The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, RISD is one of the oldest and most prestigious art and design colleges in the United States. The school offers rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in 19 architecture, design, fine arts and art education majors, and is known for its studio-based learning approach.