Broward College Receives National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) Accreditation

Fort Lauderdale, FL (June 15, 2017) – The Broward College art and design programs have received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The institution is the only one within the Florida College System (FCS) to earn this designation.

The recognition is the culmination of a five-year comprehensive process which included a self-study, on-site visit, and responding to follow-up questions. To maintain accreditation, the College will be reassessed every five years with ongoing, regularized self-evaluations and peer reviews.

“To have the NASAD stamp of approval means we have the highest quality in our art and design programs at the instructional and programmatic levels,” said Scott Miller, dean for the Arts, Humanities, Communication, and Design (AHCD) Pathway. “Our nationally recognized accreditation reinforces that Broward College is a destination for those looking to foster their passion for creativity. In our efforts, we make it our mission to cultivate the next generation of artists."

Founded in 1944, NASAD is an organization of 59 accredited schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities. Recognized by the United States Department of Education, NASAD establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for art and design-related disciplines. It also provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other art and design endeavors.

“The NASAD commissioners voted to include Broward College in its ranks because we meet the rigorous standards of the accrediting body. Through intense self-study, we have developed and utilized the best practices of similar art and design schools throughout the country,” Leo Stitsky, professor and NASAD self-study chair, said. “As someone who has been intimately involved in the five-year process, I believe the successes of our students are the true test of the quality of their education and are, in fact, our successes as well.”

The AHCD Pathway provides well-rounded programs such as the Visual Arts & Design Academy (VA&DA). This highly competitive, selective and intense program not only challenges participants to create art, individually and collaboratively, on a high level but pushes students to analyze the reasoning behind their work. Graduates of this Associate of Arts program are equipped with the skills necessary to transfer to a prestigious visual arts program to complete their bachelor’s degree, including the Art Center of College and Design in California and the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Students have taken what they learned and matriculated to renowned institutions including the Ringling College of Art, New World School of the Arts, and the School of the Art Institution of Chicago.

For more information on AHCD programs at Broward College, please visit www.broward.edu/AHCD.