Program Start: Fall or Spring
How to Enroll: Register for a class
Program Length: 9 months (part-time)
Location: 100% Online
Total Cost: $4,600
From children’s stories to comic books, graphic novels, journalism, and more, be a part of the burgeoning comic arts scene.
Turn your creativity into a career. The Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts Certificate opens doors to exciting opportunities in publishing, journalism, film, web design, advertising, video games, and beyond.
Whether you dream of illustrating children’s books, crafting compelling comic books and graphic novels, or shaping narratives for digital media, this program equips you with the skills to thrive. Your professors will be cartoonists, media scholars, and comic artists, working in a small online group setting to bring your vision to life. Sign up and bring your stories to life today.
Students may take classes at their own pace, in any order they choose. To complete the certificate in 9 months requires taking two classes in each 7-week session. Classes are non-credit.
| 2024-25 Sessions | Class Name |
| Fall 1: Sept – Oct | Introduction to Comics and Visual Narrative: From Panel to Comic (Required) |
| Fall 1: Sept – Oct | Cartooning and Narrative Illustration 1 (Required) |
| Fall 2: Nov – Dec | Non-Fiction and Memoir Comics (Required) |
| Fall 2: Nov – Dec | Introduction to Comics and Visual Narrative: Character Design and World Building (Required) |
| Fall 2: Oct – Dec | Short Story Comics |
| Spring 1: Jan – Mar | Cartooning and Narrative Illustration 2 (Required) |
| Spring 1: Jan – Mar | Comics and Speculative Fiction: Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Imaginative Graphic Storytelling (Elective) |
| Spring 2: Mar – May | Color and Form: Colors, Letters, Comic Systems (Elective) |
| Spring 2: Mar – May | Comics Journalism (Elective) |
| Spring 2: Mar – May | Graphic Publishing: From Comics to Video Games (Required) |
Be a part of the burgeoning comic arts scene and gain hands-on experience with industry-standard software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Procreate. Through this certificate, you’ll develop both technical expertise and a strong storytelling foundation, preparing you for roles such as:
Comic Book Artist or Graphic Novelist – Bring characters and worlds to life for print and digital audiences.
Storyboard Artist – Shape the visual foundation for films, TV shows, and animations.
Illustrator – Create eye-catching visuals for books, editorial content, branding, and marketing.
Concept Artist – Design characters, environments, and assets for video games, animation, and entertainment media.
Web and Digital Content Designer – Use illustrated storytelling to enhance online experiences.
Advertising and Marketing Creative – Build compelling campaigns using bold visuals and engaging narratives.
Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts certificate program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following:
Concept and Message
Personal Development
Critical Thinking
Technical Competency
Industry Awareness
Presentation
Each class costs: $575
Total program cost: $4,600
Books and supplies: $50-$100
Choose “Workshop and Enroll in Certificate Program” when you register for any Visual Storytelling and Comics Arts class to enroll in the certificate program.
Choose “Workshop and Enroll in Certificate Program” on any Comic Arts class page to both register for the class and join the certificate program.
The program is “pay as you go,” so when you register for a class, you will pay for just that one class. If you would like to pay the full tuition, that is also an option.
Unfortunately, there are no loans or scholarships available for this program.
You don’t need to follow the 9-month schedule. Take classes on your own timetable, and in any order you wish. To complete the certificate, you will simply need to complete six required classes and two electives.
Students are allowed up to one calendar year of time off during the 9-month sequence. Please contact the Program Director if you have a situation that requires you to take frequent time off.
Comics are a fluid medium. Some people choose to explore the vast range of possibilities of form and content, for which comics as a medium allows and invest time into these explorations. Others find that they can achieve wonderful results within the time they have available to them weekly. Different instructors have different requirements for their courses, but an average is 3-7 hours per week.
In MassArt’s MFA Studio Arts programs, students concentrate in painting, printmaking and sculpture, and work side-by-side experimenting and exploring, while refining the technical and conceptual strategies in their work. With state-of-the-art facilities and expert faculty, we provide a vibrant community for artistic exploration and professional growth, nurturing both technical expertise and conceptual development.
Each semester, MassArt’s MFA programs in Studio Arts welcome a series of visiting artists and critics to campus.
MassArt’s Furniture Design Certificate offers an education in fine furniture craft and design. Students develop skills in handcraft woodworking, machine techniques, metal fabrication, and alternative materials.
Required studio courses provide a foundation in essential skills, and electives direct students’ course of study based on their interests and goals. Students in MassArt’s furniture program can also take select courses at North Bennet Street School, where they can gain a deep understanding of technique, tools, and history.
Furniture Design work featured in the Spring 2024 Fine Arts 3D Exhibition.
Program Start: Spring 2025
How to Enroll: Register for a class
Program Length: 1 year (Part-time)
Location: 100% Online
Cost: $4,600
MassArt’s Digital Media Certificate is a one-year, non-credit program offering courses in photography and video production and post-production, animation, and experience design.
Students craft a customized program, choosing from concentrations in Lens-Based Media (focusing on digital photography and video) and Experience Design (including classes in coding languages, digital design, object design, and mixed reality).
The Lens+Time-Based Media Concentration develops strong foundational skills in digital photography and video, with the option to explore modes of lens-based storytelling ranging from traditional documentary film to virtual reality (VR) video experiences.
The Experience Design track creates fluency in various modes of visual communication, from web broadcast to interactive object-making.
Foundational Courses
To successfully complete the program, all students must have foundational digital literacy skills. These skills are covered in two required courses. However, students who can demonstrate proficiency may be exempt and instead take additional electives in any area of Digital Media.
Lens-Based Media (Photography and Video) Focus
Students interested in both Digital Photography and Video may opt for a Lens-Based Media focus that builds skills in both of these increasingly connected areas. Students who come to the program with foundational digital literacy skills may be exempt from one or both of the foundational requirements, opening the opportunity for more elective courses in any area of digital media.
Courses Include:
Experience Design Focus
Students interested in Experience Design explore the basics of this wide-ranging field including media basics and design principles. Elective blocks offer the freedom to explore specific interests more deeply, including Mixed Reality, AI, Data Visualization, and Interactive Art. Students who come to the program with foundational digital literacy skills may be exempt from one or both of the foundational requirements, opening the opportunity for more elective courses in any area of digital media.
Courses Include:
Sample Elective Courses
Each 7-week class costs: $575
Total cost: $4600
Three-credit classes: $1413.
Supplies: Costs vary. See FAQ answer for more information.
Choose “Workshop and Enroll in Certificate Program” when you register for any Digital Media class to enroll in the certificate program.
No. You pay “as you go”—when you register for a course, you’ll pay for that class.
This program is not eligible for financial aid.
The certificate can be completed in one calendar year, or can be spread out over a longer period (18 months to 2.5 years) for students who wish to move at a slower pace.
Students should have a home computer with a minimum of 8G RAM (16-32G is ideal), a webcam, and a stable internet connection. Students focusing on Photography and Video should consider investing in a DSLR or mirrorless camera (recommendations can be made by the Program Director based on student budget and goals). For advanced lens-based media classes, students may be encouraged to invest in additional accessories including high-speed memory cards, external lighting units, and microphones, if their goals include professional commercial photography and video production.
The Digital Media Certificate may be completed online with no in-person coursework, and all foundational and other required classes are offered online only. However, several in-person classes offered on-campus satisfy the elective requirements for the certificate.
For each individual 7-week class, students should expect to spend 1-3 hours working outside of scheduled class time each week.
Students who are already working digitally may be exempted from Digital Fluency, by providing the Program Director with background information and completing a short online exemption survey that demonstrates requisite knowledge. The same is true for Digital Making, though exemption from this foundational class is generally for students with a strong digital background and practice.
Cost of materials varies widely depending on the individual student’s interests, concentration, and goals. Equipment investment is generally optional, though students working toward a professional career in lens-based media will be encouraged to consider investing in camera equipment, with the guidance of the Program Director.
BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) – The Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is launching a new course this fall that the school says will “meet the demands of Boston’s burgeoning comic arts scene.”
“Boston is a comics’ town, we have like 12 different comic book stores here. As far as I’m concerned everybody has a story to tell.” Professor Heide Solbrig told WBZ’s Carl Stevens.
Professor Solbrig will be teaching the course, along with LJ Baptiste, art educator, cartoonist, and member of the Boston-based group ‘Comics in Color.’
The “Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts Certificate Program” starts in September and is open to all students, even those who may have no prior drawing or storytelling experience. What’s more, the course is fully online and can be completed in less than a year.
“Not only is the popularity of graphic novels and memoirs growing, but there is also an increased demand for visual storytelling in a range of industries such as film, web design, video games and advertising,” said Dr. Mary Grant, President of MassArt. “This art form connects with people of all backgrounds and I appreciate that everyone is encouraged to join this program. We all have valuable stories to tell and as the Commonwealth’s art and design college, we are proud to provide an accessible opportunity for students to learn this skill.”
The deadline to register is August 11th.
WBZ’s Carl Stevens reports
