Corcoran College of Art and Design

Certificate Programs

Designed for individuals seeking professional development or a focused, sequential approach to a specific discipline, credit certificates from the Corcoran College of Art + Design may be completed through part-time study in one to three years. Certificate students are full participants in classes, often side by side with degree students and are held to the same high standards.

Certificates in design allow students to explore the technologies, theories and history of design or advance their current design careers. Certificate students in the fine arts have access to the Corcoran’s well-equipped studios, extensive offerings and outstanding faculty. Electives are chosen in consultation with an advisor, who can also approve substitutions for required courses based on prior studies or experience.


We offer the following certificate programs:


To apply, simply register for an approved course for credit and indicate the corresponding Certificate Program on the registration form. Each certificate program is 15.0 credits in length and (with the exception of some Botanical Art and Illustration courses) each course carries 1.5 or 3.0 credits. Prior completion of high school or the equivalent is required before beginning the certificate program. Please submit a copy of your official transcripts or diploma to the Office of the Registrar immediately following enrollment in the first course.

For a certificate to be issued, the requirements must be completed within a three-year period with a grade of “C” or better in each course.  Upon meeting the requirements to complete the certificate program, the student must submit the Certificate Request form to the Office of the Registrar in order to receive their certificate.

For additional information about academic policies regarding the certificate programs, see ce.corcoran.edu/policies/academic. Advisement questions may be e-mailed to ceadvisor@corcoran.org.