Program overview
Ceramic Art and Design, simply put, is about learning how to use clay and glaze to create things that are both beautiful and functional. You'll be hands-on in the studio—throwing pots, sculpting, glazing, and firing—from cups and bowls to art installations, from traditional blue-and-white to modern abstract forms. Core courses include ceramic form design, glaze and firing techniques, decorative methods (like carving and painting), 3D modeling and digital ceramic design, plus the history of Chinese and international ceramics to give you cultural context. Chinese universities have a natural edge here—Jingdezhen Ceramic University, the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, and the China Academy of Art all boast deep kiln resources and master studios, so you'll learn the most authentic techniques, like Jingdezhen blue-and-white, Yixing purple clay, and Dehua white porcelain. This major suits students who love hands-on work, have patience, are sensitive to materials, and want to turn ideas into real objects—no prior art background is required, but you must not mind getting dirty or facing failures.