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International Post-Baccalaureate Program

Program Description:

The Siena Art Institute’s International Post-Baccalaureate Program is designed for students who have earned their BFA or BA and desire to spend a period of study honing their skills, exploring their artistic interests, and developing their artistic portfolios in preparation for pursuing an MFA.  The program welcomes artists from all disciplines (painting, photography, video, installation, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, creative writing and more) who are interested in the intersection of art and civic life, and who wish to explore how our artistic projects can lead to a deeper understanding of the cultures in which we find ourselves.  

Our program is intentionally small, allowing students to receive a great deal of individual attention from our faculty to assist in your ongoing portfolio development.  Our small classes allow close collaboration between students and faculty.  The Siena Art Institute works in close contact with our partner programs such as the Siena School for Liberal Arts, Grapevine Magazine, and diverse summer symposia, granting our students unparalleled access to a variety of cultural resources and activities. 

We encourage our program participants to grow and learn during their time here through a wide range of exciting and innovative courses, as well as community-based art projects, internship opportunities, and cultural experiences.  The program allows students to strengthen their technical proficiency and creative vision, with a course of study combining the tutorial aspects of graduate school with the formal coursework of an advanced undergraduate program.

Ideal candidates for the Siena Art Institute’s Post-Bacc program could be:
-Individuals with a BA, BS, of BFA who need an additional year of studio experience to prepare a portfolio for graduate school admissions
or:
-Individuals with a degree in art who wish to pursue work in a medium different from their undergraduate major
or:
-non-U.S. students seeking a year of intensive studio work typical of that offered in an American university before beginning a U.S. MFA program.

To earn the full post-baccalaureate certificate requires a two-semester course of study.   However, you are also welcome to attend only one semester of the post-baccalaureate program: although you would not earn the post-baccalaureate certificate for only one semester of study, you would receive a transcript of your studies here.

Application deadlines are April 30th for students beginning in the Fall Semester and Nov 1st for students beginning in the Spring Semester.

There is no Italian language prerequisite for applicants, and all courses are taught in English.  However, all students are required to enroll in our Italian Language and Culture course (at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level), to facilitate their interactions within the Sienese community and to establish a dialogue with the environment that welcomes them.  

The Siena Art Institute students must be fluent in English, since all art classes (except for Italian Language and Culture) are taught in English.  Courses in English as a Second Language are available for non-native English speakers, but all applicants must have at least intermediate-level ability in written and spoken English.  

In addition to the Siena Art Institute’s course offerings, students are able to take classes through our partner program, the Siena School for Liberal Arts, which offers a variety of rigorous courses in the humanities and social sciences.  Additional course offerings in the humanities and sciences are also offered through the University of Siena, where our students with sufficient Italian language skills may enroll.  

The Siena Art Institute also offers students internship opportunities with local artists, museums, galleries, and cultural associations.  Please see our internship page for additional information.

While you may at first consider yourself an outsider in Siena, your artistic responses to your surroundings can become active and meaningful contributions to the Sienese community, of which you will become a part.  Participating in the Siena Art Institute means listening to all that Italy has to offer and giving back to our city as you become a contributing part of it.
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