Academics . Sculpture + Expanded Media . Overview

Sculpture + Expanded Media

Program of Study

At CIA, sculpture is a hybrid practice that links materials with interactive and time-based technologies. In this interdisciplinary major, you’ll hone a set of construction skills, working with wood, fabricating with textiles and metals, 3D modeling, casting, sewing, making molds, assembling and building, sound manipulation, video projections and physical computing. Each student finds their own path, specializing or combining these processes.

A student installing a show in the Student + Alumni Gallery

This major links theory and practice; conceptual development and hands-on work. All courses in the Sculpture + Expanded Media major offer you an introduction to the history of the field alongside contemporary work. With guidance and experimentation you will find a way to integrate ideas and forms for the field of Sculpture, past and present. The program builds on this search to find your place and point-of-view, and to determine what influence your work will have in ethical, cultural, and gallery contexts.

As part of the Visual Arts Environment, you will share in an integrated curriculum studying other disciplines within the environment including Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking.

This studio perspective will be supplemented by ideas from visiting artists, scholars, and crafts people who introduce differing interpretive methodologies and view points. Department visits to local museums, galleries and collections, and road trips to major exhibitions such as the Carnegie International, the Whitney Biennial and the Armory Show will be integral to your broad education.

Real-world experience for real-world careers
What may best set CIA apart from other colleges of art and design is our commitment to preparing students for a career path through real-world experiences. You'll learn by working on real-world projects with external partners or clients, or in the public sphere—all before graduation.

These opportunities allow you to put your classroom and studio knowledge to work in a professional setting while still being guided by faculty. You’ll learn what it takes to meet clients’ expectations, and you will emerge with confidence that will serve you as you launch your career.