While the association works with other professional organizations, including the AIGA, the American Craft Council, and the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, NASAD remains the only accrediting agency for higher education art and design programs in the United States that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Richard F. Bach, Dean of Education at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, played a pivotal role in founding the association in 1944.
[3] Prior to World War II, the number of art and design schools that offered four-year degrees was few.
[3] The name was changed to the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in 1981 to more accurately reflect its broadening scope and interests.
This growth has strengthened NASAD's role in developing and upholding educational standards in art and design, fostering mutual understanding and respect among schools and departments nationwide.