The College of Architecture, Art and Construction (CAAC) prepares students to transform, enhance, and sustain the physical world. The college fosters theoretical understanding of design and building combined with practical knowledge, technical skills, and a global mindset. Our faculty engage students with hands-on, experiential learning techniques to position them for academic and professional advancement. Supported by the cutting-edge built environment of Lee Hall, the outdoor Experiential Learning (XL) Yard, the Rudolph E Lee Gallery, and the globe-spanning Fluid Campus®, students learn how to translate their education into lifelong success. Lee Hall has its own library branch, the Emery A. Gunnin Architecture Library, which supports programs in art, architecture, city and regional planning, construction, landscape architecture, real estate development, and historic preservation. The college carries forward more than a century of excellence in art, design, and building education at Clemson.
CAAC is organized into the School of Architecture; Department of Art; and Nieri Department of Construction, Development and Planning. For more information about CAAC and its programs, visit https://www.clemson.edu/caac/.
Modern Language Requirement
A number of Clemson University degree programs require the completion of a modern language through a specific course level. Modern languages taught at Clemson University or accepted for transfer credit include American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. While many degree programs accept any of these modern languages for the requirement, certain programs may have specific modern language requirements. Students should consult their program’s curriculum map for details.
SC REACH ACT (SC. 38 as amended) Graduation Requirement
Please see the South Carolina REACH Act Requirement in the Academic Regulations section.
Entrance Requirements
Admission to degree programs in the School of Architecture, Department of Art, and Nieri Department of Construction, Development and Planning is based on academic performance and limited by space availability in the various programs. Students seeking admission are advised to apply to the Admissions Office early in the fall of their senior year in high school. They are also encouraged to visit the campus during their senior year. Faculty are available to meet with them and their parents informally, answer questions, and discuss individual programs in more detail. Prospective students may schedule appointments by calling the individual department or CAAC Student Services.
Advancement in Architecture
Students enrolled in second-, third-, or fourth-year design studios and theory courses must attain at least a 2.0 grade-point average in each year level (by repeating one or both semesters, if necessary) to qualify for advancement to the next year level or, in the case of fourth-year Architecture studios, to qualify for the Architecture degree, or, in the case of Landscape Architecture at the final year, to qualify for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree.
Design and Building Undergraduate Program Enrichment Fee
Please visit https://www.clemson.edu/caac/students/program-enrichment-fee.html for detailed information about the Undergraduate Program Enrichment Fee, which applies to undergraduate degrees in the School of Architecture and the Nieri Department of Construction, Development and Planning.
Visual Art Degrees and Requirements
The Department of Art offers two undergraduate majors, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA Visual Art) and the Bachelor of Arts in Art (BA Art). The BFA Visual Art degree is the recognized professional undergraduate degree in the visual arts. Concentrations are available in ceramics, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. A Foundations Review is required to advance to concentration coursework and a 3.0 in the concentration and Senior Interview are required to enter Senior Studio. BFA seniors refine their art concepts and skills, produce a cohesive body of artworks for their BFA exhibition, and develop their portfolio for graduate study or a career in studio-related art professions. The BA Art is an undergraduate, liberal arts degree in visual arts, with emphasis areas in Studio Art, Digital Art & Design Media, and Art History. A Foundations Review is required to advance to emphasis coursework and a Professional Preparation course is required to complete the emphasis. The BA Art program offers students a broad curriculum of art and art history coursework with liberal arts studies. Students are required to select a minor consisting of at least 15 additional credit hours. A second major (a double major) may substitute for the minor, provided all requirements are fulfilled for each major. The modern language requirement is proficiency-based. Students must complete through the 2020 level in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. American Sign Language may also fulfill the modern language requirement. Both the BFA and BA art curricula are accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Students enrolled in Art degree programs who seek to teach in public schools may elect education courses required for teaching certificates by the South Carolina Department of Education. Such courses need to be approved by the Department of Art and the appropriate department in the College of Education.
Construction, Development and Planning
Clemson University’s Bachelor of Science in Construction Science and Management was established in 1962 and is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. The department also offers a Bachelor of Science in Construction Science and Management with a concentration in Residential Construction, a minor in Construction Science and Management, and a minor in Community Development and City Planning. The department is staffed by a professional faculty dedicated and committed to providing the most effective education to students and to researching and disseminating construction knowledge within their areas of expertise.
In addition to the University’s general education requirements, students are introduced to the current processes and functions utilized by construction industry practitioners. Theoretical concepts are reinforced and practiced in the laboratory by site visits and through seminars conducted by industry experts. Topics such as structures, materials and methods, contract documents, estimating, scheduling, safety, and project management form the core curriculum of the CSM degree.
In addition to successfully completing the required courses in the program, students are required to obtain a minimum of 800 hours of construction experience with an approved construction company.
