All first-semester MFA in Fine Arts students take this seminar, which provides a forum for introducing students to one another and to a broad range of CCA faculty, as well as to artists, curators, and writers who influence cultural practices in the Bay Area. Invited speakers will present their work and working methods, and faculty subsequently lead discussions that reflect on the deeper implications of these studio or cultural practices. Not only will students use this course as a means of orienting themselves within the college and the broader Bay Area arts community, they will also learn more about galleries, artists' studios, and museums through field trips to the region (local and state health guidelines allowing). Throughout the semester, students will critique each other's work with these broader cultural networks and studio practices in mind.