A now-closed for-profit media arts college that operated multiple US branches before shuttering in 2015.
The International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) was founded in 1977 by Clem Stein Jr. as the International Academy of Merchandising and Design, Ltd in Chicago. The institution expanded to over ten branches across major US cities, with the first branch opening in Tampa, Florida in 1984. The college changed its name in 1999 and 2000 to reflect expanded design and technology programs. IADT was owned by Career Education Corporation and operated locations in Detroit, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, Sacramento, San Antonio, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Schaumburg, among others. The institution closed in 2015 following a merger with Sanford-Brown.
IADT offered programs in media arts and design disciplines, including fashion design, interior design, video editing, 3D animation, design, and film production. The institution was accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Programs were designed to prepare students for careers in creative industries, though the college faced significant legal challenges regarding the quality and transferability of its credentials.
IADT faced substantial legal challenges during its operation. In April 2010, a civil suit was filed by former students from IADT Pittsburgh, IADT WV, and IADT Toronto, citing registration fraud, improper credit transfers, and false pretense; the students won with an undisclosed settlement. In 2011, Career Education Corporation settled a class action lawsuit for violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act after sending approximately 100,000 unsolicited text message advertisements in 2008, establishing a $20 million settlement fund.
In 2014, Career Education Corporation announced a merger consolidating IADT and its other educational divisions under the Sanford-Brown name. The merged institution closed entirely in 2015. Prior to the final closure, individual campuses had closed at various times, including Pittsburgh (2008), Toronto (2009), and Fairmont, WV (2024).