Stamps School of Art & Design—University of Michigan

The Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan

The Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan is a tight-knit community situated within a tier-one research university. We are global citizens, collaborators, and innovators. We apply our creative skills in service of the greater good. And we're so happy you're here.

Who we are—and why.
The Stamps School is strongly positioned to deliver a research-based, transdisciplinary curriculum with values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the heart of who we are and what we do.

Skilled makers, we create work about a world that we seek to understand deeply, with nuance and complexity. We reimagine the role of creative practice in research—and as research. We collaborate across academic disciplines and with community groups outside of the university as well. Grounded in engaged creative practice, we are committed to creating and contributing to work that makes a difference in our communities and in our world. We are agents of change, shaping culture and shifting the future.

Leaders in curriculum innovation
Stamps was one of the first art and design schools in the world to institute a transdisciplinary curriculum of self directed study for undergraduate students. Our curriculum builds both conceptual and technical skills that allow students to move freely among media and leaves them better-equipped for fast-changing labor markets. Undergraduate students work with their academic advisors, faculty mentors, and the Stamps Curriculum Designer to curate a customized collection of studio classes to support their unique creative vision.

Stamps undergraduate students are well-versed in a wide variety of making methods—with many opportunities to dive deep into academic pursuits that fuel and inform their creative work. There are no media-specific majors in the undergraduate program at Stamps. Career preparation, engaged creative practice coursework, and required study abroad credits are vital hallmarks of the Stamps undergraduate experience.

Programs at Stamps
Employers in the 21st century need smart, creative people who see beyond traditional boundaries. And art and design is at its best when concept and media work hand-in-hand.

That’s why we offer an art and design education that will prepare you for anything. While many schools still focus their majors around specific media, we have one comprehensive major for Stamps undergraduate students: Art and Design.

The creative dexterity offered by the Stamps curriculum and the academic rigor of a U-M education is your competitive edge.

The Stamps School offers four innovative undergraduate degree programs to deliver our unique approach: BFA, BA, BFA in Interarts Performance and Dual/Joint Degree. U-M students may also choose to Minor in Art & Design.