The RISD Library is one of the oldest independent art college libraries in the United States. Summer Studies programs in the visual and liberal arts encompass a wide spectrum of interests, and are designed to meet the needs of beginning, intermediate and advanced students. Combining art and design concepts with cutting-edge technology, these courses enable students to build competencies in balanced ways. A variety of educational formats, lasting from one day to six weeks, accommodate participants' diverse needs and preferences. Modular scheduling permits students to enroll in a combination of classes and activities tailored to their interests, or concentrate in a single area.
College credit is available for most offerings.
This is indicated in individual course descriptions. College Hill on Providence's historic East Side, one of the most picturesque sections of the city, is home to the bustling campuses of RISD and neighboring Brown University. The RISD campus, situated at the center of the historic district, is bisected by Benefit Street, famous for its impressive array of restored Colonial homes and superb examples of early Federal and 19th-century architecture. Nearby, Thayer Street offers restaurants, cafes, shops, bookstores and a cinema featuring independent and foreign films. Nearby, the nationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company and other more experimental theaters present classical and contemporary dramas.