PROPOSED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS:

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1 PROPOSED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS: The Pre-College program, Advanced Certificate program, M.A. program, and Masters of Design Practice program are conceptualized by faculty around the principles of the mission. A. PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM: The School of Art Pre-College Program is meant to serve students based in New York City or the Tri-State area who are able to commute to The Cooper Union. This new pre-college incentive is designed to generate revenues while offering a wide variety of classes consistent with the philosophy School of Art BFA program. The Pre-College Program is designed in modular units to accommodate a flexibility of options. Students may wish to explore a specific area or seek a specific skill within a two-week course, combine two or more classes to develop relationships between disciplines or pursue a four week or eight week concentration in one area. The summer Pre-College Program will offer students the opportunity to develop eye-to-hand skills through 2D and 3D media, build skills in digital media and engage the cultural and civic resources of New York City. Possible curricular structure Summer Intensive Sessions: Summer I and Summer II (each four weeks long) will be organized around a topic, which will provide a focus for discussions. As an example, the history and application of Collage will be discussed in classes ranging from digital technology, drawing, photography, printmaking, film and video. Over a two-week period, classes will meet for 9 sessions. On the tenth day, all students will come together for an organized presentation of projects completed within the two-week period. This will provide an opportunity for students to interact and broaden the conversation among disciplines. The summer Pre-College Program will offer students the opportunity to develop eye-to-hand skills through 2D and 3D media, build skills in digital media and engage the cultural and civic resources of New York City. Fall and Spring sessions: Weekend classes are held in the Fall and Spring. Even though The School of Art BFA students actively use the shops and facilities on the weekends, a limited number of classes can be offered on Saturday and Sunday mornings. These courses would compliment the offerings of the Summer High-School Program. Fall/Spring Saturday and Sunday Morning Classes: 4 courses will meet for 3 hours (9am-12noon) for 12 Saturdays in the Fall and in the Spring. Each class will be limited to 15 students. Unlike other Art schools with pre-college programs which might consider pre-college HS programs as an expansion to the applicant pool for their BFA/BA programs, The School of Art is known for its reputation as a rigorously selective undergraduate institution. The acceptance rate into the BFA program (4.57%) is more selective than Harvard s (6%) (other NYC art colleges include Pratt Institute - 65%, Parsons The New School for Design 69% (The New School), School of Visual Arts 74%). Thus, The Cooper Union Pre-College Program can 1

2 function as an autonomous academic experience. This is an exceptional opportunity for students to develop their work and portfolio within the country s most selective art institution. UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE CREDIT SUMMER PROGRAM A limited number of summer classes at the undergraduate level may be offered for college credit. These classes, perhaps four, each limited to 15 students would parallel classes already taught in the BFA program for example Photography, Graphic Design, Drawing and Painting, These courses would be taught by adjunct faculty currently teaching in the SOA. 2

3 B. ADVANCED STUDIO CERTIFICATE PROGRAM The Advanced Studio Certificate Program is designed for a small number of artists (12-15). The program invites the student to develop and invent an individualized course of study. Each student, in consultation with an advisor, designs a rigorous program that takes full advantage of the integrated curriculum of The Cooper Union School of Art. The Advanced Studio Certificate offers individuals who have been working independently, have earned a baccalaureate in another course of study or have a non-traditional academic background the opportunity to immerse themselves both within the highly motivated artistic community of The School of Art and within the context of the greater NYC cultural urban environment. Admission to the Certificate Program is highly selective and determined through the School of Art Admissions Committee, a merit based, faculty-selection process which requires the completion of a home test and as well as a portfolio review. Candidates are expected to demonstrate commitment to advanced studio studies. Students in the Advanced Studio Certificate complete 30 credits per year for a one-year program and 60 credits total for the two-year program. All academic standards of The School of Art apply to the Advanced Studio Certificate. Possible curricular structure Each individualized curriculum will include credits coming mainly from the advanced studio course offerings in the SOA and the following required components: One-on-one independent studies with faculty Advanced Studio Certificate Seminar A required 2-week summer technique orientation which exposes students to the labs and facilities within the School of Art A written thesis and thesis exhibition Students in consultation with their advisor will also have the option to enroll in a limited number of courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Possible enrollment Year students; year students Prospective students Each year the School of Art Admissions Committee receives numerous applications for the BFA program from applicants who have already earned a BA or from international students with equivalent backgrounds. These applications are not entertained as a priority, as the committee embraces the mission to offer access to an undergraduate education, not a second degree. This also hold true for international applicants who have already completed a degree or an equivalent certificate and are seeking admission to The School of Art. The Advanced Studio Certificate program offers an opportunity for those individuals seeking a rigorous studio experience beyond their previous training. Comparable Programs This proposed Advanced Studio Certificate will be unique to The Cooper Union and is not a duplication of post-baccalaureates offered at other art schools. Unlike other programs, the Advanced Studio Certificate is integrated with all the current discipline areas within the School of Art. Inclusion in the program is driven by faculty reviews and an already proven 3

4 admissions process which allows for the creation of a dynamic community while retaining a high level of selectivity. The Advanced Studio Certificate program offers several possibilities for international partnerships with foundations and art academies and/or institutions supporting young artists in their own countries to complete advanced study abroad. Since this student population is less concerned with the completion of a full-degree, or already has completed a bachelor s degree or equivalent in their own countries, the Advanced Studio Certificate student has much to gain and much to offer The Cooper Union. Students supported through such partnerships would be subject to the same rigorous selection process as other certificate candidates. The School of Art is investigating the possibility of international partnerships with other institutions in Latin America and Asia. The Advanced Studio Certificate program allows for these partnerships and builds on the School of Art s commitment to artistic advancement and meritocracy on a larger and global level. 4

5 C. MASTERS IN ARTS (M.A.) PROGRAM: This 36 credit graduate program is for students in the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences with interests in the production of concepts, forms, gestures, policies and institutions relevant to specific research themes. Utilizing the cultural, scientific, financial, and others resources available in New York City and at The Cooper Union, the program invites students to pursue studies in a wide range of fields pertinent to contemporary art: production (all genres), theory, history, writing, architecture, exhibition and curatorial studies, among others. The program s emphasis will be on in-depth research and /or production of an art project to be made public at the end of the second year of study. The student will define the public form of each project. The program's emphasis will be on the production of concepts, forms, and gestures relevant to the possible themes: Emerging Infrastructures for the Arts New Art Economies: Art and/in the Information Economy. Possible enrollment and class size Begin with 8; then 10; 12 then 15 per year. Maximum students in program by Year 6 is 30 (15 First Year; 15 Second Year: Track 1); Track 2: 20 students by Year 10 Prospective students The program is designed to attract accomplished professionals and ambitious students. These can include individuals who have completed an undergraduate degree in the arts/humanities. Additionally, considering the topics and research themes that are within and beyond the cultural field of art, prospects can also come from areas such as architecture and science. Prospects are expected to perform at the graduate student and/or post graduate level. The curriculum is designed to address various questions surrounding global contemporary art and culture through a rigorous and advanced course of study. This program focuses on a set of research initiatives driven by the research concerns of the professors (social and global issues), which differentiates this program from a general critical studies program, or an initial masters program. To a certain extent, this M.A. program is closer to a science lab where post-docs work with a lead scientist on research that complements the lab s research concerns. The program combines philosophical reflection alongside political economy, and studio practice. It can involve on-site research, such as the emerging infrastructures for the arts in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Hence, it combines on-site research alongside offsite reflection. 5

6 D. MASTERS OF DESIGN PRACTICE PROGRAM (M.D.P.): Social enterprise today is a rapidly growing sector of the global economy, changing the spheres of information, industrial and cultural production. The Masters of Design Practice Program (M.D.P.) of The School of Art will provide the professional training needed by developing artists to enter this sector, expanding the range of options for their careers. The program is a 60 credit graduate degree held over 3 six-week summer sessions, and possibly 2 one-week winter sessions, as well as one-on-one off-campus local mentorships in the Fall and Spring semesters. As a limited-residency learning context, the M.D.P. will provide the flexible academic calendar that can fit the demanding lifestyle of the working learner/participant. The summer period of study provides an intense hands-on training in design, art, technology, and fabrication, proposing new tracks for the candidate s opportunities in professionalization and employment. The core of The M.D.P. is a graduate program with the potential of becoming a summer institute with multiple tracks. The M.D.P. will provide a program for graduate students seeking to expand their skills towards the redesign of active civic discourse, creating visual platforms for societal change, and launching new ventures in social entrepreneurship through design. Through these summer initiatives, The School of Art can further the development of its unique approach to art and design pedagogy, towards professionalizing practices in a widerange of institutional settings, proposing design as a tool for intelligent civic engagement and innovation. Potential prospects Additionally the program offers a flexible course of study for professionals who come from a variety of backgrounds including the visual arts, design, social sciences, and education. These individuals are in need of advance certification for employment opportunities, working to develop transformative contexts for design practice and industry. The M.D.P. program is inspired by the excellent example of Cooper alumni who have transformed their educational experience towards the creation of innovative artistic models and social change. This vibrant community of alumni artists and designers has produced new initiatives in all areas of cultural enterprise, including community advocacy, media production, publishing, product design, curatorial practice, museum studies, urban design even environmentalism and agriculture. The program which has the potential to become an institute is directed towards the many young art and design professionals who lack this important critical understanding inherent to a Cooper education, who wish to deepen their skills towards cultural activism and the building of innovative professional models within art, industry and institutions. Possible enrollment As the program grows it can develop into a summer institute with multiple tracks of study and specialization: Year 1: 20 students; Year 5: students in track 1, 10 in track 2; Year 10: 70-80in track 1, in track 2; in track 3 6

7 Comparable programs There are a number of art and technology programs and art as social practice programs within the United States, however, these programs tend to emphasize one area over the other. The M.D.P. will be the first summer low residency design program that is envisioned as a meeting place of progressive ideas, technical knowledge and applied design training; its pedagogical culture directs students towards a critical understanding of their work in relation to the society in which they live and work as artists. The School of Art is uniquely positioned to develop such a program, which has evolved from a long tradition of teaching the artist-as-citizen, the rigorous demands of our curriculum and from our unrelenting focus on critical visual thinking. These are all key skills for social entrepreneurs and future producers of cultural and civic change. Recently Business Insider ranked the world s 25 best design schools (Nov. 23, 2012). By polling 633 design professionals the article ranked institutions based on academic value. The School of Art ranked 15, beating comparable programs such as Georgia Tech, UCLA Design, UC Berkeley, CCA, and NYU. These rankings were conducted despite the fact that The School of Art does not currently have a graduate degree in design yet. 7