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Academics . Cores + Connections 

Cores + Connections

What sets the Cleveland Institute of Art apart from other colleges of art and design?
In a nutshell, our Cores + Connections make all the difference.

The word "core" comes from the Latin "cor" for “heart.” At the heart of CIA, core values of faculty mentorship, studio and academic rigor, and state-of-the-art curriculum, all power extensive connections for student engagement in field-based experiential learning, real-world professional projects, and social practices in art and design. This building of better futures begins with your very first semester in Foundation studies and continues throughout your education here, through courses, extracurricular activities, and/or internships. All made possible by over 200 external partnerships, at last count!

Students are visiting artists in local K-12 underserved classrooms

NASA internships
Environment, Art + Engaged Practice Closing Reception
Charette: Community + Collaboration at Abington Arms

Students are in clinical rotations at the Cleveland Clinic, drawing portraits of patients

Flashes of Hope