Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

When you meet our faculty and students, it becomes abundantly clear that they value not only the process of art and design, but its extraordinary value in the world.

Even more, PCA&D’s value extends beyond campus. You’ll enjoy living and learning in Lancaster, PA — a small, historical city that cherishes artists and pulsates with creativity. As you pursue your degree, you’ll be embraced by the diverse neighbors, businesses, and galleries that populate our city’s energetic downtown corridor.

When you graduate with the BFA, you’ll have developed an extensive network of fellow alumni and professional contacts to tap into. And you will continue to live a life in art as you go on to become a respected contributor in your creative industry.

Here, you get to be yourself. You learn to learn from your mistakes, gaining the personal determination needed to succeed. You’re fueled by the energy that radiates when art and artists are all around you. And unlike those who attend a larger college, you aren’t another face in the crowd. Watch our video and learn more about us.

Graduates of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, strong thinkers, strong makers, and strong communicators, populate the community and workforce. The college campus is an anchor in the region and offers free events year-round; classes for youth, teens, and adults; and the Art Garden, a cozy, public green space.

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. Founded in 1982, PCA&D is a private, non-profit, professional art college offering BFA degrees, certificates, credentials, and curricula that enable students of all ages to pursue art as their life’s work. PCA&D’s mission, affiliations, and accreditations are listed here.

PCA&D is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design(NASAD) and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), is approved as a college and for degree-granting privileges by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design (AICAD).

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is a professional art college offering a BFA degree, certificates, credentials, and curricula that enable students of all ages to pursue art as their life’s work. Communication as Currency in the Curriculum: Creating influence through adaptive thinking, effective making, and an articulate voice.

PCA&D’s learning experience teaches students adaptive thinking techniques and effective making skills that result in a deliberate and influential artistic voice. Students engage with an interactive process of concept, construction, critique, and redesign in an immersive experiential environment. Because visual, verbal, and virtual communication is increasingly valued in a global society, our curriculum emphasizes the relationships among thinking, making, and communicating. We transform our students by challenging them to cultivate expansive points-of-view and create sophisticated visual output. The ability to continue to learn and create extends beyond the college experience.

Our faculty, staff, and Trustees are dedicated to fulfilling the promise that Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is “Your place to prepare for a life in art.”

Our strong reputation and rigorous programs are directly tied to the quality of student we enroll. All BFA applicants are reviewed holistically. We take into account your portfolio, your goals, your academic history, and your ambition to make a difference as a professional in the visual arts.

As a PCA&D student, you may be eligible for a full-range of federal, state, and institutional assistance that includes scholarships, non-repayable grants, educational loans, and part-time work study.

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is one of the most affordable private art colleges in the country and is an excellent value for those seeking a professional degree in the visual arts and more than 90 percent of our students receive some form of financial assistance. We also offer a convenient payment plan that can cover any balances remaining after deducting financial aid awards.

You’re right in the middle of the action. With more than 125 arts organizations, galleries, studios, museums, theaters, orchestras, ensembles, performance venues, poetry sites, and public installations … art is always in the air.

Instead of traditional residence halls, you’ll settle into one of the incredible architectural homes or loft spaces surrounding our campus — many dating back to the 18th or 19th century.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities for social interaction with fellow students — from professional organizations and student council programs to museum visits and on-campus artist talks. What you discover outside the classroom can be just as meaningful as what you learn within.

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design takes an active role in ensuring the safety of its students, faculty and staff. Students at PCA&D are taught to take basic cautionary steps and use common sense, just as they would in any other urban environment. The College’s entrance is secured at all times and all external visitors.

You see things differently, and so do we. That’s why PCA&D offers students signature residential opportunities that blur the line between college life and the “real-world.”

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design provides assistance with housing and roommates to foundation, transfer, and returning students for their convenience through our housing referral service.