The visual arts play a significant role in the life of the school. Vibrant academic courses, unique cocurricular options, and substantive exhibitions captivate our students and inspire the community. Our course offerings provide an essential creative outlet and a means by which students can apply their artistic scholarship to real-world applications.
Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of beginning and advanced students, those looking for a single-term elective, or those who may pursue their interest in the arts beyond graduation.
Browse a full course catalog here.
The Academy’s visual art program is grounded in the formal principles of design while being a fertile hive of creative invention. Courses draw upon art history and reference contemporary work. Each project allows for personal expression and each unit of study culminates in an interactive group critique. Our more ambitious students submit portfolios to the College Board and include art supplements with their applications to college.
Members of the visual arts faculty are practicing artists who regularly show their work in professional galleries and annually mount exhibitions in the Academy’s von Auersperg Gallery. The gallery also showcases other local and international artists’ work throughout the school year. Visits to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, the Clark Museum, and the outstanding collections of the museums at Williams College, Smith College, UMass, and Amherst College, provide additional inspiration.
Before they enter Deerfield, all new students are required to take a math placement test to determine an appropriate class. Students who have already taken a language they wish to continue studying at Deerfield will take a placement test to determine what level class they should take. If the placement in either department is deemed inappropriate after the student arrives, then the section teacher may suggest a change of level. Students may also request such a change and should consult with their teacher and their academic advisor before contacting the Dean of Studies.
Study abroad is available to all students from their sophomore to senior years, although typically students who choose to go abroad will do so during their junior year.
In order to garner Honors distinction a student must have a cumulative term average above 90.0%. High Honors requires an average of 93.0% or above. Exemplary students with a grade point average of 92.0 or higher may qualify for admission to the Cum Laude Society, a national honor society.
Because of its commitment to rigorous academics, Deerfield offers a wide range of accelerated and Advanced Placement courses. All of Deerfield’s classes are appropriately challenging, but AP and accelerated courses provide an extra challenge for ambitious students.
All students are assigned a faculty advisor at the beginning of their time at Deerfield. After their first year students may choose a new advisor, or continue with their original one, depending on the relationships they have developed with Deerfield’s faculty. Advisors are responsible for submitting course requests and writing an advisor report every term. They are available for any questions a student may have and are involved in every major academic or athletic decision a student makes while at Deerfield. In addition, faculty eat lunch with their advisees every Thursday and may schedule outside events for their advisees. Advisors are a key component of the Deerfield experience, as they provide guidance and friendship to students throughout their time at Deerfield.
The Pursuit of Excellence Policy states that students may miss up to five class days a year if an unusual and extraordinary opportunity arises, including opportunities in a variety of academic, athletic, and artistic fields. The Academic Affairs Office determines the legitimacy of pursuit of excellence requests on a case-by-case basis.
academics@deerfield.edu
413-774-1470
Fax 413-772-1128
Boyden Library
Mon–Fri, 8am–4pm
7 Boyden Lane, PO Box 87
Deerfield, MA 01342
7 Boyden Lane, PO Box 87, Deerfield, MA 01342
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: Deerfield Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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