American Academy of Bookbinding - We offer a diploma program for professional students

diplomas

The American Academy of Bookbinding has designed Diploma programs for both Fine Binding and Conservation. Students enrolled in the diploma program for either concentration are required to complete a certain number of bindings through a combination of practical Course Work at the Academy, Elective Course Work and Independent Study. The student will then chose a Diploma Project, which varies for Fine Binding and Conservation. Experts in the field will then jury the Diploma Project and successful candidates will graduate with an official Diploma from the Academy.

Since each student will enter the program at a different level, each will have different Diploma requirements. At the end of the student’s first course at the Academy, the instructor or Director will meet with the student to discuss his/her level and the necessary requirements for a Diploma. As students are required to attend only a few weeks of classes a year at the Academy, the average amount of time students take to complete all diploma requirements is five years.

Seven students have attained a Diploma from the American Academy of Bookbinding, six in Fine Binding and one in Conservation. The students not only satisfied five years of course requirements, they completed over twenty bindings, both in class and independently, and a research paper—all judged by a juried panel. Past jury members have included Tini Miura, Einen Miura, Daniel Tucker, Eleanore Ramsey, Monique Lallier, Frank Mowery, Betsy Palmer Eldridge, William Minter, Donald Glaister and Donald Etherington.

GRADUATES IN FINE BINDING
Cathy Adelman, 2003
Jeffrey Altepeter, 2003
Cynthia Fields-Belanger, 2003
Mark Kirchner, 2003
Sabina Nies, 2005
C. Lang Ingalls, 2007
Coleen Curry, 2009

GRADUATES IN CONSERVATION
Brenda Parsons, 2008
Sophia Bogle, 2009
Ruth M. Strach, 2009

For more information and a complete description of the Diploma Guidelines, contact the Academy.