The New York Academy of Art’s Certificate of Fine Art (CFA) is an immersive one-year fine art graduate program. A 36-credit studio sequence, it provides students the opportunity to develop their unique personal vision and traditional technical skills within a specialized, inspiring fine arts school. The CFA program is designed for those seeking intensive instruction in painting, sculpture, and drawing. It provides the perfect preparation for an MFA, or simply a year of intensive study for artists interested in engaging in the critical discourse of contemporary representational art.

Build the Best MFA Application

If you want to apply to a competitive MFA program but aren’t sure you’re ready – either to submit your best portfolio or to make a multi-year commitment – our CFA is the perfect way to get you there.

A 12-month program of intensive study with the same instructors who teach our MFA classes, combined with dedicated studio time to develop your voice and fill out your portfolio, will get you the best application possible to any MFA program.

Study at the Center of the Art World

Spend a year refining your craft in the heart of the global art world. Yes, the core of the program is artistic growth and study, but it comes alongside access to one of the most compelling art markets in the world. It’s not just that New York is a global hub for artists, galleries, museums, agents, dealers, and collectors. The Academy is located in Tribeca, the epicenter of art in New York. All those artists, galleries, museums, agents, dealers, and collectors? They’re a three-minute walk away.

A Visa-Qualifying Year for International Students

Our CFA is all about opening doors. To a new discipline, a new career, or a new country.

For international students, the CFA program is a great way to try out art school abroad with a lower time and financial commitment than an MFA. Spend a year in a new environment, focused on improving your craft in a community of artists, with the flexibility to either continue your studies for two more years or pursue a new challenge with a year of training under your belt.

Practicing Artists Need a Pause, Too

Maybe you’re a self-taught artist curious about what a dose of formal training could do for your work. Maybe you want to try a new medium in a setting that offers guidance and support for your experiment. Maybe you’ve exhausted your current options and want to zero in on a new studio practice. The CFA program isn’t just for beginners.

A year of study, practice, and instruction can be an invaluable tool for a veteran artist to breathe new life into their work. Whether you need a shakeup or to block out the noise, the CFA offers a transformative experience for any artist.

Certificate of Fine Arts Core Outcomes

By the end of your year with us, you’ll acquire or refine the following tools:

• Working knowledge of anatomy
• Understanding of composition strategies
• Ability to conceptualize the human figure
• Ability to depict the human figure
• Ability to depict the figure in space structurally
• Fundamental knowledge of traditional techniques
• Understanding the history of visual art techniques
• Understanding of art history
• Ability to engage in critical discourse
• Understanding the nature of figurative art in history
• Creativity and independent thinking
• Written and oral communication skills
• Independent research skills
• Professional Practice training

More than that, you will develop a strong body of work for further graduate admissions and lay the foundation for their career as a practicing studio artist. Completion of the Certificate Program does not guarantee admission into the Master of Fine Arts Program at the New York Academy of Art and credits attained while in the Certificate Program do not apply towards an MFA degree at the Academy.

Certificate of Fine Arts Alumni