College of Architecture, Art and Design Foundations Program

Our students have had some of their most memorable and rewarding experiences at AUS during their Foundations Year at College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD).

In your first year at CAAD, you will see your abilities being transformed, stretched and challenged beyond what you might imagine possible, as you become immersed in our creative studio culture. Guided by our talented and inspiring faculty, you will have an intensive, creative experience as you experiment, explore and create in the best facilities in the region.

As a requirement for all CAAD students, our Foundations Year immerses you in the fundamentals of design in order to prepare you for all of the fields of study offered at CAAD. It is also an opportunity to observe and understand the different design disciplines housed in CAAD as you commit to a particular discipline.

During the Foundations Year you will be exposed to the terminology used by designers as you develop the mindset you need to engage in design in a rigorous way. Consider this a bridge between your high school and your university experiences, as you gain confidence in the basics of design, drawing and critical thinking.

In addition to taking Foundations courses, you will also begin to fulfill the university’s general education requirements. For details on the program requirements, please see the undergraduate catalog.

Our Foundations Year uses two distinct learning modes in order to provide you with a broad and inclusive introduction to design methods and practice:

• Studio courses form the core of our Foundations Year. With one-on-one student-professor interaction, you develop individual and creative responses to design problem solving. You will learn about design and drawing fundamentals: design concepts and methods, three-dimensional making, observational drawing, and analytical drawing.
• Lecture courses introduce the broader context in which design takes place as well as related skills. These course introduce history and theory of art and material culture, as well as fundamental writing and math.