Student Orientation & Curriculum Guide 
Curriculum

The Center for Beadwork and Jewelry Arts provides classes for all skill levels and interests.   Students may select from project-oriented, concept-oriented or design-oriented classes.  

Classes are organized by type and topic.   

Before beginning a course of study, students are asked to take theOrientation to Beads and Jewelry Findings Class  
There are no fees for these classes.   No supplies, tools, books or materials are needed.   These courses help orient the student to the types of beads, jewelry findings and tools they will be working with, how to buy and use beads, how to understand quality and craftsmanship about beads, the pros and cons of using different metals, how metals and platings age, and the like.

Core Curriculum.    There are three introductory core classes: 

Most students interested in bead stringing take BS0001: Basics of Bead Stringing and Attaching Clasps next.

If interested in bead weaving, students begin with STITCH: Stitch of the Month.

If interested in wire work, students take WIRE9001:Orientation to Wire and Wire Shaping - Jewelry Findings .

There are other intermediate level core classes, such as Color and Jewelry Design I.

Electives.   The CBJA offers a wide range of elective courses in several topical areas.   Some have prerequisites, others do not.    These are described in the section on Electives.  You can view when they are scheduled by referring to the Academic Calendar .    

On-going Advanced Study Groups meet bi-weekly.  These groups expore in detail various techniques, and the cultural and historical significance and contexts in which these techniques were developed or were popular.