Rhode Island School of Design

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a college and museum in Providence, Rhode Island. Incorporated in 1877, RISD was among the first independent colleges of art and design in the U.S. The school began offering full bachelor’s degree programs in the 1930s, by which time its reputation for vision and leadership in advanced studio-based education had already begun to grow. Today, over 2,500 students engage in 44 full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, supported by expert faculty and a worldwide network of over 32,000 alumni. RISD aims to equip artists, designers, and scholars to generate and challenge the ideas that shape the world. The college was established to support the state’s thriving textiles and jewelry industries in particular, with the first courses of study offered at RISD addressing two main areas, namely Freehand Drawing and painting and Mechanical Drawing and Design.