College of Art and Design

OUR MISSION The College of Art and Design is RIT’s creative hub where art, design, and technology intersect. From centuries-old and contemporary methods of producing fine art to the latest in digital media, the College of Art and Design possesses a comprehensive selection of majors in disciplines related to visual communication, imaging, and science. If your interests are artistic, creative, and professional, a world of possibilities awaits you here. The College of Art and Design is a place where the lights are on 24 hours a day, where you can’t travel through the halls without pausing — to study an exhibit of photos by your fellow students, marvel at the symmetry of the artisan’s bowl rising from a clay-spattered wheel, glance into a computer lab at animation or design projects, or watch graphic media students operate millions of dollars’ worth of printing equipment like pros. It’s a supportive learning environment, where unparalleled resources, dedicated faculty, and partnerships with industry leaders combine to prepare you for your next big goal. Here, students have access to specialized studios, labs, and equipment that are among the most complete and current of any university in the world. You’ll also learn from faculty who are active professionals and show you how to create, critique, and display your work. It’s a place that sets you up to make a difference in your field and the world. HISTORY A Rich History In the fall of 2018, the College of Art and Design was renamed from the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, a name it had held since 1992. The first classes in the college were in industrial design, drawing, and architecture, when RIT was established as Mechanics Institute in 1885. Over the years, the college has prepared countless artists, animators, designers, filmmakers, photographers, scientists, teachers, and technologists to make a difference in their field — and by extension, the world. From inheriting the School for American Craftsmen (now School for American Crafts) in 1949 after it was founded at Dartmouth College three years earlier to developing an environment that promotes creativity and collaboration, the college has long been a place where pioneering ideas become reality. Today, the College of Art and Design offers a wide range of degrees that allow students to explore disciplines in art, American crafts, design, film and animation, and photography.