Studio Residency Certificate

The Studio Residency Certificate is designed for students who wish to deepen their artistic practice through independent study and intensive studio work. This certificate supports artists who are ready to engage in a personalized, focused art-making journey, building on the skills developed in the Foundation Certificate or equivalent studies.

After completing 30 credits in the Studio Residency Certificate, students are eligible to apply for Travel Prizes, which sponsor a summer of travel and include a full-tuition scholarship for an additional 30 credits in the program. Residents are also invited to engage with PAFA’s Visiting Artist Program, Open Studio Nights, and various PAFA events

Studio Residency Certificate

30-60 Credits

The Studio Residency Certificate is a 30-60 credit program that welcomes artists across disciplines and genres of visual and media arts. This program provides a supportive peer community for artists who are interested in furthering their study in an independent studio practice. This program is tailored to individual needs for scheduling; hence the requirements may be completed in one year or over four fifteen-week semesters within two years. Throughout those semesters, residents are invited to participate in other institutional activities including visiting artist talks, open studio night, student exhibitions, PAFA exhibition receptions, and select PAFA Museum programming. 

Students are assigned personal studios and individual critics from PAFA's diverse faculty of working artists. Faculty and visiting artists offer guidance and critique student work in their studio space. As students advance through the program they are expected to work toward a cohesive body of work. 

Studio Practice is a two-part course. In Part I, students are equipped with professional skills that prepare them for life as a working artist beyond the school setting. Part II provides a class environment for students to explore their artistic affinities and establish an independent studio practice. In these courses, students gain knowledge of the practical aspects of navigating a career as well as address questions of their own work through research of ideas and development of a written artist statement. Through group discussion and study of historical and contemporary artists, students learn to contextualize their work and find their own voice. 

Open Studio Classes are advanced and intermediate studio classes that can be selected from various concentration offerings. These courses are taught by highly knowledgeable instructors who are practicing artists. The goal is to support the student in furthering their skills from traditional observational study to a broad range of contemporary creative possibilities. Students may pursue their own course of study by choosing electives at large from Drawing, Digital Media, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Students are free to choose courses in multiple disciplines from all courses offered, which provide a breadth of knowledge and an opportunity to experience different ways of working. 

Program Highlights:

• 30-60 credits of in-depth, studio-based study (1-2 years, full-time)
• Independent studio practice with personalized faculty mentorship
• Travel Prizes to support professional development and art research
• Participation in exhibitions, including the Annual Student Exhibition (ASE)
• Fully accredited, stand-alone certificate with flexible credit and scheduling options

Curriculum (30-60 Credits):

PAFA grants a Studio Residency Certificate to students who have met the following requirements: 

• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 30 credits
• Achievement of a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
• Fulfillment of credit requirements
• Fulfillment of all financial obligations, the return of PAFA property, and proper maintenance of private studios
• Participation in the Annual Student Exhibition

Areas of Concentration:

(1.5 = 3 hrs/week, 3.0 = 6 hrs/week, v = variable credit)

Drawing is an essential discipline that supports all concentrations. Students are encouraged to roster 1.5 credits/semester. 

• Figure Drawing (1.5)
• Animal Drawing (1.5)
• Observational Practices (1.5)
• Narrative and Sequential Drawing (1.5)