BA Art (College of Creative Studies) at University of California, Santa Barbara

Programme overview

The CCS Art major is for self-motivated students who are committed to careers in the visual arts, in the areas of Painting, Book Arts, and Sculpture & Spatial Studies. The curriculum is focused on the practice of studio art, but as a student in the major you’ll also explore historical and contemporary concepts, methods, and movements in art. You’ll take courses both in CCS and across campus, including in the Department of Art, the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, and the graduate program in Media Arts and Technology.

Faculty: College of Creative Studies | Intake: Fall | Study mode: full-time | Location: Santa Barbara, CA, United States

What you will study

You’ll work with a faculty advisor who oversees your individual course of study to support the creation of original work. During a residency with several exhibition opportunities and culminating in a solo show during your senior year, you’ll develop a mature body of work and an impressive portfolio for the future.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to UCSB is to the university and a college (College of Letters and Science, College of Engineering, College of Creative Studies), not to the individual major; applicants must meet the University of California subject requirements for first-year or transfer applicants and apply through the UC Application. Selective-major and second-choice-major rules are described by UCSB Undergraduate Admissions.

Entry term: fall. First-year and transfer applicants apply for fall 2027 through the UC Application.

First-year and transfer applications for fall 2027: UC Application filing period October 1 - November 30, 2026 (opens August 1). Application fee: $80 per campus for U.S. residents, $95 per campus for international students. Transfer applicants also submit the UCSB TAG Application September 1-30. First-year decisions mid-March; transfer decisions mid-April; Statement of Intent to Register May 1 (first-year) and June 1 (transfer).

SAT and ACT scores are not used in admission selection or scholarships; submission is optional and may be used for course placement. Students applying to College of Creative Studies majors submit a supplemental application; Dance and Music B.M. applicants complete an audition.

Graduate applicants apply through the UCSB online graduate application; the deadline is set by each department. Application fee: $135 for US citizens and permanent residents, $155 for all others, payable by credit card, check or money order. GRE required only by some programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/

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