California College of the Arts

California College of the Arts (formerly California College of Arts and Crafts), founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing.

It offers studies in 21 undergraduate and seven graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and writing.

CCA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), and Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

Rankings

In 2011, Bloomberg Businessweek named CCA as one of "the best design schools in the world.

According to the U.S. News & World Report, CCA ranks 11th among best overall Master of Fine Arts programs in the country (tied with Art Center College of Design and Columbia University).

CCA is also ranked highly in numerous MFA programs and specialties.

Programs:

CCA grants the following degrees:

• bachelor of architecture (BArch)
• bachelor of arts (BA)
• bachelor of fine arts (BFA)
• master of architecture (MArch)
• master of arts (MA)
• master of business administration (MBA)
• master of fine arts (MFA)
• minor in Visual Studies
• minor in Writing and Literature

Two Campuses

San Francisco: CCA's San Francisco campus is located in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, next to the city's design district and within just blocks of the University of California at San Francisco's Mission Bay research campus.

The San Francisco campus houses the programs in Painting/Drawing, Architecture, Graphic Design, Illustration, Film, Fashion Design, Furniture, Industrial Design, and Interior Design as well as all of the graduate programs.

The 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m²) main building was once a Greyhound Bus repair shed, originally designed in 1951. It is now among the most notable “green” structures in San Francisco.

Oakland: Four beautifully landscaped acres in the charming Rockridge district comprise the historic Oakland campus, located just two miles south of the University of California at Berkeley. Two of its buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. Based on this campus are the undergraduate programs in Animation, Ceramics, Community Arts, Glass, Jewelry / Metal Arts, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textiles, Visual Studies, and Writing and Literature.

Animation program facilities include a new 18-station computer lab, an animation homework lab, and a stop-motion lab; equipment for film production and digital video; and a sound booth.

Ceramics facilities include various gas and electric kilns, a glaze lab, and a large car kiln.

Celestino Marina: Animation

"The relationship that you develop with your professors . . . they become mentors. Before you know it, there’s a whole group of you spending way too much time in this building -- but you’re collaborating, and you’re learning from each other. And even when the teachers aren’t around, it’s amazing -- because you’re still learning!"

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