The Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate programs focused on creative disciplines, emphasizing hands-on learning, industry connections, and innovative design thinking. All courses are taught at the main campus in downtown Columbus, providing students with access to urban inspiration and professional networks.
- Advertising & Graphic Design: Students explore visual communication, branding, digital media, and advertising strategies through projects that simulate real-world client work, developing skills in typography, layout, and conceptual ideation.
- Animation: This program covers 2D and 3D animation techniques, character design, storyboarding, and motion graphics, utilizing software like Maya and Adobe After Effects to create compelling narratives for film, games, and advertising.
- Comics & Narrative Practice: Focused on sequential art, students learn storytelling through comics, graphic novels, and visual narratives, honing skills in penciling, inking, coloring, and digital publishing.
- Fashion Design: Courses include pattern making, draping, textile design, and sustainable fashion practices, with opportunities to create collections and participate in fashion shows.
- Fine Arts: Emphasizing drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking, this major encourages personal expression and conceptual development in traditional and contemporary media.
- Illustration: Students master digital and traditional illustration for books, editorial, and entertainment industries, covering techniques like watercolor, digital painting, and concept art.
- Industrial Design: Involves product design, prototyping, user-centered design, and CAD modeling, preparing students for careers in consumer goods and furniture design.
- Interior Architecture & Design: Covers space planning, materials, lighting, and sustainable interiors, with studio projects that address residential, commercial, and experiential environments.
- Photography: Explores digital and analog photography, studio lighting, photojournalism, and fine art photography, with emphasis on portfolio development and exhibition.
- Visual Communication: Integrates design principles across media, including web design, UX/UI, and interactive installations, fostering versatile visual problem-solvers.
Additionally, CCAD provides foundational courses in liberal arts, such as art history, writing, and critical theory, to broaden students' perspectives. The curriculum integrates internships, study abroad opportunities, and collaborations with Columbus's vibrant arts scene, ensuring graduates are equipped for dynamic careers in the creative industries. With small class sizes and dedicated faculty who are practicing professionals, the campus environment nurtures innovation and experimentation. Students engage in interdisciplinary projects, leveraging facilities like state-of-the-art studios, digital labs, and a makerspace. The emphasis on entrepreneurship prepares artists and designers to launch their own ventures or thrive in collaborative teams. Overall, CCAD's programs cultivate a balance of technical proficiency, creative vision, and professional readiness, making it a hub for aspiring creatives in the heart of Ohio.
