This article is the second in a two-part series examining the relationship between Tufts and the SMFA and NEC. The first installment took a look at the experience of juggling courses at multiple schools; this second part discusses the experience of SMFA students who venture to Tufts for classes.
As finals approach, the dream of taking classes with no exams and no grades can sound pretty nice. For students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA), Boston, this dream is a reality. Rather than giving grades for artwork, the SMFA holds a review board in which professors critique students' work and decide to give or withhold credit.
According to many art school students, the relief from the normal college routine is what is attractive about the museum school as opposed to a traditional college. But along with an art school education at the SMFA comes a requirement to complete academic courses at Tufts, an obligation that dismays many museum school students.
"I had no desire to go to a typical college," said Amanda Leaman, a third-year SMFA student. "I wasn't interested in taking that many academics."
To be awarded a BFA from the SMFA, students are required to travel to Tufts to complete academic courses in addition to their studio art classes. SMFA students must complete 14 academic courses that fulfill distribution requirements: two courses in English or writing, one in the humanities, one in the social sciences, one in culture and language, one in science or technology, five art history courses and three electives.
"We feel that [the academic courses] enrich the experience and add a basic liberal arts component to the program, which is in keeping with the requirements of the BFA degree," said Susan Lush, associate dean of academic affairs for undergraduate programs at the SMFA.
To complete these requirements, most SMFA students take studio classes full-time at the museum school for years one, two and four, while taking courses full-time at Tufts during their third year. Another option some SMFA students choose is to fulfill their requirements through summer school, Leaman explained.
Because SMFA students often wait to fulfill the academic requirements of their degrees, though, some SMFA students find it difficult to navigate Tufts courses.
"SMFA students are required to be a lot more active," Leaman said. "As Tufts freshmen, you probably have info sessions with people interested in helping you out, but as an SMFA student, you don't get that."
In addition to the different course schedules and course registering systems, Tufts offers students a completely separate group of activities.
"The campuses are completely different," Leaman said. "There are so many more extracurriculars, plays, shows and all these advocacy groups [at Tufts]."
Most SMFA students, however, do not get involved with Tufts activities. According to Leaman, despite the benefits of living on campus, many SMFA students do not look forward to taking classes full-time at Tufts.
SMFA students often choose to attend art school because they want to avoid taking classes in a traditional academic setting, so the transition to life on the Hill can be a difficult one, students said.
"In going to art school, they've rejected the typical university-style education," Leaman said.
Another common complaint about Tufts voiced by SMFA students concerns the student body in Medford.
"There's a complete prejudice, and it's really sad," Leaman said. "[SMFA students] feel that Tufts students are extremely preppy and are not individuals. They see them as more mainstream and not creative."
According to sophomore Kendall Trotter, one reason for the persistence of this stereotype is the sharp difference in appearance between SMFA and Tufts students.
"The SMFA kids definitely stand out just because art students have an aura about them," Trotter said.
Tufts sophomore Farah Behbehani explained that this stereotype of the Tufts population by SMFA students is unjustified.
"I don't believe you can label based on appearance," Behbehani said. "Everyone has their own activity. Maybe some show it through their clothes, but I believe other people can show it in different ways." Sophomore Bobby Westfall, who took an upper-level anthropology course with many SMFA students, agreed that the stereotype is both prevalent among SMFA students and inaccurate.
"They tend to view us as preppy or stiff, which I don't think is fair," Westfall said.
Despite this divide in the student body, Behbehani said she thinks that SMFA students can add a unique dynamic to the Tufts classroom.
"In an economics class, everyone could be an economics major and then they all will think in similar ways, but when there are people who see things in a different way even if it's not necessarily right or wrong, I believe that's the way you learn. It is through people contradicting each other and bringing up new ideas," Behbehani said.
Leaman agreed. "In my classes with other SMFA students, they added alternative views to discussions because art school students approach classes in such a different way," she said.
Whether or not the presence of SMFA students can benefit Tufts students, it is clear that Tufts courses can help SMFA students with their work back on their home campus.
"My learning here is really fueling my work at the museum school," Leaman said.
