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The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD /ˈrɪzdiː/, pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase the accessibility of design education to women. Today, RISD offers bachelor's and master's degree programs across 19 majors and enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum—which houses the school's art and design collections—is one of the largest college art museums in the United States.
The Rhode Island School of Design is affiliated with Brown University, whose campus sits immediately adjacent to RISD's on Providence's College Hill. The two institutions share social and community resources and since 1900 have permitted cross-registration. Together, RISD and Brown offer dual degree programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
As of 2022, RISD alumni have received 10 MacArthur Genius fellowships, five Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Academy Awards. A 2016 analysis of the most successful American artists at auction found that the vast plurality held undergraduate degrees from RISD.