Fine and Decorative Art Appraisal and Connoisseurship Professional Development Programs

With the Antiques Roadshow drawing enormous crowds and Sotheby's auctions garnering international interest, no one can deny the widespread appeal of collectibles and antique appraisal. Professionals with skills in the art and science of personal property appraisal are being called on to meet growing public demand for artifact authentication and interest. Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies (SCS) offers a Fine and Decorative Art program for valuing and evaluating art. It blends nuts-and-bolts art appraisal courses with academic courses about a variety of art forms, including folk art, photography, furniture, decorative arts, and painting.

Two separate Certificates of Completion are designed for those seeking an appraisal career and those who wish to raise their knowledge of art to the level of a true connoisseur.

• Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Art
• Connoisseurship of Fine and Decorative Art

The Certificate of Completion in Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Art provides appraisal training to those who might already have a level of connoisseurship of an art form. Beginning in the fall of 2006, to earn a certificate, students must successfully complete all five of the Personal Property Valuation courses (offered in partnership with the American Society of Appraisers) and any two connoisseurship courses.

• Introduction to Personal Property Valuation
• Personal Property Valuation Methodology-Research and Analysis
• Personal Property Valuation - Report Writing
• Personal Property Valuation - The Legal and Commercial Environment
• Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)

The Certificate of Completion in Connoisseurship of Fine and Decorative Art is designed for collectors, appraisers, and art lovers seeking to better understand a particular material or genre. Participants must complete any five courses in the connoisseurship program to receive a Certificate of Completion in Connoisseurship of Fine and Decorative Art. (Note: connoisseurship courses are not offered in partnership with the American Society of Appraisers.)

Program Audience

Both certificates are ideal for career changers, particularly those with some work or educational experience in art; people already working in – or seeking work in – fields that require art expertise, such as auction houses, galleries, museums, estate liquidation firms, and insurance companies; and collectors and art enthusiasts who desire more formal training in the valuation of their materials.

Northwestern Excellence

• Northwestern University is a preeminent university recognized internationally as a hallmark of academic excellence.
• School of Continuing Studies programs provide students with exceptional opportunities for intellectual, professional and personal growth.
• SCS instructors bring outstanding academic credentials and relevant professional experience to the classroom to create a highly interactive, collaborative, and challenging learning environment.
• SCS students study with peers who have rich, diverse backgrounds and can provide lifelong learning connections.

Course Information

Registration information and detailed course descriptions for the Appraisal certificate can be found on the course listings page. Schedules, content and prices are subject to change.