Advertising Design
What You’ll Learn
If you pay more attention to the commercials during the Super Bowl than you do the game, or if you see billboards on the highway and think, “I can do better than that!” you may have a career waiting in advertising design. Students in this program are big-idea creative thinkers with the ability to be artistic, business-minded, and have a talent for communicating ideas in print, video and virtual formats. CCS’ Advertising Design Department has a strong reputation for developing creative professionals sought by top agencies, firms and corporations nationally and internationally.
Career Possibilities
- Creative Director +
An advisor and teacher of sorts, a Creative Director has a good eye for both design and copywriting—leading a project from start to finish.
- Art Director +
Design savvy is a must. Art Directors establish the look and feel of an advertising campaign, upholding style and creativity.
- Copywriter +
From technical writing to creative writing, Copywriters are responsible for the tone of advertising. They work closely with Art Directors, often times establishing a campaign’s “voice.”
- Producer +
An advertising Producer coordinates the many facets of an advertising project. Whether it’s the hiring of actors for a commercial or keeping a team organized in the midst of a tight deadline.
Next Steps
Download Advertising Design Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Art Education
What You’ll Learn
Bringing excitement and inspiration into the classroom, CCS Art Education graduates are trained to help young people think visually and grow creatively. As an Art Education student, you’ll enroll in one of CCS’ 10 studio programs for a complete art education in a discipline of your choice. This is where you will explore your own talents and sharpen your skills. You’ll also learn how to pass on your knowledge and creativity to shape artists of the future. By combining the Bachelor of Fine Arts program with studio courses, we offer a unique dual major program producing the best artist/teachers in the industry.
Career Possibilities
- K–12 Art Teacher +
Being an art instructor for grades K–12 is an art itself. The beauty of development, of maturation, can be seen first hand through your students’ work—from a child’s first drawing to a senior’s decision to go to art school. You will lead them.
- Museum Education Director +
The operation, functioning and growth of a museum’s education department is yours to direct. A love—and knowledge—of the arts is key. You will organize programs and events (school tours, lectures, films) that will enrich the public.
- Community Arts Director +
Working through local schools, museums and libraries, you will coordinate art programs and events to educate (and invigorate) a community.
- Community Arts Gallery Director +
A Gallery Director is responsible for coordinating artist showcases, seeks out work to exhibit, and responds to the community’s desire to see a variety of arts represented.
Next Steps
View Art Education Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Crafts
What You’ll Learn
At the intersection between the worlds of fine art and design, there are crafts. Materials such as copper, glass, fibers and ceramics are part of this exciting artistic landscape. The CCS Crafts Department offers a unique opportunity to grow and explore through the creation of functional, nonfunctional, and unclassifiable art objects. A combination of lectures and studio classes lead students to their sophomore year where they typically begin to concentrate on one discipline. CCS’ outstanding facilities – from the metal shop and foundry, to the hot glass and ceramics studio – provide the necessary tools.
Career Possibilities
- Ceramic Artist +
Everywhere you look, there are signs of true ceramic and glass artists. Work in these two fields is abundant and varied. Often times, an artist may operate a private business, work for a company or exhibit solely in galleries.
- Jewelry Designer +
As a Jewelry Designer, you master an incredible amount of processes (design, drawing, woodwork, metal crafting, and cutting and setting stones to name a few.) The field can lead you down many roads, from operating your own jewelry line to fashion design, sales and consultation.
- Costume Designer +
After reading a play, a Costume Designer will communicate with the director and scene designer to craft the perfect costumes to fit the mood and setting of the piece.
- Set/Prop Designer +
Trained in both theater and art, a Set/Prop Designer can flex his or her muscles across all theater genres—plays, musicals and operas. From minimal designs to full-blown environments.
- Furniture Designer +
Mastering the skills to use all kinds of materials, from woods to metals to glass, is a Furniture Designer’s key to success (and having a good eye for design and function, of course). Present at galleries, work for a large design firm or go into business for yourself. It’s all in how you shape it.
Next Steps
Download Crafts Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Entertainment Arts
What You’ll Learn
A story is at the heart of every film, animated picture and video game. In CCS’s Entertainment Arts program, storytelling is at the root of the curriculum. Of course students learn the latest software and are taught the hottest animation techniques and tricks, but they are also driven to become the next generation of storytellers. The entertainment world is booming and by tailoring our courses to parallel the industry, CCS students graduate with the proper tool set and creativity to start their career.
Career Possibilities
- Video Game Designer +
You make the worlds, the characters and the gameplay. But you also understand the advantages or limitations of your medium—be it an arcade console, a handheld game or a home system.
- Film or Television Animator +
From digital animation to hand illustration, a Film or Television Animator must first be—simply put—a good drawer. But an animation studio also requires many hands, not only on the art end, but also in the editing, sound design and technical ends.
- Digital Filmmaker +
Utilizing 2D and 3D modeling, a Digital Filmmaker creates work for the commercials, feature films and advertisements.
- Special Effects +
Today’s visual magicians. Special Effects experts handle creature design, make up, pyrotechnics and the list goes on.
- Post Production +
Post Production is one of the last steps in the completion of a film, commercial, song or print piece. Often times, it involves fine tuning the work: triple-checking for errors and adjusting colors, sizes or sounds.
Next Steps
Download Entertainment Arts Curriculum Guide →
Download Game Art Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Fine Arts
What You’ll Learn
Technique, concept and self-discovery are all given weight in the fine art learning process, whether a student focuses on painting, printmaking or sculpture. Fine Arts students gain a solid foundation in the fundamental techniques of drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture before selecting a concentration. During their final year, students are given access to a private or semi-private studio space that allows them to complete a final, thematic body of work, which parallels the real-life working situation of an independent artist.
Career Possibilities
- Museum Preservationist +
Art pieces could not exist without the careful eye of a Museum Preservationist, one who specializes in ensuring the longevity and safekeeping of the works displayed.
- Independent Artist +
To work on your own, creating the art that you were made to make, is the goal of most Independent Artists. Essentially, you are in business for yourself.
- Art Appraiser +
With a sharp sense of art history and its many periods, an Art Appraiser identifies, classifies and values a piece.
- Art Critic +
To criticize art—to analyze and evaluate it—you must first know the context, the message, the history. Writing chops and a good set of eyes is a necessity in making a good Art Critic.
- Educator +
A Fine Arts Educator is usually staffed at the college level and is responsible for instructing a specific discipline of the arts.
Next Steps
Download Fine Arts Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Foundation
What You’ll Learn
Any major you choose at CCS will grow from the roots you develop through the Foundation Department program. As a first-year student, you will be introduced to the basic techniques, principles, and materials that you will use throughout your studies and career. Foundation is a unique department, drawing faculty members across a variety of disciplines in art, crafts and design. Visiting artists and guest lecturers contribute as well, expanding the breadth of perspectives and experience.
Graphic Design
What You’ll Learn
If you're interested in using image, type, color, sound, motion and interactivity to create dynamic and memorable expression, Graphic Design is the right department for you. You'll learn to marry type and image, to communicate meaning with color, to compose a page that will make people take notice. Whether it’s through corporate logos and websites, t-shirts and skateboards, DVD box sets and brochures, graphic design reaches more people more often than perhaps any other kind of expression.
Career Possibilities
- Graphic Designer +
An ever-expanding field, Graphic Design is the art of conveying a message through design. Be it to sell a product, to help organize content or to attract attention through visuals.
- Information Designer +
The objective of an Information Designer is to organize visual information in the clearest, most readable way possible.
- Interactive / Web Designer +
Interactive / Web designers embrace the possibilities of the World Wide Web through animations, video and page layouts that challenge convention (or embrace it).
- Publication Designer +
Magazines, books and brochures are just a few publications you see daily. A Publication Designer is responsible for the look and feel of it all.
- Package Designer +
The art of package design: combine utilitarian simplicity (ease of opening, reading) with the sparkle that attracts a consumer (materials, colors).
Next Steps
Download Graphic Design Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Illustration
What You’ll Learn
At CCS, Illustration students learn the technical skills that enhance their natural ability. They also explore conceptual talents that allow them to prepare for the life outside the classroom. Using a wide variety of media and formats, students build an impressive and wide-ranging portfolio. In the outside world, illustrators’ work appears in many places, from children’s books, comic books and animated films, to magazines, television commercials and online. Illustrators who graduate from CCS can go in any direction, whether it’s movies, games, books, or editorial publications, websites and galleries.
Career Possibilities
- Editorial Illustrator +
Editorial Illustrators are chosen by publications to bring their unique illustration style to the page, adding brilliant interpretations to the text.
- Book Illustrator +
From children’s books to technical manuals, a Book Illustrator works with the author and publisher to bring the pages to visual life.
- Advertising Illustrator +
An Advertising Illustrator can do anything from actual illustrations for advertisements to storyboard sketches for commercials.
- Comic Book Artist +
A Comic Book Artist works in the comic medium, and there are many disciplines within it: from colorizer to story artist to print producer.
- Entertainment Artist +
Create environments and characters for games, movies, television and more.
Next Steps
Download Illustration Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Interior Design
What You’ll Learn
The art of interior design requires knowledge of many different elements, from color, light and texture, to balance, architecture and design. Interior designers must be able to fuse these elements into a clever, unique and functional space that works. In order to provide important “real-world” critiques and feedback, the Interior Design Department brings local architects and designers into the classroom during midterms. Through work with talented faculty and internship experience gained during junior and senior year, CCS students develop important connections with industry professionals and leave school prepared for success.
Career Possibilities
- Exhibit Designer +
How many times have you been dazzled by a window display or an in-store product arrangement? Incredible work can be seen everywhere and you will be the next to create it.
- Commercial Designer +
A designer for commercial spaces (stores, restaurants—even theme parks), you work closely with architects and planners to bring a space’s interior to its fullest potential and function.
- Automotive Color & Trim +
Without color and trim, the vehicles of today would be without accent. Your job is to enhance the structural design with all the right touches that make it desirable to the eye.
- Residential Designer +
A Residential Designer creates homes or buildings that cater to the specific desires of a homeowner. Lofts, condos, subdivisions—even the reworking of a classic home.
- Retail Designer +
A Retail Designer considers the brand/product and designs a space that best suits it—one that is especially inviting to consumers.
Next Steps
Download Interior Design Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Photography
What You’ll Learn
Part science, part art, photography is created with ever-evolving technology and the talent and skills of the individual behind the lens. The technical and creative aspects are equally important in the CCS Photography Department. Photography students learn to successfully blend art and science to create compelling commercial and stunning fine art imagery. Because it is crucial to so many fields of visual creation and design, photography is like an all-access pass to numerous careers.
Career Possibilities
- Photo Journalist +
Photo Journalists master the art of spontaneity—attempting to be at the right place at the right time to capture newsworthy moments in the lens. To visually highlight a story.
- Fine Art Photographer +
A Fine Art Photographer works to bring an artistic vision to life through picture.
- Studio Photographer +
Using the studio as your primary tool, you capture family portraits, models, bands and the list goes on.
- Fashion Photographer +
A Fashion Photographer works closely with modeling agencies and publications to highlight fashion and beauty through the eye of the lens.
- Forensic Photographer +
To aid in investigations, forensic photographs are used to show the details of accident and crime scenes.
Next Steps
Download Photography Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Product Design
What You’ll Learn
A product designer combines talent for design with understanding of the production and marketing of consumer goods. In short, it’s all about the creation of new items that people will buy. Students in the Product Design Department build a solid foundation of drawing, design, color and human ergonomics. This leads to the understanding of how to turn ideas into products, from toothpaste dispensers and lounge chairs, to running shoes and power tools.
Career Possibilities
- Office Product Designer +
Design unique—or brilliantly basic—products that will enhance office settings, employee function and comfort level.
- Consumer Product Designer +
This is a big category. Think of the things around you: pens, packages, tools, electronics—they all require the skills of a designer to bring them to life. This may be your calling.
- Houseware Designer +
Design products for use in households—be it a blender, a new type of kitchen tile or an ornate lamp.
- Shoe Designer +
From dress-up to dress-down, athletic to industrial, there are shoes for all walks of life. Create shoe designs from sketch to the final stitch.
- Toy Designer +
Design toys for all ages. A Toy Designer considers a product’s audience and goes to work creating a desirable object that is, above all, fun.
Next Steps
Download Product Design Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →
Transportation Design
What You’ll Learn
CCS Transportation Design students will play a key role in the future of automotive and transport industries. In the program, strong emphasis is placed on drawing and rendering skills. As students advance, they also develop competence in clay modeling by hand and 3D computer modeling using Alias. With five major automotive design studios located within miles of the CCS campus, the College also attracts leading industry designers to teach within the program, ensuring students are learning the most current design principles and trends.
Career Possibilities
- Automotive Designer +
Working with a team, an Automotive Designer usually focuses on the outward appearance and aesthetics of a vehicle, creating the designs of tomorrow.
- Motorcycle Designer +
Racing bikes, dirt bikes and road hogs all fall under the category of motorcycle. You design the look—as well as consider the performance—of the future’s motorcycles.
- Mass Transit Designer +
In major cities, public transportation is essential. A Mass Transit Designer focuses on efficiency and space, creating vehicles that will enhance a person’s trip from A to B.
- Airplane Designer +
From commuter jets to missile designs, you create technically-sound, flyable designs to benefit travelers, defense organizations or hobbyists.
- Bike Designer +
As timeless as bikes are, new designs are always in development. A Bike Designer creates anything from marathon-friendly designs to tricycles for beginners.
- Boat Designer +
Racing, leisure, luxury and defense. Just a few of the many categories that you may cover as a Boat Designer.
Next Steps
Download Transportation Design Curriculum Guide →
Portfolio Submission →
Request Info →