Cal State Long Beach

[stofo]

hello. does anyone have any info on cal state long beach? i'm wondering about their visiting artist program, reputation of faculty, any info regarding the fibers/textiles program or info about studios (some cal state schools do not guarantee studios for mfa students!). thank you.

[Summit_Bid]

I got a BA at Cal State Long Beach. COTA (College of the Arts) is great! I loooooooooooved CSULB and the people there. I liked it better than the hoity-toity East Coast school I went to for my MA. The weather is great, it's in a safe, quiet suberb close to nightlife/shoreline, people (students and faculty are nice) and the campus is like a garden and a short bus ride from the beach. It's CHEAP too which is a big plus. I don't have much info about your department but their art department is supposed to be pretty good from what I hear. Each summer the Cal State System hold CSU Summer Arts at Fresno State. It's a fun "summer camp" type of thing I went to three years in a row. It's fun for artists and you can get school credit for it.

Cal State Long Beach is a state school though so keep in mind the reputation of the school in general is bad. People still think anyone can go there and that grad inflation is rampant (it probably is). Compared to the UC system, Cal State Systems are losers--at least that's the reputation still held by a few people. Like all state schools "The Beach" is in financial trouble and a lot of resources are probably missing--studios included..but I'm not sure. There are lot's of furlough days there too so you aren't getting as much bang for your buck as usual.

I would highly recommend visiting the school, faculty and department to see what resources are there and check out what will be available to you if you decide to go.

Many have described the students there as unmotivated and faculty kind of frustrated with us. Again, I'm basing this on my undergrad experience. Students have a defeatist attitude towards life often times. They are NOT the best and brightest but they are a good bunch.

I really thought faculty took the time to get to know me and thought they really cared about my work.

CSULB is a kick-back, informal place.

Overall, my CSULB experience was great. I still have friends there, I'm in no debt and got tons of scholarships (it's like I got paid to go!), my professors in my arts-related field were awesome--I still keep in contact with them and visit them every Spring-- and I have no regrets going. It was the best 4 years of life.

What are your other choices of schools?

Edited April 5, 2010 by Maybe_Someday

[grad_wannabe]

I live about two miles from CSULB and have a lot of friends that got their art degrees there, and they all concur with Maybe_Someday - they all loved it. The art program, especially, is really lauded as one of the best in SoCal.

[TheStranger]

Great art program. Has very talented figurative and abstract artists. Got my BFA there a year ago.

[caraa]

Hmmm, I am glad I stumbled on this because I have been on their website and it really doesn't seem to describe the program much...there are no links to current students' work, which is the first thing i look for, and it seems as if they don't have their own library? is this true? and does anyone have any info about the studios?

[vermillion]

Hmmm, I am glad I stumbled on this because I have been on their website and it really doesn't seem to describe the program much...there are no links to current students' work, which is the first thing i look for, and it seems as if they don't have their own library? is this true? and does anyone have any info about the studios?

Yes their website doesn't really give to much info on current painting students and work, but Long Beach has a strong program with a wonderful faculty. The program is divided into two categories contemporary practices and figurative practices. There are studios for all grad students which is rare for a CSU art dept. Although because the figurative category is relatively new they don't have great studios and they are all shared and are located on the same floor as the painting/drawing classrooms, but you do get a space. The contemporary practices side however gets nice sized individual studios that are housed in a large warehouse type building separate from the art dept. As far as a library the art dept doesn't have its own library but the university does. If you want to, message me your email and I will send you info on the profs and a list of current/past grads/undergrads.