Foundation Year
The foundation year is the core of the four year BFA program at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster PA. You will use this year to explore basic principles of art, becoming familiar with skills, techniques and critical thinking that will support the work in your major.

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design's foundation year faculty are working painters, photographers, printmakers, sculptors, and designers. They will teach you how to recognize and produce your best ideas and how to talk and write about the process of making art in ways that are traditional yet personal and professional.

Curriculum
Challenging students to reach their highest levels of achievement, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design prides itself on the strength of its curriculum. The college has an ongoing planning process which makes sure that all programming is of the highest quality. All degree and Professional Programs are evaluated on a rotating basis and include feedback from graduates and members of the profession. On the basis of that input, we can make sure all of our curricula are current and meet the needs of the markets our students will be serving upon graduation.

 Advisement
Foundation students are assigned an advisor from the foundation department who is primarily responsible for assisting students in adjusting to the first year and making decisions about major, elective, and concentration choices. Department chairs serve as advisors for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year students and the Dean advises all part-time students (matriculated and non matriculated). All of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design's studio instructors are working artists whose academic credentials and professional experiences qualify them to address questions about the visual arts.

Annual Senior Exhibits
Every spring, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design devotes its Main Gallery space to the work of graduating seniors. All graduating seniors participate in a group show, organized by major, with individuals responsible for installing their own work in an assigned gallery space. An opening reception is scheduled for the exhibit which serves as an opportunity for friends, family, art professionals, and the community at large to see students' work. This special event marks the culmination of all the hard work students have done throughout their years at the college.

Career Planning and Placement
The transition from classroom to the real world is one that each Pennsylvania College of Art & Design student is well prepared to make. During their senior year, students develop professional skills through in-class projects and discussions including resume building, interviewing, promotional activities, artist-client issues, and other specific topics. Concentrated portfolio development is a major component of the college's curriculum since professional presentation is critical to future success. These experiences, in addition to the internship program (when required), lead to exhibition and publishing opportunities for many students prior to graduation.

The college maintains listings of business contacts in a wide variety of art fields as well as part-time and summer job information. Notice of art exhibitions and competitions are regularly posted. Potential employers also attend the college's annual senior art exhibitions.

Internships
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design's internship program provides a valuable experience for artistic growth. Internships are required in fine art, graphic design, and in photography. Seniors will work in a variety of professional environments, ranging from advertising agencies to art museums and publishing firms. Illustration students routinely work with real clients in the classroom -- in effect, duplicating a freelance environment while they are still in the program.

Guest Lecture Program
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design's Guest Lecture Program brings well-known artists to the college to share their experiences and to critique students' work. This program gives students an important opportunity to broaden their understanding of the life and work of the professional artist in modern society.

Guest Lecturers have included:

Liberal Arts
In keeping with the college's mission, the Liberal Arts curriculum has been designed to complement and provide context for the specialized training students receive in their field of study. Another goal is to build a firm foundation for lifelong learning and for a life rich in varied, meaningful experiences outside the workplace and unrelated to career concerns.

 The college's Liberal Arts requirements consist of course work in writing, art history, and distributive requirements in the areas of humanities, mathematics and science, and social and behavioral science.

Travel Opportunities
Viewing art in a museum or other professional setting is a critical component for a student's art education; we know there is a whole world outside of Lancaster PA to see and experience. Pennsylvania College of Art & Design offers a number of field trip opportunities to many East coast museums and galleries, as well as an annual bus trip to New York City. Faculty will assign individual projects for students to complete based upon that day's activities.