Definition of Academy of art university

The Academy of Art University (formerly Academy of Art College), a for-profit, private university owned by the Stephens Institute, was founded in San Francisco, California in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens. In recent years, the academy has expanded to occupy over 30 buildings in downtown San Francisco. With an enrollment of approximately 9,500 students, the academy is reportedly the largest art and design school in the United States.