What Students Learn

Follow these links to find out more about:
The Program


Program Curriculum


Employment Prospects


Criteria for Admission


What Students Learn


Student Interviews


Image Gallery and Video Links


For More Information

Ceramics and Pottery Books
Graduates of the Professional Craft Program in Pottery will know how to:

1. Prepare and wedge clay for wheel throwing;

2. Develop and apply glaze applications (including computer applications) incorporating personal design preferences;

3. Make professionally competent mugs, bowls, baking dishes, casseroles, pitchers, stemware, teapots, oil lamps, and electric lamps that a) demonstrate personal design preferences and b) are technically competent in weight, balance, and proportion;

4. Design and throw forms in series that match in size and shape;

5. Make complicated lid types such as inset and flange lids;

6. Make advanced handle types by pulling, extruding, and slab techniques;

7. Demonstrate trimming techniques to produce footed and unfooted forms;

8. Produce basic to advanced one-of-a-kind pots using stacked cylinders, thrown additions, and coil and throw;

9. Load and fire bisque kilns;

10. Load and fire glaze kilns;

11. Construct and/or supervise the construction of at least two types of kilns;

12. Develop an organized personal notebook of clay, glaze, and firing techniques;

13. Describe and discuss one's own work using clay and glaze terminology;

14. Define and produce a group of work suitable for show and/or sale;

15. Participate in a show or sale;

16. Discuss historical topics of pottery development;

17. Recognize and discuss the work of numerous contemporary potters;

18. Demonstrate an understanding of basic principles, elements of vocabulary, and process of two dimensional design within the context of professionally produced crafts;

19. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the relationship between design concept, process, and product in three-dimensional form within the context of professionally produced crafts;

20. Develop a personal inventory of needed supplies, materials, equipment and space for proposed personal studio;

21. Identify suitable locations for a safe personal studio and set priorities for expenditures, estimate costs, and income potential;

22. Light, shoot, and prepare for the marketplace professionally competent 35mm and digital images;

23. Construct promotional aids for use in site-specific and customer-directed situations including a personal portfolio;

24. Demonstrate realistic craft marketing goals, individual presentation skills, and professional image;

25. Research, organize, write, and present a marketing plan;

26. Write a craft business plan that incorporates an understanding of basic business principles including cash flow and break even point;

27. Establish filing and record systems necessary for a professional pottery business and;

28. Demonstrate safety throughout the pottery making process.

Click here to return to the Main Pottery page.