The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a nonprofit, private college authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. CCS, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. CCS fosters students’ resolve to pursue excellence, act ethically, engage their responsibilities as citizens, and learn throughout their lives. With world-class faculty and unsurpassed facilities, students learn to be visual communicators who actively use art and design toward the betterment of society. The College is a major supplier of talent to numerous industries, such as transportation, film and animation, advertising and communications, consumer electronics, athletic apparel, and many more. Its graduates are exhibiting artists and teachers, design problem solvers and innovators, as well as creative leaders in business.

Founded in 1906 as the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts, CCS plays a key role in Detroit’s cultural and educational communities.

What makes your school’s design, architecture, art, and planning program different & unique from other schools’ programs? What are the top 3 program features that make your program stand out?

CCS has been teaching art and design for over 100 years. We began as the Society for Arts and Crafts in Detroit — a community of makers responding to mass-industrialization and production, with an earnest commitment to fine craftsmanship and the making of beautiful and useful objects. We are still committed to this principle today, but we are very open and responsive to incorporating new technologies into our curricula. Our strong heritage, established connections to industry and our continued pursuit of making fine art, finely crafted beautiful and useful objects, means our students master the skills and develop the confidence needed to succeed in any creative realm they choose to apply their skills. 

Top Three Features:

Alumni Network and Success — Our strong alumni network means connections for current students and graduates seeking to make their way into a creative career. Graduates understand and respect the CCS approach and seek out young talent for internships and jobs.

Facilities and Faculty — CCS has an outstanding campus with state-of-the-art facilities across all departments. Students have access to shops and studios within and outside of their major. CCS is one of a few undergraduate programs with access to a Color and Material Library. We also have extensive Digital Image and Publications Library, and our Audio Visual Center ensures our students have free and available access to high-end sound, lighting, camera, video and recording equipment.

Career Services — Our Career Services office does an excellent job preparing our students to apply for internships and jobs through workshops in resume and portfolio building, interview skills, an on-line Job Book. Career Services also hosts recruitment and career development events on and off-site.

Can students take courses in other schools?

Yes. Each major’s curriculum allows room for studio electives, and students have the ability to fulfill these requirements with courses from other departments. The majority of our majors support opportunities for students to seek out experiences that will help them reach their creative or career goals. We have any number of students working across departments at any given time.

What kind of job opportunities are available for CCS graduates?

CCS’s post-graduation rate is 94%- in jobs related to graduates’ field of study. Our Career Services office works to ensure students have internship opportunities while they are students, and job opportunities as they graduate. Graduates take positions across the US, and internationally. Typically, our graduates are gaining positions that are above entry-level, in fields directly related to their field of study. CCS was recently ranked #3 Design School in the US and best in the Midwest based on Alumni Success by LinkedIn. 

How are new technologies affecting students’ curriculums and/or ways of learning/collaborating at your school? 


Digital 3D modeling has been incorporated into curricula across majors like Product Design, Crafts, Entertainment Arts, Transportation Design, Interior Design, and Fashion Accessories Design. Digital ink printers are being using in Ceramics and Fiber Arts, and state-of-the-art studios include the latest software and design tools including PCs, Macs and Cintiques. Our Graphic Design and Advertising: Design majors develop user interfaces and experiences through the design of apps, motion graphics and time-based media. Learning and using the latest technologies prepares students for work using industry-standard tools and methods; employers tell us that once our grads are on the job, they often don’t need additional training. 

What does your program look for most in students’ BFA portfolios/applications during admissions?

The application portfolio only requires the submission of 5-8 pieces of artwork. We look to see the strongest work from each applicant, and works do not need to reflect experience in the applicant’s intended major. We recommend that students do not include work they are not confident about simply to offer “variety” in the portfolio. Copywriting applicants are not required to submit a portfolio. Applicants to the following majors must include 5 drawings from observation or imagination: Entertainment Arts (Animation and Game Design only), Fine Art, Illustration and Transportation Design. Applicants to Advertising: Design, Crafts (Art Furniture, Ceramics, Fiber Design, Glass, Jewelry and Metalsmithing), Entertainment Arts (Video), Fashion Accessories Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Photography, Product Design can submit digital design, photography, technical drawing, drawing from observation, video, three-dimensional works, installation works, painting, print media, etc. The application portfolio is to be submitted digitally. Applicants should be sure to photograph their work with care and on neutral backgrounds.

What do you think makes an A+ portfolio? 


The strongest applicant portfolios include work that highlight a student’s conceptual ability in and skills. Works that are unique in perspective, concept, composition and technique are most impressive. Portfolio strength can also be impacted by the selection of works; not all works need to inter-relate, but should show thorough effort, higher-level thinking, and exposes the applicant’s passion.

We are looking for a portfolio that conveys a sense of the passions, curiosities and interests of the candidate. It is more important they include a selection of work that demonstrates their own enthusiasms than for them simply to show that they are competent across a range of technical skills. Much work in a portfolio is likely to have been made in response to the setting of a project. We are keen to see evidence of those occasions where a candidate has gone beyond the requirements of the brief and taken it further for their own satisfaction.

How does your program help graduating students with internships or jobs? Can students expect job placement more at your program than in others? If so, how or why? What kinds of job opportunities have you seen students take once they completed their degrees?

Our Career Services office works to ensure our students have diverse internship opportunities while they are in school, and excellent job opportunities when they graduate. Throughout the year, Career Services hosts workshops and career-centric events that are customized for students in each major. In 2014-2015, Career Services brought 175 companies to campus to recruit our students for internships and jobs. More than 656 employers seeking talent from among our students and graduates registered for our online Job Book in 2014-2015. In that year alone, over 1,000 positions were posted and 530 students and alumni registered their portfolio on the site. Our Art Education program has 100% post-graduation rate. Our program is unique because it is a Dual Major- students choose a Studio Major and Art Education and complete the entire program, including 1 semester of in-class teaching practicum, in four-and-a-half years. Our graduates are prepared for their teaching certification test for K-12 classrooms.Are there any exciting developments for your programs that students should know about?

Aki Choklat, internationally respected and collected, footwear and leather goods designer comes to CCS to lead our newest major, Fashion Accessories Design as its Chair. Our program will have students designing fashion footwear, soft leather goods, accessories hardware and working in merchandizing and trend forecasting. Our students will have access to the expertise of Detroit’s Shinola production studio, which is housed on CCS’ Taubman Center campus, and opportunities to work and learn internationally.  

We are very excited to welcome Tim Flattery back home (CCS alum, 1987) to represent the Entertainment Arts Department as our new Chair. Flattery brings strong connections to the entertainment industry to our students and experience on over 40 films to the classroom. Flattery joined CCS in fall 2015.

What is the most distinguished feature at your school?

CCS has maintained a strong commitment to world-class faculty and facilities. As a non-profit, the College invests funds into the development of faculty and in maintaining the highest level of technology for its students. With an extensive academic facilities footprint, the College ensure both its classrooms, studios and shops include new technologies that are accessible to all students. Students have ready, and free access to sound stages and recording studios; lighting and shooting studios; animation and stop-motion studios, glass, ceramics, fiber design studios; wood, metal, rapid prototyping shops; Color and Material library, digital image and publications libraries; high-end projection and surround sound auditorium; exhibitions spaces; and over one-million square feet of teaching, learning and work space.

What is the best advice you have for graduating high school seniors?

Our best advice is really for high school sophomores and juniors — it is important to understand that when they apply to college, they are providing us with their GPA from freshman, sophomore and junior years. This means they must get their grades up, and keep them, early in their high school years. We also encourage any student interested in studying art or design at the college level to take art classes as early as possible in high school. Some high school guidance counselors don’t understand that students applying to art or design college need to create a portfolio for their application. This can result in students waiting until their last year of high school to take art, which will put them at a disadvantage for early application deadlines.

For graduating high school seniors, we advise that they keep their grades up and keep making art. They also need to read, understand, discuss and follow up on all the information their school of choice sends them with their family and/or other supportive individuals. They also need to get ready to be challenged, work hard, have fun and grow. We don’t expect you to come in with college-level skills, but we do expect you to graduate with them.

If students specify that they want to major in art at your school, what steps do you take to evaluate their candidacy apart from reviewing their art portfolios?

CCS portfolio requirements for students applying for Entertainment Arts’ Animation or Game Design concentration, or Fine Arts, Illustration or Transportation Design must include 5 drawings from observation in their portfolio. 

All applications are reviewed based on their academic GPA, academic Test Score and Portfolio. International students must provide either a TOEFL or IELTS test score.

Would it also be possible to speak a little about the car design program? What are the top 3 features of the car design program?

CCS has been teaching Transportation Design for over 50 years, and has placed more graduates in the industry than most other programs. 175 of GMs Designers are CCS graduates and 60% of Chrysler’s design team are CCS alumni. Graduates work for transportation, automotive, aerospace and related industries around the world. 

Through Corporate Sponsored Studios our students have the opportunity to work with companies from around the world, on our campus. Past projects included the design of boats, motorcycles, public transportation, and of course- cars. At the upper levels of the program, students will take additional studio courses within the area they wish to specialize. These studios ensure our graduates understand the design connections across the entire vehicle. 

Our curriculum teaches exterior, interior and color and material trim design for a variety of vehicles- not just cars. While the program requires strong sketching and concept development, students also learn to model their designs in clay and using digital 3D modeling. CCS has an extensive rapid prototyping studio with several small-to-medium scale SLA machines as well as two 5-axis mills, and a fully-furnished finishing studio and paint booths. 

Interviewed by Carla R. Gonzalez Director of Admissions

APPLICATION MATERIALS

Online CCS Application

PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

5-8 pieces

*5 should be from direct observation and/or imagination [for Entertainment Arts, Fine Arts, Illustration, & Transportation Design]. In order to be considered for our highest, up to full tuition, scholarships — you must submit all parts of your application and upload your work to Slideroom before December 1.

TRANSCRIPTS

Required

APPLICATIONS DEADLINES

Early Action: Dec 1 
Priority Deadline: Feb 1 

ALUMNI

Ralph Gilles, President/CEO Wendy Froud, Puppet-maker
Veronika Scott, CEO
Jason Mayden, Global Design Director
Andrea Kowch, Illustrator
Heidi Brown, Graphic Designer
Bill Morrison, Creative Director
Tim Flattery, Concept Artist
Dong Tran, Lead Designer
Kevin Beasley, Artist
Brett Golliff, Lead Designer
Jay Shuster Art Director, Aimator
Donald Crum, Aimator
Melissa (Endress) Rodriguez, Interior Designer, Proprietor and Designer
Ian Grout, Toy Designer
Pat Shiavone, Motor Designer
Jenny Risher, Photographer
Jaymer Starbody, Motor Designer
April Wagner, Owner
Michelle Andonian, Artist

DID YOU KNOW?

Detroit has become the first U.S. city to receive the “city of design” designation from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The College also offers free art education for more than 4,000 Detroit youth annually through its Community Arts Partnerships program.

ADMISSIONS OFFICE - COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES

201 East Kirby
Detroit, MI 48202-4034
+44 (313)-664-7400