THE CAD

The CAD (College of Art & Design) is a private college of design located in Brussels. Founded in 1961, the CAD is one of the few art colleges in continental Europe to offer Anglo-Saxon education in the fields of interior architecture, design, communication, graphic & digital design, art direction, UX design, motion design and 3D image design.

The CAD is basically a school for creative people.

Practice is the basis of its teaching method.

CAD’s Teaching Method

The teaching method is Anglo-Saxon, that is based on practice. There is almost no theoretical class. Students are supervised only by great professionals, active and renown in their sector. Students perform exercises very close to those they will meet in their future professional life.

The teachers work with the student on the basis of his initial idea. This method is very motivating because the student is confronted, from the first year on, with the real problems of his future job. This method requires a very important supervision, and this is one of the great strengths of the CAD: ± 160 students are supervised by ± 50 teachers.

The CAD is a college with a human dimension. The classes are made up of a small number of students, which ensures a personalised follow-up and a “familial” atmosphere very appreciated by the students who feel supported.

The students carry out many internships in companies, and this throughout their studies (almost a full year of internships over a 5-year programme). These successive internships allow the student not only to be confronted with the reality of his future professional environment but also to orient himself little by little towards the precise sector and the type of agency or design office that will suit him later.

The CAD, an International College

There are 24 nationalities among CAD students.

Classes are taught in English. The goal of the CAD is for its graduates to be bilingual and to be able to practice their future profession all over the world.

The international mentality is also developed through study trips as well as workshops, abroad and in Brussels, with guests from other European schools. Finally, the many internships, some of which must be completed abroad, also make the CAD a unique place to study by opening up to the world. The CAD has been a member of the CUMULUS Association since 2013. This organisation brings together some 250 public and private art schools worldwide (http://www.cumulusassociation.org). One of the aims of this association is to help its members organise these international workshops.

As a result: 98% of CAD graduates find their job all over the world in less than 4 months.

The double degree

In France, Switzerland and Belgium, private institutions cannot use the words BACHELOR and MASTER. We are therefore talking about 1° CYCLE (3 years – 180 ECTS) and 2° CYCLE (2 years – 120 ECTS).
Note that these diplomas can be related to Bachelors and Masters but are not state diplomas.

In Switzerland as in Belgium, the state does not recognize private diplomas. On the other hand, in France, the best schools can obtain recognition by the State of some private diplomas.

This is why the CAD offers double degree Masters in collaboration with the Ecole de Design de Nantes. The student receives the diploma from the CAD, a school renowned in the professional circles concerned as training among the best professionals in Europe and the diploma from Nantes conferring a MASTER degree controlled by the State.

PROGRAMME AND COURSE CALENDAR

Download here the academic calendar

3 Programmes: Cycle 1 – 3 years

At CAD, all courses are tought in English. Throughout the programme there are many activities and opportunities for international experience.

Please note: Workshops and stays abroad are subject to current COVID constraints

1st year

• Summer school: 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of September,
• Start of the academic year: last Monday of September or first Monday of October,
• 1st term: every Friday, cultural visits to Belgium, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany,
• Easter study trip to New York, Chicago or a major European city such as Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid…

2nd year

• Start of the academic year: last Monday of September or first Monday of October,
• Easter study trip to New York, Chicago or a major European city such as Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid…

3rd year

• Start of the academic year: last Monday of September or first Monday of October,
• Workshop in Shanghai (China), Pune (India) or São Paulo (Brazil) during the Easter period.
• 2 international multidisciplinary workshops with guest students from the UK, France and/or Italy.

3 Programmes (Cycle 2 – 2 years) in partnership with the NANTES School of Design

4th year

• 3 month internship around the world. Our students often go to the USA, South America, Northern Europe, China, Australia…
• Start of the academic year: Monday after the All Saints’ holiday,
• 2nd semester abroad: choice of 3 “studios”: São Paulo (Brazil), Shanghai (China), Pune (India), Nantes (France).

5th year

• Start of the academic year: last Monday of September or first Monday of October,
• 2 internships of 3 months worldwide between February and September,
• Double graduation ceremony in September in Nantes.

3 Specialisations

Courses are taught in English. These programmes are open to students pursuing their studies and to professionals wishing to specialise in a specific field.

• Start of the academic year: last Monday of September or first Monday of October,
• CAD courses 2 x ½ days per week (6 hours) from October to June. This rhythm is compatible with a part-time job or internship in a company.
• End of the course in June, delivery of the end-of-study certificate,
• Possible extension with a professional integration internship of 3 months in a company from July to the end of September.

EMPLOYMENT & OPPORTUNITIES

The CAD prepares its students for the business world from the first year of study by incorporating internships throughout the course. Lasting a minimum of one week in the first year, internships grow longer over the years to reach a minimum of 3 months in the fifth year.

During the Postgraduate cycle (cycle 2) CAD students can also go to India, Brazil or China for an academic semester. These three big countries offer great opportunities for expatriate candidates.

The school has been known and recognized for 60 years in the professional world in Belgium and abroad.

Where are our alumni:

The alumni of the CAD are mainly found in Belgium and France (75%). A quarter of them work in other European countries and in the rest of the world (Lebanon, Morocco, Vietnam, China, etc.).

• Belgium: 58%
• France: 17%
• Rest of Europe: 11%
• Rest of the world: 14%

The former students are divided into several types of companies, among which we find architectural or interior design firms, advertising agencies, design firms or those more specialized in graphic identity. More recently the school has opened up to fashion and styling agencies.

Most represented companies:

• Communication consulting agency
• Design agency
• Graphic studio
• Architecture agency
• Businesses of all types
• Institutions
• Media

A large number of former students are also free-lance workers, a common practice in the creative sector, whether in Belgium or abroad.

Brussels, the administrative capital of Europe, is very international today. The current practice of English is a reality, including in some companies located in Belgium. The CAD courses, which are entirely English-speaking, are an important asset for our students when integrating a company.

Preparation module for the professional world:

A specialized module during the Postgraduate course (cycle 2) prepares students for the professional world and trains them in the administrative procedures inherent in self-employed status. During this same period, students take 160 hours of business management courses including courses in accounting, taxation, entrepreneurship, law, professional ethics …