Licensure Approval
Update: April 23, 2013
On Tuesday, April 23,  the Massachusetts State Department of Higher Education approved SMFA's application for state licensure of its degree programs, including the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts. SMFA will now proceed with regional accreditation. We will continue to update this page as we move through the process for full accrediation.


DHE Recommendations Received
Update: January 25, 2013

The School of the Museum of Fine Arts hosted a Visiting Team from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) in November. The purpose of their visit was to assess our application for licensure to grant SMFA degrees. We have received the Visiting Team's formal report and recommendations; and will be submitting our response in early February.

The next step in the process will be a presentation the Commission, followed by an application decision at their meeting the following month (anticipated timeline).

We will continue to update this page as we continue with our licensure process.


Department of Higher Education Site Visit
November 15–18, 2012

During the week of November 12, the SMFA hosted a Visiting Team from the Department of Higher Education (DHE) to assess its application for the licensure of SMFA degrees. Licensure is the first step towards independent accreditation for the School and the Visiting Team kept a rigorous schedule of meetings with students, staff, faculty and trustees over the three days that they were on campus.

The School will receive a formal report from the DHE in the coming months, and soon thereafter, the DHE recommendation regarding the School's request for degree licensure will be submitted to the Commission of Higher Education for a ruling.

At the conclusion of the Team's visit on Saturday, their findings were presented to President Christopher Bratton; Sarah McKinnon, Senior VP for Academic Affairs; and Mary Roetzel, Accreditation Liaison Officer. Although these were only preliminary findings, the School seems to have met or exceeded the DHE's standards for licensure and is on track to complete the process by late winter or early spring.

We will continue to update you as we conclude the licensure process and will post developments on this page as they arise.

This is an exciting time, and the Visiting Team's assessment was affirmation of the talent and dedication that is the SMFA community. As one Team member put it, "The School is taking control of its own future."