School for American Crafts
School for
American Crafts
Overview
The School for American Crafts is dedicated to developing one-of-a-kind art using both traditional skills and modern technology. Students master their material of choice, whether its clay, wood, glass, or metals. They have access to world-class facilities including a glass hot shop; woodworking studio; flameworking and glass studios; and buffing, casting, and welding rooms. Under the tutelage of award-winning faculty and active artists, students immerse themselves in studio-intensive courses that inspire both process and conceptualization.
Full-tuition scholarships
Students applying to any School for American Crafts MFA program (ceramics, furniture design, glass, metals and jewelry design) are eligible for one of our new competitive, full-tuition scholarships.
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More than 100 metals and jewelry design alumni have created pieces modeled on the runway at the annual Fashion Week of Rochester.
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Luxury jewelry maker Tiffany & Co. has employed more than 50 metals and jewelry design alumni.
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Each year, more than a dozen visiting artists are welcomed for demos and lectures.
Latest News
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March 1, 2023
![Tarrant Clements stands in front of a painting she made.]()
Ceramics alumna enjoys a life dedicated to art
Painter. Potter. Printmaker. Sculptor. Tarrant Clements '68 MFA (ceramics) has worked in a variety of mediums throughout her career, and still does today.
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February 8, 2023
![Students gather around table watching welding in blue safety suits.]()
College of Art and Design’s new MAKE program opens doors for creative exploration
RIT students will have more opportunities to flex their creative muscles outside of the classroom through a new program called MAKE, housed within RIT’s College of Art and Design. The new program creates opportunities for students outside of the college to engage with the resources and expertise available within the School for American Crafts and School of Art.
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January 9, 2023
![person working in a studio surrounded by metalworking tools and supplies.]()
MBA student uses experience at Shop One to help grow her own business
Some people categorize themselves as right-brained or left-brained when describing what they excel at—whether they are more analytical and practical, or more creative and artistic. Both sides have their value, and Maddy Schoenfeld ’20 (metals and jewelry design) believes that combining the analytical and creative can elevate a small business.
Featured Work
'To Be Decayed I'
Rinoi Imada
"Glassblowing is the one of essential parts of my art practice. It is labor intensive, and I need to have good communications with people who help me. However, I have a trauma to create works ...
Minimalism of Form and Material
Drew Slickmeyer
The "LUZ Stool" by Furniture Design MFA student Drew Slickmeyer is an exercise in minimalism of form, material and production processes while still acknowledging, and even...
Faculty featured in 'New Glass Review'
David Schnuckel, Suzanne Peck
RIT glass faculty Suzanne Peck and David Schnuckel were both selected for the 42nd issue of New Glass Review, the Corning Museum of Glass’ flagship publication showcasing 100 timely, innovative glass...
Featured Profiles
Artist Interview: Madeline Rile Smith '20
RIT City Art Space's Artist Short Sesh features conversations with artists in the College of Art and Design about their work. The artist interview series, started by Gallery Director John Aäsp,...
Public Sculpture
Juan Carlos Caballero-Perez, professor of Metals and Jewelry Design, created a near-12-foot sculpture for the Village of Fairport, N.Y.’s Kennelly Park, outside the public library. It was the...
Molten Glass 3D Printer
RIT's glass program hosted the artist/designer/engineer team behind Evenline as artists in residence for the spring 2023 semester. The innovative company stationed its only-one-of-its-kind molten...
Undergraduate Programs
The School for American Crafts offers an Associate in Occupational Studies in furniture design. The program is a highly-focused, two-year course of study in which students learn how to use basic hand tools and begin to explore the technical and visual potential of wood. The school has a legacy dating back more than 70 years. It is closely aligned to our School of Art’s vibrant studio arts BFA, which offers options in ceramics, furniture design, glass, and metals and jewelry design, among others. Both schools have unparalleled facilities for students to conceptualize and create art from start to finish.
An intensive course of study combining foundations in art and design with two years of study in woodworking and furniture design. For individuals not seeking the BFA or MFA degree, the associate degree will provide you with many of the fundamentals to begin a career in woodworking and furniture design.
Graduate Programs
The school offers MFA degrees in ceramics, furniture design, glass, and metals and jewelry design. All graduate students have individual studio spaces and access to state-of-the-art facilities to hone technique and design pieces that showcase their personal expression in their medium. A thesis project is the culminating experience for all graduate students. It’s produced independently by the student under the advisement of faculty members chosen to serve on that student’s thesis committee. The thesis involves design research and study, a creative project, and written and illustrated documentation.
Student Resources
For internal College of Art and Design resources such as academic information, forms, FAQs and more, visit inside.cad.rit.edu. For information about academic advising, visit here.