Join the community of talented, dedicated students at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and uncover what art is to you. The Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) was founded in 1909 as an adjunct to the Portland Art Museum. PNCA was a part of the Museum for more than 75 years, earning a reputation as the premier art college in the Pacific Northwest. After separating from the Museum and moving to the present campus in 1998, PNCA has continued to evolve in its role as one of the region’s leading educational arts organization with programs that include Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Continuing Education and Community Outreach, which includes bringing tuition-free art classes to Portland public schools.

PNCA’s mission is to transform students into knowledgeable, articulate, practicing visual artists and designers with the ability to significantly contribute in original ways to the ongoing dialogue in art that shapes our culture.

Located in the Pearl District, Portland’s gallery and design district, the College makes full use of the educational, career and cultural resources available in this exciting and beautiful city. PNCA has a student body of just over 420 students who come from around the U.S. and several countries of the Pacific Rim and Europe.

Our students become involved in the Portland art and design community through internships, exhibitions and employment opportunities. We maintain a close relationship with the Portland Art Museum where students and faculty have free access to the Museum’s permanent collections. Additional resources include the Vivian and Gordon Gilkey Center for Graphic Arts, the Northwest Film Center and the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art.

PNCA is a rigorous and demanding art school with dedicated students, yet there is time to get away from the studio and enjoy the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest or stay in town and enjoy Portland’s lively art and music scene. Great snowboarding, skiing and windsurfing are just a short drive from the city and in the opposite direction are the magnificent ocean beaches just an hour west on the rugged Oregon coast. You can join College sponsored trips to Seattle museums, printmaking seminars at the Native American Crow Shadow Institute in Eastern Oregon, field trips to Sauvie Island to paint or kayaking on the Willamette River.

In addition to the attraction of our scenic beauty and mild climate, Portland’s strong art community has made the city a magnet for young artists and musicians. In a recent Modern Painter article, “It’s all happening in Portland, the aspiring creative city of the West Coast”, Portland was called one of the best destinations for artists in the United States. The city’s combination of a bohemian attitude, a 19th century charm and long traditions of supporting the arts creates an atmosphere where artists and artistic community thrive.

Spring 2006
Classes Begin 1/17/06
Classes End 5/12/06

Fall 2006
Classes Begin 8/28/2006
Classes End 12/15/2006

Spring 2007
Classes Begin 1/16/2007
Classes End 5/11/2007

Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA) Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA)

PNCA’s faculty members connect with students in small classes, seminars and studio courses—all designed to maximize interaction between faculty and student. The student to faculty ratio is a 12 to 1.

PNCA's faculty is comprised of professional artists, designers and scholars who all share a strong commitment to teaching. With their impressive record of achievement they bring first hand professional experience to mentoring PNCA’s students.

Pacific Northwest College of Art offers the following seven majors:

Communication Design
General Fine Arts
Illustration
Intermedia
Painting
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

PNCA requires a minimum of 120 semester credits for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with 45 of those credits drawn from the Liberal Arts Department. Studio credits total 75 credits. One semester credit represents three hours of work per week. Each lecture hour of class time in Liberal Arts requires an average of two to three hours of preparation.

PNCA is pleased to offer student housing through a new partnership with College Housing Northwest (CHNW.) A private, nonprofit corporation headquartered in Portland, CHNW has provided student housing to Portland students since 1969. CHNW takes pride in focusing its energy on providing an environment in which students attain goals of self-development, academic success and life enrichment. Their experienced staff coordinates a variety of social and cultural activities and handles roommate matching and conflict management as well. PNCA students will be placed in a shared two bedroom apartments in the CHNW Goose Hollow Plaza. Apartments are furnished and each room is equipped with internet access. Goose Hollow Plaza also has study rooms, workout facilities, on site laundry, and a shuttle bus directly to the PNCA campus. Located at 1604 SW Clay, Goose Hollow is one mile from PNCA and conveniently located close to Portland’s mass transit system. The units are leased per semester on a first come, first serve basis and can be contracted for up to 10 months (extensions are available through CHNW). Tours of Goose Hollow and a two bedroom apartment are available by contacting CHNW Housing Services Office at 503-725-4340. Please identify your interest in a PNCA apartment. Requests for PNCA Housing Contract and Housing Application forms can be obtained at www.pnca.edu/studentlife/ or by contacting the PNCA Student Services office.

In addition to PNCA sponsored housing, affordable and convenient housing opportunities abound in the greater Portland area. If you are interested in renting an apartment in Portland other than student housing, a detailed housing information and helpful links can be found on our web site www.pnca.edu/studentlife/.

Continuing Education and Pre-College workshops
Reed College Joint Degree program
Oregon Independent Colleges Association cross-registration
Association of Independent Colleges of Art Mobility and New York Studio program
Northwest Film Center
Study Abroad
Visiting artists program

Tuition and fees published below apply to all students enrolled for the 2008-2009 academic year, Fall and Spring semesters.

Tuition: $20,290 per year, full-time enrollment

Tuition: 12 - 18 credits $10,145 per semester

Tuition: 1 - 11 credits $846 per credit

Credit Overload Fee: $797 assessed for each credit over 18 credits

Department Resource fee: $490per semester 18.1 - 21 / $413 per semester 12 - 18 credits / $36 per credit if registered for 1 - 11.9 credits per semester

Studio Rental: $280

Studio Key Deposit: $25 per semester where applicable (refundable)

Late Registration fee: $25

Full-time Student Activity fee: $45 per semester

Part-time Student Activity fee: $22.50 per semester

Health Insurance*: $400 per semester (estimated)

* Required of all students taking 6 or more credits who do not already have health insurance. This fee is waived upon proof of current health coverage. The health insurance fee waiver must be renewed each semester. Students taking less than 6 credits may purchase the College’s student health insurance if desired.

Pacific Northwest College of Art welcomes applications from students who are creative, disciplined and motivated. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis to determine whether the BFA program matches the prospective student’s educational and artistic goals. We look for creative skills as demonstrated by the portfolio, academic ability as demonstrated by transcripts, and the motivation and potential to be successful artists and designers.

When to Apply
PNCA uses a rolling admission policy for all applicants. We accept applications and continue to offer enrollment to qualified applicants until tuition deposits complete each class. Students who apply or deposit after a class is already filled will be added to a waiting list or considered for enrollment in the next semester. We do not have a final deadline. However, we strongly recommend that applications for fall semester be received by August 15th and applications for spring be received by December 15th.

If you are interested in applying for admission and financial aid we strongly encourage you to complete the admissions application and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in a timely manner.

For priority consideration for competitive scholarships, all admissions and financial aid application materials must be received by March 1.

For more information and/or to tour the College, contact the Admission Office at (503) 821-8972 or email admissions@pnca.edu. Tours are by appointment and must be scheduled at least one day in advance. Tours are available Monday through Friday.