Certificate Programs

Students enroll in SAIC’s noncredit certificates to explore a field of interest, to prepare for further study in art and design, to attain a credential for career opportunities, or to achieve their personal or professional goals.

Certificate students take a combination of six Adult Continuing Education noncredit courses unique to each subject, including electives of their choice. Students pay the same tuition for ACE courses as non-certificate students, and are charged a one-time application fee.

Certificates are offered in the following areas:

  • Drawing 
  • Fashion
  • Graphic Design
  • Interior Design
  • Painting
  • Studio Art and Design - New Studio Art and Design Certificate applications are no longer being accepted.


Start your noncredit certificate today: visit continuingstudies.saic.edu. Select Certificate Programs under the heading Adult Continuing Education in the left column, then “Add to cart.” ​After you have selected at least one course, pay the nonrefundable $100 fee along with your tuition.

You must register for at least one Adult Continuing Education course at the time of application. If you are unable to apply online, please contact us at cs@saic.edu or 312.629.6170.

Note: The Adult Continuing Education program does not provide job placement or internship services for its students, including those enrolled in noncredit certificates. However, your coursework will provide you with opportunities to network with instructors and peers, many of whom are working professionals.

Drawing

In the Drawing Certificate, students develop the skills and conceptual foundation necessary to cultivate their art practice, drawing inspiration and context from SAIC’s many resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago, an encyclopedic museum that encompasses more than 5,000 years of creative expression from cultures around the world. 

Coursework Requirements

- Studio Courses (4): Four 30-hour courses from those listed under the subject headings Drawing or Painting and Drawing
​To find current courses in this category 

Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

Click Current Online Courses or Current In-Person Courses on the left panel

On the "I would like to see:" dropdown menu select CS Drawing or CS Painting and Drawing

- Art History Course (1): One 20- to 30-hour course under the subject heading Art History

- Elective (1): All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including 1-week and 2-weekend intensives

Total required courses: 6

Required courses may not be offered every term. Adult Continuing Education noncredit certificates were not designed to be completed entirely online. Coursework requirements may not be scheduled in the student's preferred instructional mode (online or in-person).

Keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Drawing Certificate Curriculum Guide.

Completion of the Drawing Certificate requires a portfolio review, fulfilled by participation in Portfolio Review Days offered in the fall and spring. Final portfolio reviews are taken during or after the student's final coursework term. Students will also need to complete the certificate program completion form, submit high-quality digital images of their work, and take part in a brief exit interview to receive their digital certificate.

Fashion

The Fashion Certificate is designed for students interested in artistic and professional training in fashion. Participants hone the technical skills necessary to realize their creative vision as they develop a portfolio of work that can be used for a variety of purposes, including preparation for further study.

Inspiration and context are drawn from SAIC’s Fashion Resource Center, a unique collection of late 20th- and 21st-century designer garments and accessories representing extreme innovation, as well as the Art Institute of Chicago museum and other SAIC collections and resources.

Coursework Requirements

- Required Course (1): Sewing Techniques: Fundamentals

- Studio Courses (4): Four 30-hour courses from those listed under the subject heading Fashion
To find current courses in this category 

Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

Click Current Online Courses or Current In-Person Courses on the left panel

On the "I would like to see:" dropdown menu select CS Fashion

- Elective (1): All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including 1-week and 2-weekend intensives

Total required courses: 6

Required courses may not be offered every term. Adult Continuing Education noncredit certificates were not designed to be completed entirely online. Coursework requirements may not be scheduled in the student's preferred instructional mode (online or in-person). 

Keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Fashion Certificate Curriculum Guide.

Completion of the Fashion Certificate requires a portfolio review, fulfilled by participation in Portfolio Review Days offered in the fall and spring. Final portfolio reviews are taken during or after the student's final coursework term. Students will also need to complete the certificate program completion form, submit high-quality digital images of their work, and take part in a brief exit interview to receive their digital certificate.

Graphic Design

The Graphic Design Certificate is designed for students with an interest in exploring graphic design with an emphasis on print media. Participants employ analog and digital processes and may elect to work across disciplines as they develop a portfolio of work that represents their personal voice and demonstrates the technical, critical, and analytical skills required of the field.

Students enrolled in the Graphic Design Certificate should have access to a Mac or PC computer with Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop installed. Before starting this program, students should feel comfortable navigating the directory structure and creating, deleting, renaming, and moving files and directories without assistance.

Coursework Requirements

- Required Course (1): Introduction to Graphic Design

- Studio Courses (4): Four 30-hour courses from those listed under the subject heading Graphic Design; you may also use Color Theory as one of your required studio courses
To find current courses in this category 

Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

Click Current Online Courses or Current In-Person Courses on the left panel

On the "I would like to see:" dropdown menu select CS Graphic Design

- Electives (1): All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including 1-week and 2-weekend intensives

Total required courses: 6

Required courses may not be offered every term. Adult Continuing Education noncredit certificates were not designed to be completed entirely online. Coursework requirements may not be scheduled in the student's preferred instructional mode (online or in-person).

Keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Graphic Design Certificate Curriculum Guide.

Completion of the Graphic Design Certificate requires a portfolio review, fulfilled by participation in Portfolio Review Days offered in the fall and spring. Final portfolio reviews are taken during or after the student's final coursework term. Students will also need to complete the certificate program completion form, submit high-quality digital images of their work, and take part in a brief exit interview to receive their digital certificate.

Interior Design

SAIC’s non-credit Interior Design Certificate Program equips students with knowledge and skills in the constantly evolving field of interior design. Students will study interior architecture, learning how to design and create functional interior spaces while gaining exposure to contemporary design concepts, trends, and applications. You will learn what is required to design and build an interior space, gain a general knowledge of how interior designers work, and examine what it takes to move creative designs from ideas to reality.

The Certificate in Interior Design is ideal for:

Students wishing to learn technical interior design skills for career advancement

Students interested in undertaking personal design projects relating to interior architecture or design

Students looking to build a portfolio for admission to interior architecture degree programs, including SAIC’s Master of Architecture with a Track in Interior Architecture

In addition to fostering the practical skills needed to succeed in the field, our program also emphasizes the importance of creativity and innovation. Students will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects while developing their design skills and building an interior architecture portfolio that showcases their abilities.

Students should have access to a Mac or PC, and be comfortable navigating directory structures and creating, deleting, renaming, and moving files.

Interior Design Certificate Coursework Requirements

Required Course (1)​: Design Matters

Studio Courses (4): Select four 30-hour interior design classes in Chicago or online, under the subject headings ArchitectureDesign or Interior Architecture

- Color Theory

- Digital Drawing: Interior Design

- Digital Drawing: Objects and Space

- Interior Design Studio: Kitchens and Baths

- Introduction to Architecture

- Introduction to Interior Design

Elective (1): All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including one-week and two-weekend intensives

Total required courses: 6

To see current courses in the Interior Design program, visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

- Click Current On-Campus Courses or Current Online Courses on the left panel

- On the "I would like to see:" dropdown menu, select CS Architecture, CS Design, or CS Interior Architecture.

Note: We offer interior architecture and interior design certificate courses in Chicago on our campus and online, however, Adult Continuing Education non-credit certificates were not designed to be completed entirely remotely. Coursework requirements may not always be scheduled in the student's preferred instructional mode (online or in-person). Required architecture and interior design courses may not be offered every term.

Keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Interior Design Certificate Curriculum Guide.

Completion of the Interior Design Certificate requires a portfolio review, fulfilled by participation in Portfolio Review Days offered in the fall and spring. Final portfolio reviews are taken during or after the student's final coursework term. Students will also need to complete the certificate program completion form, submit high-quality digital images of their work, and take part in a brief exit interview to receive their digital certificate.

Register for the ACE noncredit certificate online.

Painting

In the Painting Certificate, students develop the skills and conceptual foundation necessary to cultivate their art practice, drawing inspiration and context from SAIC’s many resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago, an encyclopedic museum that encompasses more than 5,000 years of creative expression from cultures around the world.

Coursework Requirements

- Studio Courses (4): Four 30-hour courses under the subject headings Painting or Painting and Drawing
To find current courses in this category 

Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

Click Current Online Courses or Current In-Person Courses on the left panel

On the "I would like to see:" dropdown menu select CS Painting or CS Painting and Drawing

- Art History Course (1): One 20- to 30-hour course under the subject heading Art History
To find current courses in this category 

Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

Click Current Online Courses or Current In-Person Courses on the left panel

On the "I would like to see:" dropdown menu select CS Art History

- Elective (1): All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including one-week and two-weekend intensives *

Total required courses: 6

*It is strongly encouraged that students with little or no drawing experience take Introduction to Drawing, which can be used to fulfill the Painting Certificate elective requirement.

Required courses may not be offered every term. Adult Continuing Education noncredit certificates were not designed to be completed entirely online. Coursework requirements may not be scheduled in the student's preferred instructional mode (online or in-person).

Keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Painting Certificate Curriculum Guide.

Completion of the Painting Certificate requires a portfolio review, fulfilled by participation in Portfolio Review Days offered in the fall and spring. Final portfolio reviews are taken during or after the student's final coursework term. Students will also need to complete the certificate program completion form, submit high-quality digital images of their work, and take part in a brief exit interview to receive their digital certificate.

Studio Art and Design

New Studio Art and Design Certificate applications are no longer being accepted.

Designed to support individual students' immediate creative goals and long-term aspirations, the Studio Art and Design Certificate reflects SAIC's interdisciplinary art and design curriculum.

Coursework Requirements

- Required Course (1): Artist Materials and Techniques (formerly Studio: Surface, Space, Time) - offered in fall only

- Electives (4): All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible for all certificates, including one-week and two-weekend intensives
​To find current courses

Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu

Click Current Online Courses or Current In-Person Courses on the left panel

- Culminating Course (1): Exhibition Essentials (formerly Critique + Exhibition) - offered in spring only

Total required courses: 6

Required courses may not be offered every term. Adult Continuing Education noncredit certificates were not designed to be completed entirely online. Coursework requirements may not be scheduled in the student's preferred instructional mode (online or in-person).

Keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Studio Art and Design Certificate Curriculum Guide.

The sequence of electives can take many forms to suit the individual needs of the adult learner, emphasizing personal enrichment, preparation for further study, and more. 

Completion of the Certificate in Studio Art and Design requires a portfolio review, fulfilled by participation in Portfolio Review Days offered in the fall and spring. Final portfolio reviews are taken during or after the student's final coursework term. Students will also need to complete the certificate program completion form, submit high-quality digital images of their work, and take part in a brief exit interview to receive their digital certificate.

Contact Us

Continuing Studies staff members are available Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT at 312.629.6170 or cs@saic.edu to answer your questions. We are here to help!