8 Best Mfa Programs In Providence, RI (2022 Updated)

To start off, the academics or classes you take are more like ones in high school you take. It doesn't make it interesting unless you are in a special major such as culinary, equine, robotics, or something of that nature. The culinary classes I was in were something. Definitely had ups and downs but it may not be worth it since some skills you learn may never be used again. Your grandmother can probably be a better instructor. Now the living situations, the dorms are alright. It is difficult to live with others since you want them to revolve around your schedule but you also have to revolve around theirs. I always had bad roommates. You know ones that stay up late (up till 2 in the morning), snore, drink, smoke weed in the room, etc. It is probably just me that I can't live with others. You can change rooms but there have been less and less dorm rooms over the years. The worst part is that when you pick your room, you are given a random time to schedule. Best bet is to have the least amount of roommates as possible and having a private bathroom in your room. Don't want to be sharing the bathrooms and showers with hundreds of other people (bring some sandals and/or slippers). The dining situation kind of blows. For a school known for a culinary program, you could cook something better. There are less dining halls than when I started. The only option for breakfast is Starbucks. Lunch and Dinner is okay. Two dining options include all you can eat which is great. The menu changes every meal but you will see the same menu items a few weeks later. Everything also closes early on the weekends. Obviously, you don't want to spend so much money on take-out and delivery so best bet is get your food from a dining hall before it closes. The meal plan can be managed. You got either 7, 10, 14, or 18 meals a week. Each plan comes with flex which is a certain amount of dollars you can spend at the dining halls if you don't want a full meal or something that isn't part of a meal swipe. Best go with 10 or 14 meals a week.Adam DeLeon (CharlieChopDog1)

I miss it!! 😭😭 Graduated Nov '19 (the last fall term with trimesters). Jwu really stands out with their career focus an all the networking opportunities via professional clubs and career fairs. There study abroad options are impressive! I was lucky enough to attend a semester at sea. Taking core courses that are taught by former industry professionals makes going to class sooo worth it. Stand out professors are Prof. Rhodes, Lavin, and Boker. 10 out of 10 experience / at times, i felt like it was worth the price tag just for them. Providence is such a cool vibe. It feels like a little slice of Boston… Without the traffic and big-city-feel nuisances. (This is also coming from somebody who thought that they did not like cities at all) On Thursdays, (also because most students don't have class on Fridays), the city will literally feel like it's coming alive. Great energy around here even though there's homeless people who consistently panhandle. (You'll get to know the familiar faces and they'll leave you alone- definitely not a deal breaker). I highly recommend getting your own apartment right away because it's outrageously priced otherwise. That is, unless you're on a full ride and room & board is covered. Although, one semester of on-campus housing is helpful in an effort to make friends. This is very cliche to reference the university mantra… but "pride, courage, character, and community" really do define what the school is. I'm very proud to be a wildcat for life and am forever grateful to have the connections I made there.Andy B

I think it’s crazy that local guides can give reviews when they know nothing about the experience of actually going to the college. Johnson & Wales was the worst choice I ever could have made in a college, which is really sad knowing I chose this school in honor of my grandfather who went here, and passed away right before getting to see me go to college. Professors are the only good part of the school. All the other workers who work in the offices, the actual people who run the school as a whole – a literal joke. The entire school is a joke. Student loans? Not worth it. This is a school that does not care about its students like it portrays that it does. Do not waste your time, you can get a better education and a better college experience probably at any. other. school.Kassie Kania

I am a very independent student that enjoys taking classes at a different pace than many other people and this is where JWU shined. The online courses really allowed me to go at a more advanced pace than in a classroom. I was able to still interact with my classmates as I would in the physical and that's the part I truly enjoyed. Being online you are able to have access to so much information at your fingertips so much faster which adds more substance to our class discussions I feel. I appreciate my teachers being accessible through phone calls and even Skype/Google hangout when we needed group project support! The curriculum seems more relaxed and still challenging. The tutoring center is the most amazing part (outside of the professors and conveniences) of the online courses. Having 24/7 access is amazingly helpful, especially during exams when I am usually free at nights during the week. Thank you Johnson & Wales for offering a FULL MBA ONLINE!!! this has been super helpful for me to advance in my career while still striving to do such working physically out in the industry. It shows employers how serious I am about being I a higher up position and this creates more great opportunities for me!!!Liq my nuts Google

I completed my undergrad degree in 2006 and had wanted to get back into school for many years to complete my MBA, but found all the wrong reason not to. Once I heard about the Johnson & Wales University online MBA program and I was sold! The online program has offered a diverse pool of faculty members that are experienced and compassionate. I have the privilege of working with real industry professionals. Working full-time and going to school full-time can be a challenge but the faculty members were able to relate to my situation and provide the much needed help and support to make it through each course. I have gained a wealth of knowledge so far which I am able to apply in my personal and professional life. JWU's Online MBA is definitely the way to go!Sharlene Mitchell

Johnson and Wales has a great graduate online program. From the advisors to the professors where they have shown they truly care about attending to the needs of online students. It is a different learning process, but have created a great user friendly online system where it is easy to communicate and keep up with assignments. With every class I have been satisfied with different teaching styles that allow you to grasp the content and allow for multiple opportunities to be successful. A bonus are the class sizes and the online student community that is in place. It is nice to see familiar people as we progress with each class. I would definitely recommend JWU graduate online program!Carly Gaffney

This review is strictly focused on the Brown University campus, and not the actual curriculum, because we have almost no shot of getting into the University. This campus is so historically gorgeous in architecture, location and layout, it really surrounds you. The capitol city of Providence is the background for the entire experience. I fell in love with Brown, and I've lived close by for 35 years. ❤️Michael Mitchell

Beautiful traditional architecture in the seemingly endless campus grounds, stately brown stone buildings, meticulous landscaping and wide-open green spaces. Thayer street is lively, and hosts a variety of small casual restaurants and cafes featuring cuisine from 3 continents (at least). The area feels quite safe, well maintained and pleasant in every way, compared to most other areas in Providence.Dilyana Ocetova

Brown university- An amazing Ivy League school historical to the city of Providence. They have one the best architectures. Campus is super clean. Make a trip on the weekend when parking is easily available and if not then you should be able to find nearby the campus for $3-$15. They have around 7 public lots available for parking. They have tonne of restaurants in the vicinity.krutartha shah

Do not think about or attempt to apply here if you are looking for a school staffed by compassionate understanding individuals. I was lied to numerous times by admissions and was told false information. They put on a good show and make it seem like they care about you and what you have to offer but at the end of the day all they care about is money and their reputation. Can’t believe I actually wanted to go hereLara Parise

Class of 2007 and had a wonderful time there. I never encountered any racism nor terrible professors. On the contrary, most of my professors went over and above what I expected from them. I will admit there was a professor or two that tested my patience but overall, they were great.Samantha Trinh

An amazing school filled with engaging, caring, and intelligent professors. This school opens you up to incredible opportunities and has an expansive alumni network. Good luck NOT getting a job after you graduate from PC… most people get a job within 5 months of graduating.Kate De Luca

I applied to RISD as an undergrad, got in, but didn't go. I chose a small LAC in Massachusetts instead. I'm glad I didn't go to RISD actually. Re-applied to RISD again as a grad student, got in again, but once again, I didn't go, I chose to go elsewhere for grad school. I don't know exactly why, but my instincts told me no to RISD a second time, so I listened. Providence is a nice city, ❤️'d that RISD has an academic consortium with Brown, & the RISD campus and museum are lovely, BUT, I just didn't go. Worked with someone from RISD in a creative capacity in the Theater and we still have a very strong friendship to this day, BUT, I still think I made the best decisions for my education and that meant NOT going to RISD.Ben Schaeffer

I received my mrs degree here in 2012 to a guy a couple years my junior in everything but earnings. I do believe my degree prepared me with the critical mind to discern between silk and polyester as well as truth and bull ****. In all seriousness, this is a wonderful school for those who know what they want to do, but need to be challenged to be more exacting and deliberate. All of my peers in design fields landed excellent jobs almost right away and have continued to succeed post graduation, husband included. I would stay away from the fine art programs unless you are independently wealthy, but that's always been the case for all of human history.Arman Negahban

This is a very nice museum with a great collection of varied art. Definitely worth visiting. 4 stars due to the confusing layout. I've never been at a museum where the people there couldn't figure out where they where supposed to go to get to exhibits before. Other than that it was great.Greg

If cost were not a consideration, I can't see why anyone would go to RIC. RIC has gotten into the business of exploiting working/lower middle class "first generation" students, luring them with claims of you're-getting-an-Ivy-league-education-here-for-bottom-dollar. Many other reviewers here are students who over-idealize RIC because they don't know it any other way. As a four-year college, RIC consistently ranks at the BOTTOM of college rankings (not just US News, but Forbes and Wall Street Journal, too). And just look at the graduation rate of 51%. Everyone knows that students trying to put their way through school with two jobs often drop out, but is that the only factor? I doubt it. Look at the average RIC graduate's salary, it's less than $40,000 ten years after graduation! That’s the lowest of all four-year colleges in R.I. Indeed, you get what you pay for at RIC! Never mind this excuse, "our graduates take lower paid jobs as nurses, teachers, and social workers." Other schools, like Salve and URI, have grads entering those fields and their avg. salaries aren't so pitiful! Other than nursing (which does pay well these days), accounting, finance, social work, and the arts majors, most of the other 90 programs are a joke. Why? Sure, there are lazy pothead students, like everywhere else. Other students struggle academically, coming from low performing high schools. But the real problem is the faculty (I mean the tenured ones). Many faculty put little effort into teaching and being accessible to students. Instead, they claim they're too busy with their "research," as if they're "experts" working at a major public research institution (like UConn, Rutgers, or Michigan), where they'd rely on teaching assistants to help teach the class. What kind of research do they do? I really don't know, as you don't usually pick up The New York Times or The Atlantic and read: "according to a Rhode Island College study…" Many of these faculty are pompous, deadwood, liberal elites who use their taxpayer-funded ivory tower as a job for life as they thumb their noses at students. I graduated from RIC 15 years ago, though I took some courses there since and kept tabs on the place. So I'm comfortable saying: math, philosophy, and English depts. were especially bad. Most programs in communications are awful. Political science is very mixed, psychology seemed OK. But what about majoring in education, the biggest deal RIC has going? It got some awful ratings last year when the R.I. Dept. of Ed. did its review. A few School of Ed grad programs lost accreditation and undergrad ones were put on probation. Of course, after many years of bordering on dilapidated, I’m sure the campus is looking better every day, the question is: how it’s ever going to be paid for (the bond issue was only for Gaige, Craig Lee, and Fogarty’s nursing lab). Enrollment and donations were down by the time Carrioulo got the boot 2 years ago. Unfortunately, I don’t have much confidence in Sanchez, as all he seems to care about is the politically correct diversity agenda (when RIC doesn't exactly have a diversity problem with so many urban students attending). Regardless of their background, most students should just save their time (as it almost always takes well over 4 years to graduate from RIC) and money. The best alternatives (if you want an actual job after college) are the 2 year career and technical programs at CCRI or NE Tech. Or, just go to URI, which has a much better reputation (and still has in-state discounts).Bob Richard

It's a nice college, but do your research before you sign up for the professor! It's only my second semester and I had to change this review. Some things have changed, classes are getting better but it was mostly because I looked up the professors on that 'ratemyprofessor' website. Not all of them are bad people. There's a lot of DR. Prefixes in their name but I have yet to see the quality of work. Overall it's not too bad if like I said, you research the professor before you take the class.Joshua Correia

I graduated from RIC back in 2015 and am now attending graduate school. I have so many great memories and had such a great experience here. I had attended two other colleges while trying to decide on a career path and RIC finally felt like home. Great professors and classes. Small safe campus that’s easy to navigate while still being close enough to the city/things to do. I lived in New Hall and everything was new, spacious and updated. I recommend the school to everyone!Ashley Carr

I really liked the museum! It was bigger and better than I expected! Good collections! Loved the signs with artists' names and texts, placed next to paintings – they did a great job! It was interesting to read and learn! I loved the room with European icons and religious sculptures. Many objects were 1000 years old. I loved seeing them! European art of XVIII and XIX centuries was very nice! The collection of American art was great! Interesting room with textiles. Highly recommend to visit! Loved the cafeteria in the museum, too! 👍 Visited on
Weekday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
$21–30Yulia Berry

It was an amazing museum! I didn't expect there to be so many different floors full of treasures. We spent about 3 hours and I felt like we rushed. We went on a Sunday when it was free and there were lots of people, but it wasn't crazy. The woman at the front was extremely helpful and gave us tips on how to view everything. Definitely a must see when in the area! I added some of my favorite pictures ❤ Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Not sureKedron Ilchuk

This museum was way bigger than I expected. I guess it’s obvious but look at a map before you go so you can prioritize what you want to see first. I spent too much time on contemporary art which is not my favorite and felt pretty tired out by the time I got to the Greek/roman, Egyptian, and impressionist exhibits. Definitely go when they have free admission!! Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
FreeDana K

The humanities department is very Anti-Catholic Christian. If you are Christian be prepared that you will be taught this in the books that are chosen and your faith will be scapegoated. There are some exceptions, but a definite pattern will emerge. The location and hours are convenient for working adults, but if you are a 9 to 5 working poor, the material can be uninspiring and depressing constantly attacking your last bastion of hope.Peter James