The Paier College of Art is a private 4-year art school in Hamden, Connecticut, on the outskirts of the greater New Haven area. Formerly the Paier School of Art, the institution's current name and form date from 1982 when it received a charter and accreditation for offering a 4-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. It was originally founded by Edward T. and Adele K. Paier as the Paier School of Applied Arts in 1946. The college offers B.F.A. programs of study in the following studio majors: fine arts, graphic design, illustration, interior design, photography, and a new combined specialty, photography and digital imaging. There are also certificate programs which can be applied toward a B.F.A., covering specialties such as graphic production, portrait and figure painting, and sharp focus/trompe l'oeil painting. Programs are licensed by the Connecticut Board of Governors of Higher Education and accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. The college is also a member of the International Council of Design Schools.