School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University

Brookline, United States Tufts University

The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University is where talented and curious students become artists with purpose. For generations, our graduates have worked across mediums, disciplines, and techniques to produce art that provokes thought and inspires change. It's a community fueled by big ideas, and the energy of those who seek to make them a reality.

#151 Ranking
2 Bachelors
Private Institution Type

Bachelor's programmes

Arts, Design & Architecture (2)

BFA + BA/BS Combined Degree (BFA and BA-BS)

Tufts University
BFA Fine Arts

Tufts University

About

History

Founded in 1876 as part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts was conceived as both a technical institute of drawing and painting and a school dedicated to exploring ideas by building visual literacy and expression. In 1945, SMFA began a partnership with Tufts University to offer joint degrees.

Education

The School of the Museum of Fine Arts offers BFA and Combined Degree (BFA+BA/BS) undergraduate programs, as well as graduate and non-degree programs, with areas of study that run the gamut from painting and sculpture to performance to virtual reality.

Career

Our Career Center helps students explore career and professional development opportunities in the arts and tap into the vast resources of the Tufts Career Center.
SMFA students enjoy robust support in exploring professional pathways. By using the resources of our Career Center, as well as taking advantage of internships, travel opportunities, and collaborations with our faculty, our students build professional networks and gain practical skills. In addition, there are a number of awards, grants, and fellowship opportunities available to our students and the Career Center team is available to help you with your applications.

Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2021

GSSA 2021

The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2021. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 8 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!

Learn more about the Global Student Satisfaction Awards

University Ranking

Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University

2023

151

2022

2021

ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.

More rankings and student reviews

Services

Student services

SMFA Student Affairs - Student Affairs provides services, resources, and support systems to strengthen student life and build community, both on the SMFA campus and on the Medford/Somerville campus.
TCU Senate is the main governing body for Tufts undergraduate students.
SMFA Student Government Association

Housing services

Tufts housing on Beacon Street in the coveted neighborhood of Brookline, near our SMFA campus: 1023 Beacon ,1025 Beacon ,1047 Beacon

Outside campus:

Bush Hall
Carmichael Hall
Carpenter House
Hill Hall
Hodgdon Hall
Houston Hall
Metcalf Hall
Miller Hall
Richardson House
Tilton Hall
Wilson House

Library services

The W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Library at SMFA is the fine arts branch of Tufts University's Tisch Library. Focusing on contemporary art and studio practice, our collections encompass exhibition catalogs, monographs, theoretical and art historical texts, technical manuals, periodicals, media, artists' books, zines, and more.

Medical services

Tufts has a diverse team of healthcare professionals who are providing care to all students. We Assist With:

Health Concerns including Routine Care, Same-Day Concerns, and Immunizations
Sexual and Reproductive Health including STI Testing, Emergency Contraception, LBGQ Care and Trans Health
Administrative Support including Lab Testing, Translation Services, and Physician Referrals

Student Life

Campus life

Students at SMFA at Tufts divide their time between two campuses: the Boston SMFA campus in the Fenway neighborhood and the Medford/Somerville campus.

The Boston SMFA campus is home to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts studios, classrooms, and workshops. In addition to being right next door to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, our neighborhood is also home to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
SMFA at Tufts students also have full access to our Medford/Somerville campus, including the wide array of academic, community, and resource offerings.

Sports facilities

Northeastern University's Marino Center
Huntington YMCA
Boston Sports Club
Bodyscapes Fitness

Student clubs

Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Phi
Chi Omega
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Upsilon
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Theta