PROSPECTUS 2006
  
FOUNDING PHILOSOPHY & HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE
The manifested ideals of the college are, in respect to the fine and applied arts, to educate creative talents, developing an artistic mind and a rich humanity, while bringing national and international cooperation into fruition, and consequently to contribute to the developement of art and culture in our society.
Kanazawa College of Art was founded in 1946 by the Municipal Government, which had overcome a number of social difficulties and made efforts to meet the cultural needs and desires of the citizens of Kanazawa just after the war.They envisioned the foundation of an art college to inherit traditional arts and crafts, preserve and develop them in the regenerated era. At the time of its foundation, the college was named the Professional School of Arts and Crafts. In accordance with the revision of the college constitution in 1950, the college was reorganized into a three year junior college. As time passed, society required productivity and utility in arts and crafts as well as industrial arts. As a result, in 1955 the college was again reorganized into the original faculty system comprising two departments: Fine Arts and Industrial Arts. They were divided into five independent courses: Painting and Sculpture / Visual Design, Industrial Design and Crafts Design.
Ever since, the college has grown with the times. In 1972 the Research Institute of Art was founded, and in 1979 the Graduate School opened to offer a Master's program. In 1986 an auditorium and new building for the Research Institute were completed in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the College, and in the same year the Aesthetics and Art History Course was added to the Fine Arts Department. A Master's program for the Aesthetics and Art History Course was newly added to the Graduate School in 1990. In 1992, a new building was added to house the Craft Design Course, including the refurbished ceramics and metal studios. Correspondingly, overall curriculum and syllabus revision is currently underway. A new curriculum framework in the form of Art Center has been introduced with an emphasis on inter-disciplinary study, allowing students to explore art fields outside of their declared majors. Along with the Craft department being independent from Industrial Arts, in 1996 the other two departments of fine arts and design were also revised into the following courses: Japanese Painting, Oil Painting, Sculpture and Aesthetics and Art Theory / Visual Design, Product Design and Space Design. In1996 the 50th Foundation Anniversary of this institution was celebrated. In 1997 Doctoral Course was founded, and in 2000 the Library refurbished with studios and a language and visual laboratory was inaugurated.
ARTISTIC ENVIRONMENT AND STUDENT LIFE

The college is noted for its artistic excellence and environment, especially in the field of traditional craft works as well as modern art and product design. The campus is located in the most academic and scenic area of Kanazawa which has a population of 455,000. Geographically, Kanazawa is bordered by mountains and the sea of Japan to the west. The city is built upon a hilly landscape, bisected by two rivers Sai and Asano, both of which host a variety of wetland plants and songbirds. Kanazawa enjoys dramatic seasonal weather.
History, scenery and the hearty hospitality of Kanazawa citizens will encourage the students to foster artistic sensitivity, for Kanazawa still harbors cultural heritages handed down since the feudal era of Edo. People here have inherited a traditional sense for appreciating art, which has played an important role in developing the College as it is. Kanazawa residents show their support for Kanazawa College of Art (the school is locally known as Bidai). Bidai brings together students from across Japan and overseas and gives a new vista to the artistic city for the future. Due to its location in such a historical city like Kanazawa, Bidai has attracted much attention from the art and culture community abroad.
Bidai is blessed with an ideal study environment. There is a high teacher to student ratio, which means the feasible fostering of student and teacher communication, interaction and mentoring. Enrollment in programs is opened annually to 145 undergraduates, 32 for the master's program and 7 for doctoral program participants.
The main building of the College is designed as a museum or gallery and stands in a rich greenery setting which commands a view of Mt.Io and Mt.Hakusan in the distance. In the hall, works by exprofessors and graduates are exhibited, showing the appreciable level of accomplishments of our art education.

Students enjoy their lives in historical Kanazawa. For instance, galleries and performance spaces are available for students at inexpensive rates. There are studios run by artists (Bidai graduates themselves), craft museums and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art which is affiliated with Bidai. This artistic atmosphere in Kanazawa is unique to Bidai when compared to other art schools in Japan. People appreciate variety of arts including music and performing art. From classical ensembles to live jazz, and from theater to Japanese traditional performance art such as Noh plays, Kanazawa is truly a haven for the arts.

Local residences offer a great hospitality and encourage students to put forth their potential ability. Housing is also inexpensive and the Ishikawa prefecture dorm for international students is one of the lodging choices. Daily living costs are lower than in other big cities. It is easy to cook for yourself, since markets sell not only fresh local foods but also grocery items of Chinese, Korean and European origin.
STUDY ORIENTATION
The curriculum of the college emphasizes professional training at the individual courses and also includes general art education which covers the subjects of some foreign languages and pedagogic education. The subjects of professional education are mastered not only in each separate studio but also in the Art Center from the first to the graduating year, while the subjects of liberal arts basically studied in the first and second year. The Art Center covers the three categories, Image, Material and Theory and is expected to give a significant opportunity for students to experience with a various type of practices and new art materials.
Those who desire to be curators of museum and art teachers of senior high or junior high school in Japan can obtain the professional licenses by studying the necessary subjects. Some competent students whose talents need financial support are given a scholarship following an examination and documentation check of the applicants.
Quite a few students are from the Hokuriku and Kansai area, but students also come from all parts of Japan and some foreign countries in Asia, Europe as well as the U.S.A.
NOTES FOR FOREIGN APPLICANTS FOR ADMISSION INTO THE COLLEGE
Foreign applicants for regular status of the undergraduate course and the graduate course are required to take the same entrance examination as the Japanese, except in case of the following two types of student.
(1)
Fellowship students are allowed to study as recipients of fellowships such as Monbukagakusho or other authorized bodies and organizations including students sponsored by a Kanazawa sister-city relationship, Rotary Club or other governmental institutions after the assessment of proposed documents and statements by the oversea exchange committee.
They can also do studio work and make research regarding topics under their area supevisors' guide within one academic year without aiming at any particular certificate or qualifications. We advise applicants to consult about the compatibility of classes with the office in advance before the start of each semester.
(2)
Subject study students taking credits for subjects audited(maximum 20 credits for the undergraduate,8 credits for the graduate) in a two semester academic year would be permitted in accordance with the following conditions.