Cleveland Institute of Art
Creativity Matters
Majors
Animation
Biomedical Art
Ceramics
Drawing
Game Design
Glass
Graphic Design
Illustration
Industrial Design
Interior Architecture
Jewelry + Metals
Painting
Photography + Video
Printmaking
Sculpture + Expanded Media
About the cover artist Lyndsey Vu,
a 2014 Cleveland Institute of Art graduate,
is a freelance illustrator and concept artist
who currently works in a design studio
in Cincinnati. Read more about Lyndsey
at cia.edu/lyndsey
World-class faculty
Real-world experience
Urban cultural center
International alumni
Internships
Small class sizes
Your own studio
Personal attention
Collaborations
Social engagement
Cleveland Institute of Art is a small school
Creativity Matters
with incredible national and international reach.
So you get the attention you need, and the
connections you’ll want.
For more than 130 years CIA has educated
successful artists and designers who’ve changed
how we work, live, and see the world.
What sets the
Cleveland Institute of Art
apart from other
colleges of art and
design?
In a nutshell, our
Cores + Connections
make all the difference.
Our core values include:
n world-class faculty mentorship
n studio and academic rigor
n cutting-edge curriculum, and
n state-of-the-art facilities
Our established network
of connections
will engage you in:
n field-based hands-on learning
n real-world professional projects
(for real-world clients)
n community-based practices in
art and design
At the heart: Our faculty
With a student to faculty ratio of 9:1
students at CIA are mentored by faculty
members who are accomplished professionals in their fields, and who, in turn,
share their knowledge, craft and professional experience on a daily basis. In their
own practices, CIA’s faculty are engaged
in regional, national, and/or international
arenas, with projects ranging from a local
effort to build designers’ workstations out
of wood reclaimed from abandoned
houses, to developing characters for the
film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Students also richly benefit from the
globalperspectives of CIA’s accomplished
Liberal Arts faculty members, who are art
historians, writers, researchers, and
scholars of the humanities.
Barry Underwood
partners with the
US National Park
Service to use
national parks as
backdrops for his
otherworldly light
installations.
Extended classroom
CIA’s Cores + Connections extend
instruction far beyond the CIA campus
classroom. On any given day, you might
see CIA students observing and illustrating
surgery at University Hospitals, sketching
at Cleveland Botanical Garden, touring
behind-the-scenes workings of New York
galleries, conducting research at the
Cleveland Museum of Natural History,
analyzing original works of art at the
Cleveland Museum of Art, drawing
portraits of patients at a dialysis clinic,
using a laser cutter at Case Western
Reserve University’s think[box] maker
facility, or studying abroad.
Internationally
recognized artist
Christian Wullfen
works with students
in the Cleveland
Museum of Art
armor court.
Real-world experience
Through courses, extracurricular
activities, and internships, students
connect to real-world experiences
every school year.
Recent examples include students
consulting for the world-class Cleveland
Museum of Art and Cleveland City Hall,
creating 3D animations for a medical
school study-guide app, redesigning
the county seal, participating in a
professional exhibition at the Museum
of Contemporary Art Cleveland,
designing orthopedic surgery
instruments for a leading medical
technology company, and building
an offsite wood-burning kiln.
All before graduation.
CIA Game Design
students Helen Su,
left, and Natilya
Ratcliff give CIA
Vice President
Chris Whittey a
tour of NASA,
where they spent
the summer
designing
educational video
games.
Cores + Connections
in context
CIA helps build the skills and
confidence students say they need
to seize real-world opportunities
that develop in their daily lives.
CIA particularly stresses creativity,
critical thinking skills, communication
and collaboration—skill sets you’ll need
in order to thrive in college and beyond.
Painting major
Brittany Filko
defends her BFA
thesis, a public
presentation of
work that prepares
CIA students for
professional
interaction.
We have 15 majors—
from craft and design to
visual arts and integrated media.
Take a minute
and read about them,
then go to
cia.edu/majors
to see student work,
meet the professors,
and learn more.
Animation
You want to tell a story.
Harness traditional and digital technologies
to explore narrative and character across the
fourth dimension—time. Bring characters and
environments to life through coursework that
integrates both fine art and the latest industry
technology.
CIA’s faculty will keep you on the cutting edge as
you work with digital media, film, and stop-motion
animation. With the help of green screen, lighting,
and sound recording studios, you’ll have the
resources to create professional-quality narratives.
cia.edu/animation
Biomedical Art
You can’t decide between being a doctor and
being an artist.
One of the few undergraduate programs of its kind
in the country, CIA’s Biomedical Art program will
teach you to craft rich visual materials for science
and medicine.
Each instructor is a Board Certified Medical Illustrator
who will help you take advantage of our extraordinary
location among some of the nation’s top medical and
educational resources, including Cleveland Museum
of Natural History and Cleveland Clinic.
cia.edu/biomedicalart
Ceramics
You like getting your hands dirty.
From mold work and multiples to studio pottery and
ceramic sculpture, you’ll master the art and science of
ceramics. You will learn glazing techniques and make
your own glazes.
CIA is one of only
11 top art colleges
worldwide which
accepts students
from the prestigious
Central Academy of
Fine Art in Beijing.
And you’ll become a pro at loading and firing gas,
electric and even wood-fired kilns, including a digitally
controlled gas kiln by Blaauw that few ceramic
departments in the U.S. can offer.
cia.edu/ceramics
Drawing grad
George Kozmon
was recently
commissioned to
create 12 largescale works for
the Ritz-Carlton in
Abu Dhabi.
Drawing
You always have a pencil in your hand.
Develop your talent for sketching into an artistic career.
Master traditional tools—charcoal and pencil—while
using modern tools such as the stylus and Cintiq tablet.
From working on paper, collage, zines, graphic novels,
to installation work, you’ll define your aesthetic identity in
both traditional and unconventional ways.
cia.edu/drawing
Game Design
You know gaming is serious business.
Combine your technical skills with your artistic vision
to craft innovative systems of play. Study video game
culture and character development while gaining a firm
grounding in the visual arts. Master the use of rule
design, play mechanics, and social game interaction
while you integrate visual, audio, tactile, and textual
elements into a total game experience. Learn from
faculty and visiting lecturers who are currently working
in the game design field.
cia.edu/game-design
Each year CIA Game
Design students work
with computer science
students at Case
Western Reserve
University to design
actual games that
are reviewed by
industry experts.
Glass major Amanda
Wilcox won a 2014 award
from Niche magazine for
a sculptural glass piece
chosen from nearly 600
North American entries.
Glass
You like to create with fire.
Craft your creative concepts in this incredibly versatile
and beautiful material. Your education at CIA will
center around three processes: working hot glass,
working cold glass, and fusion processes. We have
one of the best-equipped undergraduate glass studios
in the country, with a three-station hot glass area,
electric computer-controlled ovens, and a cold glass
facility for grinding and polishing.
cia.edu/glass
Graphic Design
You communicate visually.
Bring clarity and beauty to our world’s complex
array of symbols, ideas, and agendas. In CIA’s
Graphic Design program you’ll explore both
traditional and innovative ways to communicate
creative concepts through typography, print and
web design, package design, and signage.
You’ll also work with real-world clients to build
your portfolio.
cia.edu/graphic-design
Nolan Beck ’15 created,
as his senior project,
a graphic identity for the
International Women’s Air
and Space Museum (left),
which they are in the
process of implementing.
Illustration majors collaborate
with real-world clients on
community projects every
semester, for real-life
experience.
Illustration
You want to draw for clients.
CIA’s Illustration major builds your ability to
express ideas through inventive imagery and
text. Our faculty challenge you to master a
wide range of technical skills—from traditional
pen-and-ink to the latest digital processes—
as you work in media from advertising
to storytelling.
We foster your professional growth through
field trips to illustrators’ studios and ad
agencies, as well as a steady flow of projects
with local and national companies.
cia.edu/illustration
Industrial Design
Turn problems into design opportunities.
Consistently ranked one of the top programs
in the country, CIA’s Industrial Design major
produces graduates who are creating wildly
successful designs in the product, toy, and
automotive industries—from the Swiffer Sweeper
Vac to the Lite-Brite toy to the 2014 Corvette.
You’ll learn in an open environment based on
a professional industrial design studio as you
hone your skills in drawing, modeling, and
computer-assisted design.
cia.edu/industrial-design
Car companies consider
CIA’s Transportation
Design track within
Industrial Design one of
the top five programs in
the country.
Over the past three years,
six CIA grads have been
named among the best
young retail designers
nationwide by
VMSD magazine.
Interior
Architecture
Design branded experiences.
Work with clients and architects to design
spatial solutions for commercial interiors
(this goes way beyond flower arrangements
and decorative pillows). Through real-world
partnerships you’ll take on exciting assignments,
which may include designing restaurants,
boutiques, health care centers, car dealerships,
museum space, or showroom spaces.
And in the studio you’ll master presentation
methods such as drawing, rendering, CAD
technologies, and 3D modeling.
cia.edu/interiorarchitecture
Jewelry + Metals
You love the bling.
Make a one-of-a-kind piece, or design for mass
production. Work with both contemporary and
traditional processes to grow as an artist and
designer of jewelry, fashion, accessories,
functional objects, and sculpture.
Gain a thorough understanding of techniques
and technologies ranging from 3D printing to
stone setting. And then strut your stuff in our
annual runway show.
cia.edu/jewelry-metals
Through our
Creativity Works
program,
Painting majors
curated exhibitions
in local galleries as
a class project.
Painting
You make poetry with a paintbrush.
Capture the three-dimensional world on a twodimensional surface and learn how to live your
dream of becoming a painter. Faculty show you how
to set up a professional studio, write grants,
and approach dealers, curators, and collectors.
Painting students have generous individual studio
spaces, a well-equipped workshop, and excellent
critique space, all within a sky-lit, factory loft space.
cia.edu/painting
Photography + Video
You focus on art.
Focus on photography or enroll in the video
track as you develop a distinct vision, learn to
communicate effectively, and immerse yourself
in a creative, collaborative environment.
You’ll learn from professional, experienced faculty
and work with a fantastic array of state-of-the-art
equipment. To boost your career perspective
we bring in journalists, collectors, and gallery
directors to critique and review portfolios.
cia.edu/photography-video
Printmaking major
Samantha Konet ’16,
(below) won a full
scholarship to the
fellowship program
at the prestigious
Yale Summer School
of Music and Art.
Printmaking
You make a good impression.
Produce distinctly beautiful impressions and
multiples—from limited hand-printed editions to
unlimited digital projects. You’ll develop a broad
printmaking repertoire from traditional intaglio and
relief printing to digital media applications.
We’ve created a printmaking studio setting with
numerous etching and lithography presses as
well as bookmaking and letterpress facilities.
cia.edu/printmaking
Sculpture +
Expanded Media
You like to build things.
No longer bound by material, the field of
sculpture has exploded into a hybrid practice,
which links materials-based art with time-based
digital technologies.
At CIA, sculpture-educated artists create
installations, performance pieces, public art,
and digital displays—all in addition to crafting
traditional object-based works.
cia.edu/sem
Foundation
Liberal Arts
Our students come to CIA with an
extraordinary variety of skill levels
and artistic accomplishments.
So we’ve developed a year-long
Foundation curriculum.
In order to create, you need art
and design skills and the ideas
behind them. Woven throughout
each semester at CIA are courses
in the humanities and social
sciences—art history, English,
philosophy, anthropology.
You’ll begin with core courses in
drawing, design, color, and digital
studies that introduce you to color,
composition, drawing principles,
and 2D and 3D materials and
processes. Digital courses and
fabrication safety labs will build
confidence in your abilities to
create. As you work on studio
projects you’ll investigate visual
dynamics, creative processes, and
issues that inform contemporary
art, design, and culture.
We also offer two options for
students who crave concentrated
coursework in the liberal arts.
Complete a Visual Culture
Emphasis to enjoy extensive
exploration of art history, theory,
and criticism. Or opt for a Creative
Writing Concentration if you want
a career advantage in fields like
illustration or film (or if you just
love to write).
First year and every year
Your own studio
The Cleveland Institute of Art is the only school that gives you
personal studio space in your sophomore year. Many students
consider it their home away from home where they create and
explore. See CIA students in their spaces and why they love it
at cia.edu/studio.
Life in art school
Uptown Residence Hall
First-year students live in our Uptown Residence Hall,
in the heart of our campus neighborhood. Designed in
consultation with CIA students, Uptown suites feature
kitchenettes with two bedrooms connected by a shared
work area. The work area—outfitted with drafting tables—
underscores our philosophy of encouraging collaboration.
Beyond your suite, you’ll enjoy an onsite print center; free
laundry facilities; workout machines overlooking MOCA
Cleveland; lounges; decks; street-level retail including a
commercial bowling alley; and fabulous views of MOCA,
the downtown skyline, and Lake Erie.
Attend
Pre-College
Want to find out what art school is really like? Spend several weeks on
campus tackling art and design projects, using our unparalleled facilities
and equipment, working with faculty, building your portfolio, living in our
residence hall, sharing meals and downtime with other students
considering a career in art or design, and earning college credit in the
process. For more information, visit cia.edu/precollege
Hear from students
who’ve attended CIA’s
Pre-College program at
cia.edu/precollege.
Next steps
Contact us early in your college search. You can talk to an
admissions counselor to help with the application process
or to answer any questions along the way.
Preparing your portfolio
Your portfolio is an important asset
in the development of your career.
It informs us of your artistic
experience, education, and talent.
Preparing a great portfolio takes
time and careful consideration—
so follow these guidelines to
create a portfolio that best
reflects your work.
Contact us
We’re here to help:
Email
admissions@cia.edu
Phone
800.223.4700
216.421.7418
Online
cia.edu/admissions
When you apply to CIA your
portfolio should contain 12–20
pieces of artwork—we recommend
that four of those should be
drawings from observation.
Portfolio pieces can take many
forms, including (but not limited to):
n Drawings
n Paintings
n Prints
n Photographs
n Sculpture
n Mixed-media or
found-object pieces
n Computer-generated works
n Illustrations
n Animations
n Clay, metal, or glass objects
Learn more about building and
photographing your portfolio at
cia.edu/portfolio
Your application
Your application will include:
1 An application: apply online at
cia.edu/apply
2 $40 application fee
3 A personal statement outlining
why you’re applying
4 High school/college transcripts
5 A letter of recommendation from
an art teacher or counselor
6 Your scores on the SAT or ACT
7 Your portfolio
Application deadlines
All applicants are automatically
considered for Merit Scholarships
as long as their application materials
have been submitted by the
Regular Decision deadline.
Financing your education
CIA’s Office of Financial Aid is
committed to helping you close the
gap between the cost of attending
CIA and your ability to fund this
exceptional education.
To receive maximum consideration
for admission, financial aid, portfolio,
and academic scholarships, you
should adhere to the following
application deadlines:
We’ll work with you to craft a
personalized financial aid package.
Contact us at 800.223.4700 or
216.421.7418 for more information
or go to cia.edu/financialaid.
For Fall 2016 admission
Early Action 1 December 1
Early Action 2
January 15
Regular Decision March 1
Did You Know?
88% of incoming
freshmen enrolling
for 2014–15
received a
CIA merit
scholarship.
MI
IN
Cleveland Institute of Art
PA
OH
KY
WV
CIA is just…
15 miles from Cleveland Hopkins
International Airport
4 miles from downtown
Cleveland
128 miles from Pittsburgh
147 miles from Columbus
173 miles from Detroit
253 miles from Cincinnati
349 miles from Chicago
457 miles from New York City
CIA at a Glance:
n 550 students from across
the globe
n 14% of students from Europe,
the Middle East, and Asia
n 9:1 student to faculty ratio
n 8,000 students who share our campus in University Circle
Schedule a visit or attend
an open house
Online: cia.edu/visit
Call: 800.223.4700
Email: admissions@cia.edu
Accreditation
The Cleveland Institute of Art is accredited
by the National Association of Schools of Art
facebook.com/ciacollege
and Design (NASAD), the Higher Learning
twitter.com/cleinstituteart
Commission of the North Central Association
instagram.com/cleinstituteart
of Colleges and Schools, and the Ohio Board
of Regents. CIA is a member of the Association
pinterest.com/cleinstituteart
of Independent Colleges of Art and Design
youtube.com/cleinstituteart
(AICAD).
flickr.com/cleinstituteart
cleinstituteart.tumblr.com
11610 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland OH 44106
cia.edu
cia.edu/admissions
800.223.4700
216.421.7418
admissions@cia.edu