Students in ceramics undertake a rigorous investigation of the medium, exploring the potential of clay as a means of discovering strengths, developing personal sensibilities, and giving expression to a range of experiences.

Sophomore year provides a firm foundation in the field as familiarity is gained with the variety of ceramic materials and processes including hand building, molding, throwing, glazing and firing. Sculpture and vessel-making are investigated. Ceramic technique is taught alongside aesthetics and personal expression. 

Juniors develop more advanced expressive and technical skills in studios that focus on specific areas such as tableware design, narrative sculpture and architectural ornamentation. These educational forums encourage the students to reach out of the studio to the community; tableware is designed in concert with a local restaurants and the tile project is sited either on RISD grounds or in the city at large. Technical investigation of ceramic science is formalized during the junior year. Computer technologies are integrated with ceramic materials and surface studies. The finer points of firing, including programming our advanced technology gas and electric kilns are addressed.

A senior, working in a tutorial setting, is expected to create a body of work that is unified in direction, significant in degree of growth, innovative in solutions and personal in expression. This exploration is supported by topical discussions that offer opportunities for developing presentation skills and information regarding professional practices, such as exhibiting, marketing and teaching. (The Ceramics Department has photo equipment and a room for documenting student projects; follow this link to ceramics technology.) 

In addition to the internationally recognized faculty, the department offers an impressive roster of visiting teachers with special interests and an ongoing program of visiting ceramic artists, historians and scholars.