College for Creative Studies

The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is among the nation’s leading colleges of art and design. Students can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the following majors: advertising design, animation and digital media, art education, crafts, fine arts, graphic design, illustration, interior design, photography, product design, and transportation design.

At the College for Creative Studies, first-year students can enter their chosen department and concentrate their studies in one area or spend their first semester “undeclared” and take an orientation class to learn about the eleven studio majors. While students are immersed in their chosen area of study immediately upon entering CCS, they are also encouraged to take classes outside of their major to broaden their skills.

Each department emphasizes four distinct components of a visual arts education: technical skill, aesthetic sensibility, conceptual ability, and practical experience, combining studio and academic classes with more individualized instruction. Upper-level students have the opportunity to begin working independently in private and semiprivate studio settings. While these students have the freedom to cultivate their own personal vision and style, they are regularly visited by faculty members for critiques and guidance. Internships give students an opportunity to work side-by-side with art and design professionals.

CCS' faculty consists of professional artists and designers who are also working and exhibiting in their fields of expertise. They provide students with an immediate connection to the real world by bringing new trends, practical insights, and networking opportunities to the College, shedding a realistic light on theoretical classroom exercises. Students are assigned a faculty academic adviser in their department upon entering the school.

Studies at CCS are also fully supported by state-of-the-art facilities. The College has woodworking, metalsmithing, and hot glass studios; a foundry; a clay modeling studio; a Thermwood 5-axis CNC milling machine; a rapid prototyping studio for creating 3-D color models from computer-generated designs; an AutoCad lab for interior design; a digital photography lab; advanced audio-video editing suites; and a film production studio. There is also a visual arts library with a large collection of art and design publications. An on-site imaging center offers color and wide-format printing and a campuswide network provides Internet access in all dorm rooms and e-mail for all students and faculty members.

Computer facilities are constantly updated to adapt to rapidly changing technology. Currently, there are approximately 400 Macintosh and Windows 2000 computer workstations running 3D Studio Max; Alias/Wavefront Studio Tools; AutoCad; After Effects; Final Cut Pro; Illustrator; Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks, and Director; Maya; Photoshop; Premiere; and InDesign software. Students can take computer-based courses in animation, interactive media, Web page design, publishing, graphic design, illustration, and digital imaging, among others.

The Academic Advising Center helps with general advising questions regarding scheduling, transfer credits, and the College’s mobility program. Students in need of academic assistance have access to the Student Success Center (SSC), where trained professionals help students develop study and time management skills. The SSC also helps students improve their language, reading, and writing abilities. A career counselor is available to assist current students with internships and summer jobs as well as to help graduating seniors or CCS alumni secure jobs.

CCS students have many opportunities to exhibit their work publicly. Work is displayed in the U245 Student Gallery and at such events as the Detroit Festival of the Arts and numerous gallery exhibitions. The annual Student Exhibition, held in conjunction with commencement, is a major public event that draws thousands of people to view and purchase student artwork.

CCS' location is a valuable resource in itself. The campus is situated in Detroit’s Cultural Center. It is within walking distance of a number of educational institutions and museums, including the Detroit Institute of Arts (the nation’s fifth-largest museum), the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, the Detroit Public Library, and Wayne State University. The surrounding metropolitan area is also inspiring to art students, with theaters and cafés, eclectic neighborhoods, and galleries displaying the work of emerging and established artists.

Professional opportunities abound in the Detroit area. Automotive manufacturing and supply industries have a constant need for creative industrial designers, and because Detroit is the fourth-largest producer of advertising in the U.S., creative professionals are in constant demand.

For a visual arts education that stresses the personal development of style and vision and the practical experience needed to succeed in the real world, the College for Creative Studies is an excellent educational option.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen and transfers: continuous. Notification date--freshmen and transfers: August 15. Required: high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, SAT or ACT test scores, minimum 2.5 high school GPA, minimum 2.0 college GPA for transfer students, portfolio (must be digital images or actual work; slides are not acceptable). Recommended: essay, 2 letters of recommendation. Auditions held 1 time. Portfolio reviews held throughout the year on campus and off campus in during National Portfolio Days and during high school visits.

College for Creative Studies

Application Procedures

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