Welcome to AIB

The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University is a college of visual arts, located in the student-friendly Kenmore/Fenway area of Boston.

Since our founding in 1912, we have educated students for professions in the arts by balancing personal aesthetic development and intensive studies in the humanities with practical career preparation.

Our challenging curriculum emphasizes solid foundations in traditional art and design principles, time-proven methods of creative process, and strong intellectual concepts.

We offer the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the two-year Advanced Professional Certificate, the low residency Master of Fine Arts degree, as well as continuing and professional education, intensive workshops, and pre-college courses.

Our scale is just right—

AIB, at its heart, is an intimate school, more an indie workshop than a factory. For us, tight teacher-student relationships are at the core of a great art education.

In our studio classes (of about fourteen students), there's always a front-row seat: the chance to get up close and personal with some of the best artist-teachers in the business, ask questions about technique, and soak up the real skills needed to make it as an artist.

Strengthened by University resources—

AIB, part of Lesley University since 1998, is large enough to provide a variety of perspectives within each major as well as diverse influences outside each major. Students move beyond the traditional studio and take courses across the University; many study abroad for a semester or enroll in a dual degree program, and our required internship program provides all students with real world experience during their junior or senior years.

Supported by an alumni network—

Graduates of The Art Institute of Boston leave with the confidence to respond creatively and effectively to the constantly changing career landscape. An AIB education prepares students for a variety of artistic professions including: graphic design, web and multimedia design, book, advertising and editorial illustration, animation, documentary photography, photojournalism, fine arts photography, fine arts, and art education. Our alumni create opportunities for themselves in other professions as well, from television and film production to performance art, dance, and puppetry.

The Art Institute of Boston is a school of Lesley University, which is rated as one of America's 'Best Colleges' by US News & World Report and named a 'Best Northeastern College' by the Princeton Review. Also included in the latest edition of Great Colleges for the Real World.

Facts at a Glance

Fall 2008 statistics

• type of college: private, co-educational
• undergraduate degree enrollment: 533
• non-degree enrollment: 366
• gender (m/f): 36/64%
• students of color: 12%
• international: 3%
• out of state: 50%
• student/faculty ratio: 9:1
• average studio class size: 13
• faculty: full-time: 26 / part-time: 79 / total: 105
  ...percentage with doctorate or terminal degree: 81%