California Institute of the Arts

California Institute of the Arts is composed of a community of artists who collaborate, create and learn under one roof. CalArts is internationally renowned as one of the leading centers for undergraduate and graduate study in the performing and visual arts and in the critical study of these arts.

It was the nation's first art institute to offer BFAs and MFAs in both the visual and performing arts, and today the Institute remains dedicated to training and nurturing the next generation of professional artists, fostering brilliance and innovation within the broadest context possible. Admission to CalArts is competitive and considered mainly on the basis of demonstrated talent, creativity and commitment. Other important considerations include educational records, recommendations, and artist's statement.

To encourage innovation and experimentation, CalArts' six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater—are all housed under one roof in a unique, five-story building with the equivalent of 11 acres of square footage in Valencia, California, just 30 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles.

The Institute offers programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Master of Arts (MA), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), and undergraduate and advanced certificates.

School of Critical Studies

Writing Program (MFA)

Aesthetics and Politics Program (MA)

The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance

Program in Dance (BFA, MFA)

School of Art

Program in Art (BFA, MFA)

Program in Graphic Design (BFA, MFA)

Program in Photography and Media(BFA, MFA)

Program in Art and Technology (MFA only)

School of Film/Video

Program in Film and Video(BFA, MFA)

Program in Experimental Animation(BFA, MFA)

Program in Character Animation(BFA only)

Film Directing Program (MFA only)

The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts

Programs in Performance

African Music and Dance Program(MFA)

Balinese and Javanese Music and Dance Program(MFA)

Brass Program(BFA, MFA)

Guitar Program(BFA, MFA)

Harp Program(BFA, MFA)

North Indian Music Program(MFA)

Percussion Program(BFA, MFA)

Piano/Keyboard Program(BFA, MFA)

• with a specialization in:
• Collaborative Keyboard (MFA-level only)

Strings Program(BFA, MFA)

Voice Program(BFA, MFA)

Winds Program(BFA, MFA)

World Music Program(BFA)

World Percussion Program(MFA)

Performer-Composer Program(Upper-Division BFA, MFA, DMA)

• with a specialization in:
• African American Improvisational Music (MFA-level only)

Composition Program(BFA, MFA)

• with a specialization in:
• Experimental Sound Practices (MFA-level only)

Jazz Program(BFA, MFA)

Music Technology Program: Interaction, Intelligence and Design(BFA)

Musical Arts Program(BFA)

School of Theater

Programs in Performance

Acting Program (BFA, MFA)

Directing Program (MFA)

Writing for Performance Program (MFA)

• with a specialization available in:
• Puppetry – Cotsen Center for Puppetry & the Arts (BFA, MFA)

Programs in Design and Production

Scene Design Program (BFA, MFA)

• with specializations available in:
• Puppetry – Cotsen Center for Puppetry & the Arts (BFA, MFA)
• Scene Painting (MFA)
• Video for Performance (MFA)

Costume Design Program (BFA, MFA)

Lighting Design Program (BFA, MFA)

Sound Design Program (BFA, MFA)

Technical Direction Program (BFA, MFA)

Management Program (BFA, MFA)

• with specializations available in:
• Producing (MFA)
• Production Management (MFA)
• Stage Management (BFA, MFA)

Center for Integrated Media

Integrated Media (IM) is a supplemental concentration offered by many MFA programs at CalArts. It is designed specifically for advanced students whose creative use of technology--in particular digital media--goes beyond their primary areas of study, or métiers, in art, dance, film/video, music, theater and writing. The Center for Integrated Media supports all IM students across CalArts by enabling them to apply new technologies and integrate multiple media and disciplines into new forms of expression.