Humanities & Sciences Division

A perfect example of CCA’s interdisciplinary culture, the Humanities and Sciences division curriculum centers our mantra “theory and practice.” Program and foundational classes are held in both the Montgomery Building and 184 Hooper (right next door to the first-year residence hall!) to blend critical thinking, research, and writing with studio work.

Media Gallery

Artists Sarah Hennies, Kadet Kuhne, and Carla Lucero discuss their work in Timken Hall.
The Critical Studies class closely reviews paper lanterns, which illuminate a dimly-lit space.
A group of writing students collaborate around a table in a space decorated with colorful posters.
Four students explore historic material in class.
Student looks closely through a stereoscope.
A dozen students sit in a classroom.
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💡 Theory and practice

Critical thinking and studio skills bring the CCA philosophy of “making art that matters” to life. No matter your chosen major, you’ll take foundational coursework in Critical Studies and Critical Ethnic Studies to gain analytical and critical perspectives about racial and ethnic inequalities and radical knowledge production.

Critical Ethnic Studies

Critical Ethnic Studies has been a cornerstone of CCA’s curriculum since 1970. All undergraduates are required to take one seminar and studio in areas outside their chosen program. Our courses are dedicated to social justice and equity from local, national, and international perspectives.

Foundational coursework

Critical Studies, visual studies and writing are all part of your first-year experience, complementing your studio practice. These seminars teach you to think critically and imaginatively about the world around you, from philosophy and science to history.

🖼 BA in History of Art & Visual Culture

Think and write critically about the past, present, and future of visual culture in the History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) program. Students directly dive into working with a broad range of materials and research and meet a range of visiting professionals that will help ground their practice. You'll take HAVC courses alongside interdisciplinary studios to directly engage with material practices you want to research, from architecture to video games to fashion.

📝 BA in Writing & Literature

Join a dynamic community of literary artists in the Writing and Literature program. You’ll learn how to translate your love of reading and writing into tangible written works and eventually build toward a full-length thesis collection. You’ll have the opportunity to practice image-making, meter, and other poetic gestures; character development and fiction forms; lyric essays, literary journalism, travel writing, hybrid narratives, and more.

🗯 BFA in Comics

At CCA, we’re serious about the comic arts, and we’re the only undergraduate comics program on the West Coast. Students focus on narrative development, relationships between text and image, and visual storytelling to push the practice to new heights. BFA Comics facilities include studio and classroom spaces that encourage open-ended explorations and expansive storytelling, whether on a tablet or risograph.

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