Cranbrook Academy of Art

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The Cranbrook Academy of Art, located in the affluent Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills, MI, is a prominent graduate school of architecture, art and design. Founded in 1932 by philanthropists George Gough Booth and wife Ellen Scripps Booth, it is part of the larger Cranbrook Educational Community, also founded by the couple.

The Cranbrook Academy of Art was originally designed and headed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, who migrated design practices and theories from the arts and crafts movement through the international style. The school continues to be known for its apprenticeship method of teaching, in which a small group of students, usually only 10 to 20 per class, study under a single artist-in-residence for the duration of their curriculum.

[edit] Degrees and rankings

This method of teaching has proved extremely beneficial for the school, as many of its graduate programs are considered among the best in the country by both US News and World Report and Design Intelligence. The currently confers the following degrees, with 2003 US News national rankings [1] in italics:

Master of Architecture. Due to Cranbrook's method of teaching, it is important to note that the Master of Architecture degree is unable to be accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
Master of Fine Arts. Overall MFA program ranked 5th [2]. Degrees are conferred in the following areas:
- 2-D Design (also known as graphic design), 3rd.
- 3-D Design (also known as industrial design), 3rd. 3rd by Design Intelligence [3].
- Ceramics, 2nd.
- Fiber
- Metalsmithing
- Painting, 10th.
- Photography, 12th.
- Print Media, 8th.
- Sculpture, 5th.