Part-Time and Flexible Online Graduate Art Programs: Options for Working Professionals
Key Insights
- Maine College of Art & Design offers three online graduate options built around a working schedule: a Master of Arts in Education, a Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership and Administration, and a Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy.
- Every program runs in accelerated eight-week e-terms, and students choose how many courses to take each term, so the pace adjusts to a full-time job rather than the other way around.
- The two graduate certificates are 12 credits each and can be completed in as few as five months; the Master of Arts in Education is 30 credits and offers both full-time and part-time plans of study.
- None of these programs requires the GRE, and all three are delivered asynchronously, with no set class times to work around.
Going back to school usually means picking between two less-than-ideal options: pause your career, or stretch yourself thin trying to do both at once. At Maine College of Art & Design, we built our online graduate programs around a third option, one where the coursework moves at your pace, not the other way around.
Flexibility at Maine College of Art & Design
Every online program at Maine College of Art & Design runs in accelerated eight-week e-terms, with five e-terms offered across the year. Coursework is asynchronous, so there's no set class time to log in for. Students choose how many courses to take in a given e-term, which means someone with a demanding fall can scale back, then pick the pace back up in the spring. That structure is what makes "part-time" a real option here, built to fit your life and your schedule.
Three Online Graduate Options for Working Professionals
Master of Arts in Education
The Master of Arts in Education is a 30-credit degree for educators, artists, and community practitioners who want to strengthen curriculum design, leadership, and community-based practice. It offers both full-time and part-time study plans, and most students complete in 10 to 18 months, depending on their course load. The degree combines 12 credits of core coursework, 12 credits of electives, and a 6-credit capstone project, so every student leaves with a finished piece of work aligned with their goals.
Students can also focus their electives in Expressive Arts Therapy or Arts Leadership and Administration, or build a self-designed path around their own interests. Graduates go on to roles like museum educator, nonprofit education program manager, teaching artist, and corporate learning and development specialist, in addition to advancing in their current classrooms.
Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership and Administration
The Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership and Administration is a 12-credit, four-course program for artists and professionals moving into leadership roles at museums, galleries, and other arts organizations. Most students complete it in nine to ten months, taking one course per e-term. Coursework covers creative leadership, arts marketing, financial management and grant writing, and arts management and strategy, the practical skills behind running an arts organization.
Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy
The Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy is also 12 credits and is designed for educators, artists, and human services professionals who want to bring arts-based approaches into non-clinical work. It's the fastest of the three options, with most students finishing in five to ten months. One required course covers theoretical foundations, and students round out the credential with three electives, like adaptive art, resilient learning environments, or expressive arts and memory care, chosen to fit the population they already work with.
Please note that this certificate is non-clinical and does not lead to professional art therapy licensure.
Choosing the Right Pace for Your Life
A certificate makes sense if you want a focused set of skills without a two-year commitment. The Master of Arts in Education makes sense if you're aiming for a broader shift, such as moving into a new role or deepening your practice as an educator. Either way, the e-term structure lets you register for one course at a time if that's what your schedule calls for, so the decision is really about scope, not speed.
A few questions can help narrow it down: Do you want a credential tied to one specific skill set, like leadership or expressive arts, or a broader degree you can shape with electives? Are you aiming to shift into a new type of role, or deepen the one you already have?
None of these programs requires you to answer those questions before applying. The e-term structure makes it easy to adjust your course load as your circumstances change, term by term.
What Admissions Looks Like
All three programs share the same application process, and none of them requires the GRE. You'll submit an online application, a $70 application fee, a personal statement describing your background and goals, a résumé or CV, unofficial transcripts, and two professional references from people who can speak to your readiness for graduate-level work rather than friends or family. Applicants need a cumulative GPA of 3.0 from prior degrees.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with priority deadlines each term (July 1 for Fall, December 1 for Spring). However, applying after a priority deadline doesn't rule you out. Your application is still reviewed as space allows.
How Much Does an Online Graduate Art Program Cost?
Tuition across all three programs runs $720 per credit, plus a $100 technology fee per e-term. For the graduate certificates, that works out to roughly $8,640 in tuition for the 12 required credits, before e-term technology fees. The Master of Arts in Education, at 30 credits, costs more overall but can be spread across as many e-terms as your pace requires.
All three programs are eligible for federal financial aid, and Maine College of Art & Design's financial aid office can walk you through what that looks like for a part-time course load, since aid eligibility can shift depending on how many credits you're registered for in a given term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I complete one of these programs while working full-time?
Yes. All three programs are asynchronous, and students choose their own course load each e-term. Many students work full-time throughout the program and register for one course per term to keep their workload manageable.
What's the difference between a graduate certificate and the Master of Arts in Education?
A certificate is a focused, 12-credit program built around one area, arts leadership or expressive arts therapy, and takes under a year for most students. The Master of Arts in Education is a broader, 30-credit degree that can also be customized with an Arts Leadership or Expressive Arts Therapy focus, for students who want a full graduate degree rather than a standalone certificate.
Is financial aid available if I'm only taking one course at a time?
All three programs are eligible for federal financial aid, but how much aid you qualify for can depend on your enrollment status in a given term. Talk directly with Maine College of Art & Design's financial aid office about your specific course load before you register, so there are no surprises on your aid package.
What happens if I need to pause or slow down mid-program?
Because students register for e-terms individually rather than committing to a fixed semester schedule, you can scale back to one course or skip an e-term entirely without restarting the program. Talk with your program director if your circumstances change. They can help you adjust your plan without losing progress toward your credential.
Find the Right Graduate Program for Your Goals
Whether you're ready for a full graduate degree or a focused certificate, Maine College of Art & Design offers the right online art program for your schedule. Each option draws on the same small class sizes and faculty mentorship that have defined our school since 1882, built around a pace that accommodates a full-time career.
Our admissions team is available to help you weigh a certificate against the full degree based on your professional goals. Request more information to learn which option best fits you.
