Overview
California College of the Arts Offers a Wide Range of Undergraduate Programs in the Arts and Literature
California College of the Arts (CCA) is an internationally recognized private art college located in the San Francisco Bay Area - home to a vibrant art and design community. Praised as "one of the world's best design schools" by BusinessWeek, CCA's fully accredited, comprehensive curricula offer an education in the arts with over 20 undergraduate programs and seven graduate programs in architecture, design, fine arts, and creative writing.
Among the largest undergraduate art majors are architecture, graphic design, fashion design, illustration, industrial design, painting, and photography. Recently added are animation and writing and literature. Upon completion of these programs, CCA graduates can earn Bachelor of Architecture, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees.
Multidisciplinary Curricula Prepare Students by Encouraging them to Consider Issues Relevant to Today's World
At California College of the Arts, students are educated in a multidisciplinary context that encourages them to push boundaries, foster bold and innovative practices, and prepare them for the challenges of today's complex world. This multidisciplinary approach to education integrates important issues into the study of art, including issues of sustainability and social justice, which are approached from local and global perspectives alike. The result is that CCA students are equipped to create work that truly makes a difference and achieves cultural relevance in the world.
A Diverse Student Body Contributes to a Diversity of Perspectives and Ideas for Expression
The college's student body of more than 1,700 full-time students is a diverse combination of first-year, transfer, and graduate students who come to CCA from across the country and around the world. The college also hosts a summer pre-college program for high school students. In addition, opportunities for summer study-abroad and international exchange enrich the college's educational experience.
The diverse community and travel opportunities ensure that CCA students are constantly being introduced to new ideas and sources of inspiration. Internationally renowned visiting artists, lecturers, and scholars also enhance the college's academic curricula with innovative perspectives via lecture series and studio visits. Other community-building activities at CCA include year-round exhibitions, campus events, special engagements, campus fairs, performances, artist talks, and more.
First-Year CCA Students Are Exposed to a Variety of Media, Emphasizing Skill and Experimentation
CCA's first-year community enters into the core program at the Oakland campus where skill building, experimentation, and critical thinking are emphasized in a year of cross-disciplinary study that includes exposure to a variety of media. Students enroll in courses in studio art, writing and literature, and visual studies. Campus housing in residence halls and college-owned apartments lend the first-year experience a traditional college atmosphere characterized by a unique breadth of interest and artistic expression.
Generous Financial Aid Program Helps Motivated Students Achieve their Art Educational Goals
California College of the Arts is thoroughly committed to ensuring that those who seek a degree in the arts have the opportunity to pursue one, through a financial aid program of funded scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study awards. In fact, the college makes available more than $15 million each year in scholarships to qualified students. Additionally, merit-based scholarships are available to students based on outstanding creative ability and academic achievement.
CCA takes an individualized and balanced approach to its admissions process. Applications are reviewed on the basis of academic achievement, student portfolio, creative ability, artistic and professional goals, personal achievements, and supporting documents such as recommendations.
Building Mentor Relationships with CCA's Working Artist Faculty Members Encourages Risk-Taking and Growth
The college's faculty comprises nearly 500 nationally and internationally recognized and accomplished artists, architects, designers, and writers who are actively producing in their respective fields. CCA's low student-to-faculty ratio is seven to one, which allows students to establish quality relationships with their instructors.
The college supports faculty-student mentorship because it encourages personal exploration, challenges students to take risks, clarifies and deepens the processes of inquiry, and provides career-building learning techniques. CCA enables young artists and designers to graduate better positioned to shape the future of culture.
San Francisco Bay Area Provides CCA Students with a Culturally Rich, Inspiring Setting
Founded in 1907, CCA features world-class facilities located on two dynamic campuses, located in San Francisco and Oakland. In addition to their scenic beauty, these campuses provide access to world-renowned museums, galleries, theaters, film and literary festivals, animation studios, and leading architecture and design firms. This provides a culturally fertile environment for creative practice and critical study of the arts. By taking advantage of the opportunities available in the San Francisco Bay Area, CCA students can supplement their education in the arts in ways that would be unavailable in many other regions.
