Otis College of Art and Design

The mission of Otis College is to prepare diverse students of art and design to enrich our world through their creativity, their skill, and their vision.

At Otis College, we don't sit by and watch. We look at the world and look again. We get inspiration from everywhere. We need to make—and try everything. We work hard and work is our play. We experiment, we fail, and we grow. We use all the tools.

The city is our soul—Los Angeles—where dreams meet discipline. We don't just welcome, support, and include. Diversity defines us.

Established in 1918, Otis College of Art and Design is a non-profit 501(c)3 institution and national leader in art and design education. The College mission is to prepare diverse students of art and design to enrich our world through their creativity, skill, and vision. Alumni and faculty are Fulbright, MacArthur, and Guggenheim grant recipients, Oscar awardees, legendary costume designers, leaders of contemporary art movements, entrepreneurs, and design stars at Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, Pixar, DreamWorks, Mattel, Nike, and Disney.

Otis’ interdisciplinary curriculum combines longtime strengths in fine arts and design with new technologies and emerging disciplines. The college prepares students to imagine the new, create real-world solutions, and connect to professional opportunities around the globe. Undergraduates spend their first year in Foundation, where they study art and design basics such as life drawing, color, composition, and form and space. They select a major in the sophomore year.

Otis’ graduate programs provide rigorous, practice-based studies with distinguished faculty. Students learn an interdisciplinary approach to developing an artistic vision and become emerging professionals within the regional, national, and international scenes of art, design, and creative writing.

Otis prepares diverse students of art and design to enrich our world through their creativity, their skill, and their vision.

Otis is L.A.’s first independent professional school of art and design. Since 1918, Otis has trained artists and designers who are in the vanguard of Southern California’s cultural and entrepreneurial life. From Mattel to Pixar to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Otis graduates have made an individual, positive, and lasting mark on the world.

In 1918, General Harrison Gray Otis, the publisher of the Los Angeles Times, bequeathed his L.A. home for "the advancement of the arts." The five-acre main campus is now on L.A.’s Westside near the beach. The graduate Fine Arts studios are on the creative corridor in nearby Culver City.

Otis College focuses on educating the whole person through curricular and co-curricular learning outcomes across the campus. Otis College offers a range of High Impact Practices that strongly support student learning, engagement, and success.

Admissions is here to assist you through the application process. You can schedule an appointment in our office to meet with an admissions counselor and discuss your portfolio. National Portfolio Day events take place during the fall in cities throughout North America. Portfolio Day is the perfect place to meet admissions counselors from art schools across the country and get recommendations on building your portfolio. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

At Otis College of Art and Design, international students make up 26% of our overall student population. As an art school located in Los Angeles, we feel that our diversity defines us and we are dedicated to the belief that engaging with other people and experiencing new cultures and ideas enriches your educational experience. Our international students are important to our community and we strive to ensure that you have a smooth application and enrollment process.

At Otis College, you’ll become part of a warm, tightly knit community that supports your creative endeavors. You’ll be challenged to learn and grow while making lifelong friends. With 24-hour access to many studios and other facilities, you’ll likely spend more than a few late nights working alongside your classmates. We’ll make sure you have plenty of help –– and fun, too. In your first year, you will be given a Peer Mentor and an Academic Mentor to help guide your journey. We also offer on-campus housing for 230 students in a newly constructed residence hall.

You can take part in campus events like our Halloween Extravaganza, movie screenings, and open-mic nights. You also might join a club, organization, professional society, represent your classmates through the Student Voice Association, or serve as a mentor to a younger student.

Student success is supported at every step along the Otis journey. The Academic Advising Coordinator is available to help students navigate graduation requirements and select appropriate courses prior to Registration each semester. Each student has an Academic Mentor, who encourages reflection on her/his educational and career pathways. First-year students also have a Peer Mentor, who provides invaluable support and guidance.

The tutoring staff of the Student Resources Center works with students to develop the skills needed to be successful in English, art history, and math/logic. Comprehensive psychological counseling services and wellness support provide resources that strengthen and nourish students, and help them recover from illness or injury.