Fulfilling a lifelong dream, I applied and was accepted to a master’s in fine art (MFA) program in painting last fall. The course of study is fully online at Savannah College of Art and Design(SCAD). Initially I had considered San Francisco State University’s MFA because it’s local and reasonably priced as part of the CSU. However, an artist mentor mentioned SCAD, fully online and not as inexpensive as the CSU but still semi-affordable.SCAD ended up being a perfect choice. It’s a well-known design college with the flexibility provided by online learning.Given I reside in California, attending school in Georgia would be a non-starter.Quarters run ten-weeks and classes are an intensive five-credits each. Having worked in EdTech since 2000,I admire innovative educational leadership and like being associated with an institution evolving to meet the needs and demands of modern students. It’s also fitting that I document my own student journey, non-traditional and experiencing the student side of the EdTech equation.
SCAD’s online painting program was previously hybrid, requiring some time on campus in Savannah or Atlanta. However, it’s now been changed to fully online and has subsequently grown in enrollment.SFSU, my initial local choice, requires an application by February for the following fall. SCAD was more flexible. I applied in mid-July and was able to start the fall term in mid-September. I received my BA from the University of Texas at Austin decades ago. How difficult would it be, I wondered, to obtain a transcript? I sat down one Saturday afternoon to make the attempt. I did not have an online account or a username–there was no such thing when I attended college. I was able to reach a live person at the help desk on a Saturday afternoon and had a copy of my transcript within an hour: impressive for such a large and seemingly bureaucratic institution.
Navigating the online admissions process was easily done through a portal and the staff was helpful, including providing an overview of the Blackboard system(s). They are transitioning from Classic to Ultra, with the possibility of using either (through their full-featured and easy-to-navigate student portal, Zoom for class sessions and Kaltura). Everything was easy to navigate with my many years of being a tech employee using internal systems.Unfortunately, the SCAD tech support hours don’t align with the online course schedule available–they are available M-F, 8-5 Eastern via email or phone. They could take a page from the UT Austin tech support playbook
My fellow students are a delightful mix; from a high school drawing teacher working on his MF to teach at the college level, to a Catholic Priest from Mexico who resides in the US, to a woman returning to school who works part time at a small city museum. All in all, I’ve been delighted with my experience. I’ve found the coursework fulfilling and engaging and am pleased with SCAD’s online capabilities. I am deeply grateful to have the luxury and privilege of extending my education in an area I love.Standby for further updates as I endeavor to grok the online student experience
