The Department of Foundation Studies provides the shared first-year foundation curriculum for undergraduate students in Fine Arts, Design, and Film, Theatre and Media Arts at the China Academy of Art. Comprising the Fine Arts Department, Design Department, and Image and Media Department, it fosters an open, collaborative, and interdisciplinary learning environment through shared resources, integrated teaching, and cross-disciplinary exchange.
Grounded in the disciplines of Fine Arts, Design, and Drama and Film Studies, the department offers a broad foundation that prepares students for advanced study in their chosen fields. Through studio practice, critical inquiry, and interdisciplinary learning, students develop essential artistic skills, research methods, and creative approaches while cultivating intellectual curiosity, independent thinking, and professional interests. While each department maintains its own disciplinary identity, the shared first-year foundation curriculum encourages students to explore the relationships between art and society, tradition and contemporary practice, and technology and culture through observation, experimentation, and creative practice.
The department also hosts a range of academic initiatives and open learning platforms, including Feichangdao, Vision Forum, and Painting Dialogues, together with open studios dedicated to drawing, Chinese painting, pattern design, intelligent art, and perceptual experimentation. Supported by fieldwork programmes and international exchange initiatives, students are encouraged to engage in site-based research, cross-media experimentation, and collaborative projects. Through this open and dynamic learning environment, the department prepares a new generation of artists and designers with cultural awareness, creative confidence, and a global outlook.
Faculty and Staff
Total faculty and staff: 72
Professional faculty members: 58
Professors: 3
Associate professors: 15
Student Body
Total students: 1284
Undergraduate students: 1208
Master’s students: 76
Dean: Li Mu
Associate Dean: Li Yijun
