Since its foundation in 1900, the NYS College of Ceramics at Alfred University has helped merge visual fine arts, design and the science of ceramics, glass, and materials. The school is a SUNY statutory college that is made up of the School of Art & Design and the Inamori School of Engineering. Internationally-known programs offered in the institution provide students with small classes and individual attention both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
In addition, the School of Art and Design has BFA, BS (Art History), and MFA programs offered in partnership with globally-recognized artists. The Inamori School of Engineering—which offers BS, MS, and Ph.D. programs—educates more than one-third of all ceramic engineering graduates in the country. It also serves as one of the state’s 10 centers for advanced research.
New York State College of Ceramics Acceptance Rate
The admissions process is considered somewhat competitive in Alfred University with its 63% acceptance rate. Admissions are quite selective and an estimated one-third of applicants will not make it to the school’s accepted student roster.
Successful applicants usually have SAT scores and grades that are either average or better. Students who have strong grades and high test scores may apply for the Honors Program offered by Alfred University. More details about this academic program, including requirements and qualifications, can be found on their official website.
Admitted Students Profile
Alfred University is recognized in the country for its diverse student population. The college’s student body includes engineers, liberal arts majors, business students, and artists. According to latest data, the New York State College of Ceramics has 616 students, including 536 undergraduates and 80 graduates.
Tuition Figures
For 2017 to 2018 academic year at Alfred University, the tuition is $27,124. This amount is 2% cheaper than the national average private non-profit four-year college tuition of $27,755. The cost is also 23% more expensive than the average $22,120 tuition for four-year colleges in the state of New York.
The tuition also ranks 113rd in New York amongst four-year colleges for affordability and is the 73rd most expensive four-year college in the state. The price is the same for all applicants, whether they are from the New York state or not. There is an additional fee amounting to $990 on top of the tuition, bringing the total amount to $28,114.
Location
The College is made up of the School of Art and Design, the Inamori School of Engineering and the Samuel R. Scholes Library. The Samuel R. Scholes Library not only caters to the students of Alfred State University but also the greater international arts and sciences research community.
Housed in the library is an extensive collection of materials in engineering and technology, along with vast holdings in photography, sculpture, art history, glass art, electronic media and other areas of art and design.
Academics
The programs offered at Alfred University’s School of Art and Design have been consistently ranked as one of the top art and design programs both in the United States and worldwide. Students also take part in a curriculum with a multi-disciplinary environment for creative and scholarly research in art. The school also believes in its visionary focus on the concept of “high touch, high tech.”
The Inamori School of Engineering at Alfred University provides students with programs in ceramics, glass, biomaterials, and materials science engineering. In addition, the school offers programs in mechanical engineering and renewable energy engineering—both of which are associated with Alfred University. In the US, the School of Engineering is one of the only two schools that offer a Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering. It is also the sole institution in the country that offers degrees in glass science.
Student Life
At Alfred University, more than 100 organizations and clubs are available for students to choose from. There are also several honor societies in the university with members who are chosen for their excellence in a specific field of study. Meanwhile, other honor societies invite members according to their overall academic performance. There are also many clubs that bring together students who are in the same minor or major, or those with a common passion or interest in a particular academic area.
Athletics
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Notable Alums
The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University has thousands of alumni around the world. Most of them have pursued successful careers related to the arts. Below are some of the school’s most notable alumni:
- Kenneth Price, modern ceramic sculptor
- Daniel Rhodes, ceramist and noted author on ceramic technique
- Adelaïde Alsop Robineau, potter, china painter, one of the top ceramists at the turn of the 19th century
- Annabeth Rosen, award-winning sculptor
- Siona Shimshi, painter, sculptor, ceramist, and textile designer
- Robert C. Turner, ceramist, professor emeritus of ceramic art at Alfred till 1979
- Betty Woodman, ceramic artist who studied at the School for American Craftsmen when it was located in the liberal arts program at Alfred University in 1948-49
- Arnold Zimmerman, a modern sculptor
- Rob Forbes, ceramist, founder of Design Within Reach and retailer PUBLIC Bikes
- Julia Galloway, potter and educator
- Maija Grotell, ceramist
- Vivika Heino, ceramist, the second M.F.A. graduate from the ceramics program (following Daniel Rhodes)
- Jae Won Lee, ceramic artist and educator
- Charles Loloma, Hopi potter, business owner and director of plastic arts education
- Otellie Loloma, Hopi potter, dancer, and art educator
- Nathan Lyons 1957, founder, Director Emeritus of Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY
- Kristen Morgin, sculptor
- Jerry Ackerman, mid-century modern industrial designer and ceramic artist (MFA ’52)
- Robert Archambeau, ceramic artist
- Arthur Eugene Baggs, ceramic artist and glaze chemist
- Guy Cowan, founder, Cowan Pottery
Learn more about the other SUNY colleges. Each SUNY has its own unique offerings, campus and academic requirement.
