California College of the Arts Graduate Program Reviews

“ I am doing three year Master of Architecture program at California College of the Arts. So far, this first year has been heavy but I do not regret it. I been learning a lot from my professors and the courses. The school has been very supported with everything is going on in politics today. At school I feel safe and welcome. The facilities are excellent, they have a wide variety of tools to work with. ”

“ Excellent program. Perfect for those who have very different educational/career backgrounds. If you want to design, innovate, and create, this is the place to go! Not only does it entail a great deal of business classes, they have a number of design/art inspired classes as well ”

“ There is a good range of faculty but the fine art facilities are not state of the art or very accessible. Housing in the Bay Area makes it tough to commute to school, and transportation is not great. Almost too diverse a program in discipline. ”

“ A small and select group of students are admitted to the program each year fostering an environment where student are working very closely (and often) with faculty. The alumni network is strong and internship and work opportunities abound for disciplined and self-directed students. The school is located in San Francisco, the most expensive city in the U.S. presently. It would be better if students had even more access to funding. The financial-aid packages, though generous, still require that students take out large student loans, or have rich parents. ”

“ California College of the Arts (CCA) is a great place for people in various design related fields. Their Architecture program satisfies NAAB requirements and paid internship is one of the requirements for the graduation. Thus, offering students complete skill-set required to face industry once they graduate. The faculty members at CCA are exceptionally good and have active design- research practices. CCA has open minded altitude towards design process and along with prestigious faculty members they have been training students to be architects that are sensible towards social, economic, technological and ecological changes. World class faculty is CCA’s greatest gift and a resource for students ‘academic projects and career goals. Living in the city may seem expensive, but CCA has many on and off campus job opportunities that can help with the living expenses. The administrative staff is always willing to guide students with finances and is very approachable. In addition to great academic life, CCA is a great platform to socialize and build professional network at the same time! ”

“ The area is very expensive, but the program is top notch, with a great faculty, loads of support from industry professionals and workplaces, plus a great network of alumni and whatnot. ”

“ The graduate MFA program is a transdisciplinary program in graphic, industrial and interaction design which allows for versatility in the field. CCA as a school and particularly the MFA Design department do an incredible job of connecting students with their impressive professional alumni network. ”

“ The graduate program at CCA offers diverse exposure to what it means to practice architecture in the 21st century. It encompasses advanced creative design through technology, craft and theory in one of the most forward thinking design cities in the world. ”

“ CCA is located in San Francisco, home to many companies working at the intersection of art and technology. I love that all of our professors are practicing professionals in their respective fields, and their experiences have been invaluable to my education thus far. I feel fortunate to be a part of such a supportive and innovative design community. Although the MFA Design program is described as an interdisciplinary program, there is more emphasis on graphic design and industrial design than interaction design, due to it being more of an emerging field. I hope that the school will expand its interaction design faculty so that CCA can better accommodate the changing interests and needs of their students. Also, it is difficult to get appointments to use various facilities such as the laser cutter or 3d printer. ”

“ By attaining a master's degree I will be able to structure my writing and be exposed to that community that is so supportive of it. The staff wants to see you succeed and puts in that effort to help. The only cons are I can't afford to go, I need some help and student loan debt is likely to be in my future. ”