CCA (California College of the Arts)

ABOUT

Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts (CCA) is the largest regionally accredited, independent school of art and design in the western United States.

Two Campuses

San Francisco: Located in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, the San Francisco campus is home to the college's graduate programs, undergraduate programs in architecture and design, and the CCA Wattis Institute.

Oakland: The historic four-acre Oakland campus is home to the college's undergraduate programs in art. First-year studios, residence halls, and the Center for Art and Public Life are also located here.

Accreditation and Degrees

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 the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER).

The college grants the following degrees: bachelor of fine arts (BFA), bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of architecture (BArch), master of fine arts (MFA), master of arts (MA), and master of architecture (MArch).

The College's Mission

CCA educates students to shape culture through the practice and critical study of the arts. The college prepares its students for lifelong creative work and service to their communities through a curriculum in art, architecture, design, and writing.

ADDRESSES:

San Francisco campus
1111 Eighth Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-2247
415.703.9500

Oakland campus
5212 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94618-1426
510.594.3600

HISTORY

California College of Arts and Crafts

In 1936 the school was renamed the California College of Arts and Crafts, with Meyer as its first president, a position he held until his retirement in 1944.

Post–World War II population growth prompted the addition of new majors: wood/furniture, glass, interior design, and film/video. New buildings were constructed: Martinez Hall for painting and printmaking; the Treadwell Ceramic Arts Center; and Founder's Hall, which contains Meyer Library, Isabelle Percy West Gallery, and Nahl Hall.

In recent years the Oliver Art Center opened on the Oakland campus, housing a professional gallery. New majors have been added: industrial design, fashion design, creative writing, and visual studies, as well as four new graduate programs in curatorial practice, design, visual and critical studies, and writing.

In 1996 the college opened a new permanent San Francisco campus to house the architectural and design programs. The 120,000-square-foot facility was completed in 1999 with the opening of Carroll Weisel Hall, providing much-needed classroom, studio, and administrative space; individual graduate studios; and a first-class exhibition space, the Logan Galleries.

In 1998, the college established the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, providing a forum for the discussion and presentation of leading edge art and culture. Capp Street Project, the renowned artist residency program, became part of the Wattis Institute in 1998.

Responding to the need for community-based arts programming, the college created the Center for Art and Public Life in 2000.

California College of the Arts

In 2003, recognizing the growth of the school and its broad curriculum, the college was renamed California College of the Arts.

Today, Frederick Meyer's "practical art school" is an internationally known and respected institution, drawing students from throughout the world.