Pre-College Courses | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Pre-College Courses

MCAD provides high school students the chance to learn from professional artists at one of the top art and design colleges in the Midwest. A variety of classes are available, with some having the possibility to earn college credit. Offering a transformative education open to all backgrounds, MCAD gets you ready to confidently lead and practice in an ever-evolving world.

Teen and Pre-College Classes

Single- and multi-week classes include drawing, graphic design, painting, illustration, portfolio preparation, and more, giving young artists exposure to tools and skills necessary to succeed in high school and college.

Many adult classes are open to students ages 16 and above.

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Student working on animation
Student working on comic

Pre-College Summer Session

The 2025 application will open October 1.

An inspiring and challenging 2-1/2 week, 3-credit, studio art and design program, open to high school students who have completed sophomore, junior, or senior year.

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Post-Secondary Enrollment Option

An honors program for high school seniors in Minnesota to take courses and earn college credit, free of charge.

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Student in the library

Address

2501 Stevens Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Contact Us

612.874.3700
800.874.MCAD (6223)
Fax: 612.874.3701

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Land Acknowledgement

The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) acknowledges it is located on traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Indigenous people. This is the ancestral homeland of the Dakota and Ojibwe people, who were forcibly exiled from the land because of aggressive and persistent settler colonialism. We recognize that this place has a complex and layered history. As a community dedicated to creativity, MCAD is committed to ongoing efforts to support and advocate for American Indian Nations and peoples.