Programs Available

Advertising
Architecture
Computer Arts
Animation
New Media
Publishing
Special Effects
2D + 3D Modeling
Web Design
and Game Design
Fashion
Fashion Design
Fashion Illustration
Knitwear
Merchandising
Fine Art
Graphic Design
Illustration
Industrial Design Studios
Interior Architecture and Design
Motion Pictures and Video
Photography

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The College

Founded in 1929, The Academy of Art College has steadily grown to become the largest private, accredited art school in the nation. The campus now encompasses more than 20 buildings in and around downtown San Francisco with over 6500 students from 25 countries. Throughout the years, the school's unofficial philosophy has remained the same: Hire today's best practicing professionals to teach the art and design professionals of tomorrow.
The school offers an open enrollment policy and programs of study in ten art and design majors. Extensive senior year internship programs allow students to gain valuable experience and strong portfolios in their chosen fields before graduation.

The demand for education to meet individuals' time and geographical restrictions led to the addition of an online education program in 2002. Students can take courses in Fashion Merchandising, Interior Design, Drawing, Animation, Photography, Advertising, and more from the convenience of a computer.

Location
The city of San Francisco is one of the great cultural centers of the world, a melting pot of diversity and creativity that has spawned major museums and galleries, world class performing arts, film production and technological innovation. The climate is moderate and offers kaleidoscopic blends of sunshine and fog nine months of the year. The Academy's classrooms, studios, galleries, and dormitories are located in such areas as world famous Fisherman's Wharf, historic Union Square, the Financial District and South of Market Area (SOMA). All campus facilities are connected by a private fleet of Academy buses which are scheduled around classes and lab times.

Majors and Degrees
The Academy of Art College offers Bachelor or Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts and Associate of Arts degrees, as well as certificate programs, in the following 11 departments:
Advertising (Account Planning, Art Direction, Copywriting, and Television Commercials)
Architecture (MFA only)
Computer Arts (Animation, New Media, Publishing, Special Effects, 2D + 3D Modeling, Web Design, and Video Games)
Fashion (Fashion Design, Fashion Illustration, Knitwear, Merchandising, and Textiles)
Fine Art (painting/drawing, sculpture, printmaking)
Graphic Design (Branding, Corporate Identity, Packaging, and Print)
Illustration (Cartooning, Children's Books, Editorial, and Feature Film Animation)
Industrial Design Studios (Automotive Design, Product Design, and Toy Design)
Interior Architecture and Design (Commercial and Residential Interior Architecture)
Motion Pictures and Television (Acting, Advertising, Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design, Screenwriting, and Special Effects)
Photography (Advertising, Digital, Documentary, Fashion, Fine Art, Photo Illustration, Photojournalism, and Portraiture)

Off-Campus Arrangements
Dormitory space in the Academy's campus-run buildings is available in a wide variety of prices and accommodation configurations. The Student Housing Department offers housing assistance for students to locate alternative living arrangements (415-263-7727).

Academic Facilities
The Academy invests heavily to ensure that every department's facilities are equipped with the current technology. The Computer Arts Department includes over 500 computer and over 101 SGI workstations and is home to the only authorized Silicon Studio training center in Northern California. The Motion Pictures, Television and Video Department boasts Avid and Media 100 editing bays, a Blue Screen Studio and an extensive array of film and video cameras. The Photography Department occupies its own building and shares half of another building with the Fine Arts Painting and Printmaking Departments. Its resources includes full-length shooting studios, table top studios, 15 individual color darkrooms and high-end cameras and strobe systems. The 58,000 square foot sculpture facility offers classroom and workshop space for all kinds of sculpture, wood/stone carving, metal fabrication, welding, jewelry design, and life-casting. Other academic facilities include an extensive, state-of-the-art research library with CD-ROM and internet access.

Costs
Tuition is $550 per credit unit for undergraduates; $600 per credit unit for graduate students. A full time student carries either 12 or 15 units per semester. The application fee is $100 for undergraduates; $100 for graduate students. There is a nonrefundable $130 registration fee -- $100 is applicable toward tuition. Lab fees generally run from $45 to $140 per semester, depending on the class. (Tuition and fees are subject to change.)

Faculty
The Academy averages 450 instructors in the Spring and Fall semesters, 90% of whom are full-time art and design professionals and part-time teachers. The student to teacher ratio for undergraduate classes is on average 20-1; for graduate students, it is 15-1.

Admission Requirements
Applicants for the B.F.A. program must have a high school diploma or G.E.D.. M.F.A. applicants must submit a portfolio and have earned a bachelor's degree or equivalent; they must also submit a personal statement of intent and two letters of recommendation. There is no TOEFL requirement for international students, but a written and speech test is administered to determine ESL placement. (ESL classes can be taken in conjunction with art and design classes.)