California College of the Arts (formerly California College of Arts and Crafts), founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing. It has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, California, USA. It is one of the premier fine arts and design institutions in the United States and a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), a consortium of thirty-six leading art schools in the United States and Canada. CCA is also widely regarded as one of the leading art and design institutions in the world.

The college offers undergraduate and graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, curatorial practice, visual criticism, design, design strategy, interaction design, and writing. CCA confers bachelor of architecture, bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, master of architecture, master of business administration in design strategy, master of arts, and master of fine arts degrees.

Both campuses host lectures, artist talks, and other special events almost every day.

The Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts is a forum for leading-edge contemporary culture. Its innovative exhibitions and accompanying publications and lectures feature compelling, important artists working on both the local and the international levels. Wattis Institute director Jens Hoffmann has been responsible for some of the most inspired and stimulating programming in the field of contemporary art.

Sponsored studio courses enable students to work directly with professionals from distinguished firms such as IDEO and Gensler.

Internships help students gain practical experience and professional connections while at the same time earning academic credit. Internships are required by the Architecture, Interior Design, Industrial Design, and Graphic Design programs, and all programs recommend them.

The CCA Center for Art and Public Life organizes numerous programs (exhibitions, community art collaborations, student project grants, and more), putting students into contact with the diverse communities in the Bay Area and around the globe.

The recently launched ENGAGE at CCA initiative is a family of courses, embedded throughout the college’s curriculum, in which students work with outside experts to find solutions to particular community issues.

Through the International Exchange Program, students may spend a semester at one of more than 30 colleges of art and design around the globe. CCA also offers summer study-abroad courses.

Qualified students can study for a semester at any one of 32 other art schools throughout the U.S. through the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD).