambridge
Cyrus Dallin Art Museum
Rwanda Youth Partnership
Traverse: Cambridge Sidewalk Poetry / City of Cambridge

Animation Community Studio Projects

Community Art Center
CitySprouts
KEPYR, Kids Entertainment Professionals for Young Refugees
Make-A-Wish foundation
Child Homelessness Initiative

Undergraduate Programs

Our Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programs offer immersive training in Studio Arts, Illustration, Communication Arts, and Media Arts. You’ll master the craft of art and design, and the business of becoming a working creative professional. And you’ll begin working with clients and other creative professionals early on in your education.

Explore Undergraduate Programs

Take the next step

Ready to begin your journey with Lesley? Share some basic information by filling out one of the forms below so that we can reach out to you with more information about our programs. Or, email admissions@lesley.edu to connect with a member of our admissions team.

Undergraduate Inquiry Form | Graduate Inquiry Form | Threshold Inquiry Form