Undergraduate Studies
Undergraduate Studies
The undergraduate experience is a transformative journey of artistic and personal exploration, where you have the freedom to discover, experiment, and cultivate your skills. It is a dedicated period that empowers you to unearth your true potential and forge your own path. We are committed to providing you with unparalleled access to a wealth of tools and resources, ensuring that you can fully maximize the investment you’ve made in yourself.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) curriculum is designed to have you in studio classes for ⅔ of your degree vs. a Bachelor of Arts (BA), where you are in studio classes only ⅓ of the time. All of our undergraduate programs are BFA programs.
Foundation
Our Foundation program uniquely prepares students for advanced study in all 11 majors. These courses either deepen students' commitment to the discipline they intend to pursue or broaden their perspectives and influence their major choices.
Courses provide intensive training in the fundamentals of composition and design in two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital space. Through an interdisciplinary approach to these studies, we support students in developing a broad range of skills, perceptual abilities, self-confidence, material sensitivities, and fabrication techniques.
Here, we explore a broad range of making: Imagine projects where you learn to stone set, design a book, fabricate with wood, weld steel, crochet a landscape, craft a paper-based installation, explore stop-motion, learn sound editing, or try performance art. Your first year is a period of radical growth during which you will explore new ways of thinking and making.
BFA to MAT: 4 + 1
Maine College of Art & Design’s 4+1 BFA Art Education Accelerated MAT pathway provides an opportunity for students to earn their Bachelor of Fine Arts in four years and their Master of Arts in Teaching in one year.
Request a Viewbook
You may request a viewbook for any of our degree programs. Physical books will be mailed to addresses within the United States and Canada. Digital versions of each book can be found below.
7 Minors
- Art & Entrepreneurship
- Art History
- Drawing
- Music
- Public Engagement
- Sustainable Ecosystems: Art & Design
- Writing
Academic Studies
The Academic Studies curriculum at the College is made up of liberal arts and art history courses to fuel your creative practice and prepare you to be an engaged global citizen. We help you to hone your critical thinking and develop research skills that will support your studio practice well beyond the undergraduate experience.
Joanne Waxman Library
Our Joanne Waxman Library is a central hub for gathering and sharing knowledge on the Second Floor of the Porteous Building. Sunlight bathes the reading and study areas through enormous, Chicago-style windows that look out over Portland’s bustling Congress Street. A home to the Writing Center and Materials Collection, as well as a Book-Making Club, rotating exhibitions, the occasional Crit, videogamers, researchers and nap-takers, the Library touches every aspect of the campus experience.
Faculty Spotlight
Our faculty of working artists brings real-world experience right into the classroom, making learning engaging and relevant. But it’s not just about the knowledge they share—they’re here for you every step of the way. In our small classes, you’ll get to know your faculty personally and they’ll be there to guide and support you in our responsive educational environment. At Maine College of Art & Design, learning isn’t just about assignments and readings: it’s about being supported to make your best work. The strong personal bonds students form with faculty transcend studio discipline and last far beyond the college experience.
Adam deGrandis
Animation & Game Art Faculty and Art Director &
Founder of Chickadee Games
Adam deGrandis ’05 is an accomplished artist who has made a name for himself in the world of game art and design. He has worked on a number of high-profile game projects, such as Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine, Tooth and Tail, and A Monsters Expedition Through Puzzling Exhibitions, where he led the art direction. In addition to his work in the gaming industry, Adam founded his own studio in Maine, Chickadee Games, where he continues to create inspiring and innovative work.
Adam is not only a talented artist, but he is also a dedicated educator who enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with the next generation of creatives. As an Animation & Game Art Faculty member, he teaches young artists the skills they need to succeed in the competitive and dynamic world of animation and game art.
Sharon Portelance
Chair of Metalsmithing & Jewelry
Sharon Portleance ’82 is a studio jeweler, professor, and program chair of Metalsmithing & Jewelry at the College. After receiving her BFA in 1982, Sharon Portelance traveled across the United States before settling in Seattle to begin her studio practice and teach at the Pratt Fine Arts Center. She subsequently earned her MFA at the State University of New York at
New Paltz in 1992. Sharon has taught here since 1999 and has also served as Acting Dean of the College and Vice President of Academic Affairs for three years.
Sharon has been a guest lecturer throughout the United States, Canada, and in Europe. She recently completed residencies in Tallinn, Estonia, and at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. This spring, Sharon exhibited her latest body of work called Reflected Bodies at Jewelerswerks in Washington DC. This jewelry explores the relationship of the interior of the body to the natural world.
Personal Growth
Your college journey is not just about your classes and projects. A good deal of growth and learning happens through building social skills, engaging with the community, and defining your artistic vision.
Our Student Life team, BFA Orientation Leaders, and Resident Advisors (RAs) are the backbone of your support system. They are a staff of professionals and student leaders who want you to thrive and grow as a well-rounded artist and person. They are your go-to for student-led clubs, special programming, on-campus living, leadership opportunities, Housing, Counseling & Wellness, Disability Services, and Diversity, Equity, and Belonging programs and services.
Professional Growth
Where creativity meets opportunity—let us help for scholarship awards. you find your way within the creative economy. A future in art and design is not a straight line. Your path is exceptional and the support you receive through Artists at Work helps you find new opportunities, apply what you have learned, build your practice, and put your creativity to work. Our unique ethos goes beyond a traditional career services center; think of us as a career concierge service. No matter where you are on your creative journey, it is our role to help you translate your passion into a career that suits you and your goals.
Applying & Financial Aid
Our admissions team will work with you to make sure you’re putting your best application forward. We love to get to know our prospective students and can help you shape a strong application. When evaluating applications, we look at the application holistically and consider the strength of the portfolio, academic achievement, as well as personal qualities and achievements.
You have many opportunities to show us your artwork and receive feedback prior to submitting your portfolio for admission. Informal portfolio reviews can include in-progress pieces and incomplete portfolios. Let us help you understand our requirements, how to improve your submission, and best document your work.
We are committed to making your educational experience more affordable.
Our Financial Aid team doesn’t simply process aid and send out awards—we help you understand the realities of funding your education, share information about all of the resources available, and support you in any way that we can. We can even point you to outside scholarships our students have been successful with and review your application before you submit it to help increase your chances of receiving the award.