2024-2025 Academic Minors

Undergraduate Minors – 15 Credits

Liberal Arts Minors

  • Art History
  • Art Therapy
  • Creative Entrepreneurship
  • Creative Writing
  • Critical Theory
  • Sustainability & Social Responsibility
  • Visual Culture

Studio Minors

  • Advertising & Communication Design
  • Advertising & Communication Design/UXD
  • Entertainment Arts
  • Fashion Design
  • Film
  • Footware Design
  • Illustration
  • Interior Design
  • Studio Art & Craft
  • Photography
  • Product Design
  • Product Design For EA & ILL Majors
  • Product Design For Transportation Majors
  • Transportation Design
  • Transportation Design- Automotive Clay Modeling
  • Transportation- Automotive Digital Modeling

Graduate Minors – 9.0 Credits

  • Sustainability & Design
  • Footware Design

Board of Trustees 24-25

James M. Nicholson, Chair
Lynn F. Alandt Vice, Chair
James H. Vandenberghe, Treasurer
Robert H. Bluestein
Thomas C. Buhl
Darrell Burks
Moray S. Callum
Frank Campanale
Thomas Celani
Lois Pincus Cohn
KC Crain
Matthew P. Cullen
Steve Davis
Linda Dresner
Marla Drutz
Nicole Eisenberg
Alburn H. Elvin, Jr.
Nathan M. Forbes
Ralph Gillies
David M. Hempstead
John W. Ingle III
Danialle Karmanos
Don Manvel
William U. Parfet
Stephen R. Polk
Waltraud E. Prechter
Sydney L. Ross
Michael P. Simcoe

William S. Taubman
Donald L. Tuski, President
Molly P. Valade

Faculty 24-25

Advertising Design

Susan LaPorte
MFA, California Institute of the Arts 
BFA, University of Illinois at Chicago

Philip McAvoy
BA, Michigan State University

Art Education

Amy Ruopp
Ph.D., EDS, University of Missouri
MAT, BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art

Karen McGarry
Ph.D., University of Cincinnati
M.A.A.E, University of Cincinnati
M.F.A., University of Illinois at Chicago
B.F.A., Wayne State University

Communication Design

Susan LaPorte
MFA, California Institute of the Arts 
BFA, University of Illinois at Chicago

Matt Raupp
MFA, Eastern Michigan University 
BFA, Eastern Michigan University

Chad Reichert
MFA, Minneapolis College of Art and Design 
BSFA, Valparaiso University

Entertainment Arts

David Bentley
BFA, Brigham Young University

Tim Flattery
BFA, Center for Creative Studies

David Gazdowicz
MFA, Eastern Michigan University
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Josh Harrell
MFA, University of Southern California
BA, University of the South

Chase Holton
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Steven Stanchfield

Dylan Vanwormer
BFA, Ringling College of Art & Design

Fashion Design

Aki Choklat
MA, Royal College of Art
BA, Brigham Young University

Rey Pador
MA, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp
BA, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp

Film, Interdisciplinary Art + Design & Photography

Shanna Merola
M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art
B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth University

Scott Northrup
MA, The New School
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Eleanor Oakes
MFA, Stanford University
BFA, Princeton University

Bill Valencenti
BFA, Columbia College

Foundation

Elena Arnaoutova
MFA, Moscow Institute of Art & Industry
BFA, Orst Art Institute

Peter Dunn
MFA, University of Michigan
BFA, Wayne State University

Jennifer Fitzpatrick
MFA, Wayne State University
BFA, University of Michigan

Michelle Lannoo
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Joshua Mulligan
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Dan Stewart
MFA, Eastern Michigan University
BFA, The Ohio State University

Graduate Studies

Ian Lambert
Ph.D., University of Edinburgh
M.A., Central St Martins College of Art and Design
B.A., Birmingham Polytechnic

Melanie McClintock
MFA, College for Creative Studies
BFA, Virginia Commonwealth University

Raphael Zammit
MFA, University of Cincinnati 
BFA, University of Michigan 
BS, Art Center College of Design

Illustration

Gil Ashby
MFA, School of Visual Arts
BFA, School of Visual Arts

Elizabeth Bauer
MFA, University of Notre Dame
BFA, Ringling College of Art and Design

Kilpatrick, Don
M.F.A., University of Syracuse
B.F.A., Utah State University

Erik Olson
MFA, Wayne State University 
BFA, Art Center College of Design

Francis Vallejo
MA, Savannah College of Art and Design 
BFA, Ringling College of Art & Design

Interior Design

June Gardner
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Sandra Olave
MFA, College for Creative Studies
BFA, Universidad Autonoma Del Caribe

Liberal Arts

Myrtle Brooks
MBA, Madonna University
BA, Sienna Heights University

Lisa Catani
Ph.D., MA, BA, Wayne State University

Nancy Demerdash
Ph.D., Princeton University
M.A., Princeton University
S.M.Arch.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison

James Garvey
PhD, University College London
MA, Michigan State University
BA, Wake Forest University

Laura Kovick
MA, Eastern Michigan University
BA, Central Michigan University

Product Design

Greg Darby
BFA, College for Creative Studies

John Kaloustian
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Anthony Reale
B.F.A. College for Creative Studies

Steve Schock
B.F.A., College for Creative Studies
M.F.A., Wayne State University

Studio Art & Craft

Valerie Jenkins
MFA, University of Minnesota 
BFA, Grand Valley State University

Chido Johnson
MFA, University of Notre Dame
BFA, University of Georgia

Thomas Madden
MFA, Bowling Green State University
BFA, Kansas State University

Jeremy Noonan
MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Kimberly H. Scott
MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago 
BFA, Rhode Island School of Design

Claire Thibodeau
B.F.A., Alfred University
M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art

Tonja Torgerson
MFA, Syracuse University
BFA, University of Minnesota

Transportation Design

Hojoon Kang
BS, Art Center College of Design
BS, St. Paul Rikkyo University

David Smith
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Paul Snyder
MFA, New York Academy
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Jason White
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Suven Young-Harper
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Institutional Student Learning Outcomes

The faculty of the College have articulated the general objectives of a CCS education in the form of Institutional Student Learning Outcomes and the criteria of the various majors have been aligned with these Institutional Outcomes. Institutional Learning Objectives are as follows:

CCS graduates will be able to:

  • THINK:  Demonstrate critical thinking characterized by experimentation, inquiry, and theoretically informed social, cultural, and historical awareness.
  • CREATE:  Synthesize knowledge and skills in the conceptualization and realization of creative expression.
  • COMMUNICATE:  Articulate ideas and visual concepts in writing, presentations, and professional practice.
  • INNOVATE:  Frame visionary responses to evolving social, cultural, and economic needs and opportunities.
  • CONNECT:  Engage as responsible and ethical citizens of diverse, local, global and professional communities.
  • LEAD:  Demonstrate leadership through appropriate research, methods, design, and professional conduct.

Program Learning Outcomes – Graduate Studies

  • Color and Material Deisgn
  • User Experience Design
  • Transportation Design

Program Learning Outcomes – Undergraduate Studies

A Brief History

For more than a century, the College for Creative Studies (CCS) has distinguished itself as one of the premier institutions of higher learning in the world. The current College traces its heritage back to 1906 when a group of local civic leaders, inspired by the English Arts and Crafts movement, formed the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts. The Society’s mission was to keep the ideals of beauty and craftsmanship alive in what was rapidly becoming an industrialized world. At their original location on Farmer Street, Society members began teaching informal classes in basic design, drawing, and woodcarving. In 1911, they opened a gallery where students, as well as prominent modern artists, displayed and sold their work.

As Detroit’s creative community continued to take root, the Society recognized the need to expand. They moved to a larger location on Watson Street (1916), and10 years later became one of the first arts and crafts organizations to offer a formal, four-year program in Art (1926). Within a year, the Art School of the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts grew to an enrollment of 280 students.

Much of the school’s success was attributed to its close integration of rigorous courses with the progression of the art and design movements and world-class, contemporary exhibitions—a tradition that continues to prevail. In addition to hiring talented, local artists and designers, the school sought renowned painters, sculptors, and craftspeople from around the world to teach courses. In 1933, the Society’s gallery garnered national media attention as one of the first art institutions to recognize the automobile as an art form. This was around the same time that programs in industrial design and commercial art were introduced to the school’s curriculum.

The school relocated for a third time in 1958 to its current location near the city’s cultural center. The move provided students with more convenient access to the Detroit Institute of Arts’ impressive collection. All classes and offices were initially housed in the Arts & Crafts building designed by Minoru Yamasaki.

In 1962, the school officially became a college when the Michigan Department of Education authorized the institution to offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design. Eight years later, the College was awarded the right to provide degrees in all of its major programs. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) granted original accreditation in 1972, and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) granted regional accreditation in 1977.

The next four decades brought about several improvements and significant changes to the campus. In 1975, construction of the architectural award-winning Kresge-Ford Building was completed, and the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts changed its name to the Center for Creative Studies—College of Art and Design. The school acquired an apartment building adjacent to campus (the Art Centre building) in 1988 that serves as the main dormitory on campus and the building that formerly housed Detroit’s African American Museum of History in 1997 that was later transformed into the Academic Resource Center (now the Manoogian Visual Resource Center), which contains the Center Galleries and library. A parking structure was added to the campus in 1999, and in the fall of 2001, the College inaugurated the Walter B. Ford II building for design and technology-driven disciplines. The donation to fund this project was the largest ever given to an art college at the time. That year, two historic homes on the northern side of campus were also renovated to accommodate administration and admissions offices.

The year 2001 brought about a milestone critical to the future of the school. Results of a research study led to the Board of Trustees’ decision to change the school’s name to the College for Creative Studies (CCS) to more clearly communicate its identity as an accredited, degree-granting “college.”

The Josephine F. Ford Sculpture Garden was added in the fall of 2005 to provide a gathering place for the campus community, and in 2007, the College renovated another home on historic Ferry Street to house the Institutional Advancement and Human Resources offices. In 2008, CCS embarked on its most significant project to date—a $145 million redevelopment of the 760,000 sq. ft. historic Argonaut Building (formerly General Motors first research and design studio). Located in Detroit’s New Center district (about a mile from the original Walter and Josephine Ford Campus), the building serves as the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education.

The Taubman Center is home to the College’s five undergraduate design departments, graduate degree programs in design and transportation design and the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies, an art and design charter school for middle and high school students. This site has enabled CCS to expand its curriculum to include new areas of the creative industries, improve facilities for all of its departments and connect with the local community through the Design Core Detroit. It represents the College’s commitment toward accelerating metro Detroit’s transition to an innovation-based economy by renewing the infrastructure of an important urban neighborhood; attracting, developing and retaining talent in the creative industries; spurring research in sustainable product development; and creating jobs and new business opportunities. The original Ford campus continues to house arts and crafts disciplines as well as the majority of administrative offices.

The College’s legacy has contributed to its recognition as an international leader in art and design education. In 2007, Bloomberg Business Week listed CCS among the top design schools in the world. The college now enrolls more than 1,400 students seeking undergraduate degrees across twelve majors and four graduate degrees. CCS also offers non-credit courses in the visual arts through its Precollege and Continuing Studies programs and annually provides over 4,000 high-risk Detroit youth with art and design education through the Community Arts Partnerships programs.

A century of tradition shaped by some of the most brilliant minds in the world has culminated in a truly unsurpassed institution of higher learning—a community where the creative spirit is free to soar.

Mission Statement

The College for Creative Studies nurtures the creativity that is vital to the enrichment of modern culture. The College educates visual artists and designers, knowledgeable in varied fields, who will be leaders in creative professions that shape society and advance economic growth. The College fosters students’ resolve to pursue excellence, act ethically, embrace their responsibilities as citizens of diverse local and global communities, and learn throughout their lives. The College engages in community service by offering opportunities for artistic enrichment and opening career pathways to talented individuals of all ages.

Community Arts Partnerships

Community Arts Partnerships program develops and maintains collaborations between the College and community organizations to bring educational experiences in art, design, and new technologies to underserved populations. The Director acts as a resource for faculty and programs within the College that seek to develop community partnerships.

Precollege and Continuing Studies

The Precollege and Continuing Studies (PCCS) department at CCS offers art and design courses for people of all ages; pre-college programs such as Precollege Summer Experience, Teen Summer Camps, Dual Enrollment, youth programs such as Second Saturdays and Summer youth day camps; adult non-credit courses, certificate programs; and professional development programs.

Accreditation

The College for Creative Studies is a nonprofit, private college authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

CCS is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), CCS’ institutional accreditation body. HLC evaluates educational institutions in terms of mission and HLC criteria and is one of six regional accrediting commissions.

CCS is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), an organization that establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees for art and design related disciplines.

CCS holds Interior Design Accreditation from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), an accrediting body for interior design education programs that identifies, develops, and promotes quality standards for the education of interior designers.

Freedom of Expression

The mission of the College for Creative Studies asserts that we embrace excellence, ethical action, and social responsibility in all aspects in the practice of art, design, and scholarship. To adequately support this mission, CCS must preserve freedom of expression in all its forms. Freedom of expression is essential to basic human dignity. It ensures that members of the CCS community (students, faculty, staff and guests invited by the College) are at liberty to develop their creative abilities to the fullest extent.

CCS supports the rights of its community members to research and create using all forms of expression. It supports the right to express one’s views publicly as well as privately at venues and in activities both on and off campus.

The CCS community recognizes that creative expression by its very nature may be provocative. To encourage healthy debate, members of the CCS community and guests must demonstrate respect for the right of others to express views which they find disagreeable or offensive. Likewise members of the CCS community must be sensitive to the various audiences who may encounter their work.

That being said, CCS also notes that this freedom is not absolute. In certain circumstances, the institution may restrict expression, for example, that violates the law, is harassing or defamatory, invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or does not meet curatorial standards. Moreover, the institution may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner of expression to ensure that it does not disrupt the ordinary activities of the College.