Make Art Work

Do What You Love
For A Living

120+ Art and Design Programs.
900+ Classes.
1 School.

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Go from Inspired to Hired

At the Academy, it’s not just about learning art or design. It’s about stepping into the creative life that’s been calling you.

Changing careers? Testing the waters? Ready to go all in on a degree? You belong here.

Juggling work and kids? Coming back after time away? On active duty? We meet you where you are.

An Academy education is hands-on, fast-moving, and built for what’s next. You’ll sharpen your skills, work on real projects, and leave with a portfolio that speaks for itself. You won’t just learn how to make art, you’ll learn how to make it count. For your career. And for your soul.

Our programs

Find Your Program

Animation & Visual Effects

Real films. Real credits. Real careers.

Train with Pixar pros and studio veterans shaping today’s stories in our STEM-designated program.  Lock in the core skills—art, software, storytelling—then go deep in CG, 2D, 3D, stop-motion, modeling, rigging, lighting, and more. With rLab, your laptop becomes a powerhouse studio with pro-grade rendering. StudioX is no simulation; it’s a real-world training ground for film and TV work. Walk away with IMDb credits, a killer portfolio, and proof you’re not just learning the craft—you’re already in the industry.

Interior Architecture & Design

Design Spaces That Shape Lives

At the School of Interior Architecture & Design, you’ll learn to create interiors that transform how people live, work, and connect. Our CIDA-accredited, STEM-designated, program takes you from fundamentals to full commercial projects. You’ll work hands-on with 2D- and 3D-design, BIM, and visualization tools. Sustainability is built in, from eco-conscious materials to resource-saving strategies. You’ll learn from faculty working in the field, and graduate with a portfolio that proves you’re ready to launch your career.

Fashion Marketing & Brand Management MFA Master of Fine Arts Degree Program Academy of Art University

Fashion

Design Bold Looks. Build Brands.

Work with world-class mentors to master sewing, pattern making, and AI fashion tech. At the School of Fashion, you’ll dive into design, merchandising, styling, journalism, and product development. Every project is hands-on—runway shows, press launches, sustainability strategies. Join Beyond the Front Row, connect with San Francisco’s fashion scene, and graduate with the portfolio and network to land internships and launch your career.

Create Student Work That’s Portfolio-Ready

There are no Barriers to your Success at the Academy

No test scores. No grades. No portfolio required.

Just your decision to start building the creative life you want and the commitment to keep going.

Wherever You Are

Our campus comes to you—wherever you are, whenever you want.

Our 24/7 online classes give you the same award-winning pros and industry-tested curriculum as our San Francisco campus. Want the energy of the classroom without the commute? Zoom straight into live classes and collaborate in real time with students on campus.

Through Zoom, you’ll meet face to face with instructors in office hours, team up on cross-campus projects, and plug into workshops, clubs, and events that make our creative community one of a kind.

No boundaries. No downtime. Just world-class training, always on, always within reach.

Whatever Your Skill

Start at your level, grow at your pace.

Our entry-level classes are designed for beginners, no experience required. But if you arrive with skills already in hand, our small class sizes let professors meet you where you are—challenging you with projects that match your talent.

From pre-college to undergraduate to graduate degrees, the Academy has a path for every stage of your journey. And if you’re not looking for a degree? Most of our classes are available as non-degree “upskill” courses—perfect if you want to brush up on old skills, try something new, or simply enjoy the energy of a collegiate creative community.

Wherever you are on your artistic path, the Academy is where you can keep moving forward.

Whoever You Are

We welcome students from all 50 states and over 100 countries. No test scores, grades, or portfolios required, just your drive to create.

International students can start Art and Design classes right away while joining the English for Artists Program (EAP) to build language skills. Veterans, reservists, and active-duty members get dedicated support from advisors who know your path.

Move fast with an Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) degree for entry-level roles, or take individual courses to upskill or explore something new.

Alumni Success Powered by Creative Passion

Close-up of a video editing software interface displaying a timeline with multiple audio and video tracks, represented by various colored waveforms and clips.

Imagine Yourself Here

On campus, you’ll work with pro-level tools and spaces built for making: studios, sound stages, jam rooms, 3D  and large format printers, and more.

Fine art and jewelry students get access to personal studios. Filmmakers and photographers borrow cameras and lights for free. Designers, architects, and fashion students dive into our materials libraries. Fashion students find themselves working in our fully equipped sewing, fabric printing, and design spaces. 

And we keep evolving, adding and updating resources to match where your careers and industries are headed.

    private studio

    Painting Studio

    Our painting facilities include full-time anatomy studios, and a full-time multimedia room. All classrooms and studios are equipped with easels, tabarets, model stands, spotlights, cleaning stations, and painting storage racks to accommodate any style of painting. The prop room is well stocked with over 100 fabrics and over 2500 different props for your reference. We also have a dedicated room for framing and photographing art.

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    2 students work on project in the Soundstage

    Sound Stage

    You dream it, we build it. We have eight soundstages, fully equipped with lighting grids. Standing sets include: A bar, restaurant, coffee shop, loft apartment, homes with bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms.

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    Student working on cameras in the Camera Room

    Camera Room

    Our camera facilities offers equipment to students to use on campus or on location. We stock lighting equipment, digital and film cameras, grip and electric equipment.

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    textile Print lab

    Textile Print Lab

    The lab is fully equipped for screen printing with more than 700 silkscreens, repeat yardage tables, U.V. exposure units, pigments, dyes, and industry-standard tools that take concepts from vision to fabric.

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    Metal Welding Shop Fine Art Facilities Academy of Art University San Francisco California

    Metal Shop

    The metal shop supports a full range of fabrication processes, including welding. It gives you the tools to turn your concepts from sketch into structures.

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    We Make Art Work Together

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