SILER CITY - Central Carolina Community College's new Associate in Fine Arts degree offers exciting, quality preparation for advanced fine arts education, according to Phil Ashe, the college's lead sculpture studio instructor.

"Our new AFA program gives our students the ability to transfer their AFA degree in order to earn a Bachelor in Fine Arts," he said. "It also affords our students the opportunity to take a wide variety of fine arts classes, both two dimensional and three dimensional, and it does so at significant cost savings."

The AFA is part of the North Carolina Community College System's articulation agreement with the University of North Carolina System, so graduates can transfer to the campuses of UNC as juniors to continue their studies. The courses may also transfer to other institutions with which the college has articulation agreements.

The Associate in Fine Arts degree program provides quality instruction, small classes, skilled instructors, a creative atmosphere, and well-equipped studios in the college's new Siler City Center and at the Chatham Main Campus, in Pittsboro.

By taking the first two years at CCCC, students can limit the four-year cost for their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to about $22,000, Ashe said.

"Our AFA degree program is a new and exciting opportunity for those interested in pursuing careers in the fine arts," said CCCC President Bud Marchant. "CCCC has a long history of education for excellence in the arts and this degree will provide the strong foundation to launch graduates into greater achievements."

The college's Professional Arts and Crafts: Sculpture degree is no longer being offered. That program trained a number of artists who are working professionally in the field, but most credits did not transfer to four-year institutions.

The AFA degree will eventually add a drama program track. Classes for both the art and drama tracks will be held primarily at the Siler City Center and the main campus in Chatham.

The AFA degree program is four semesters in length. The concentration in art includes class and studio work in art history, design, drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture and ceramics, as well as in creating a portfolio and resume.

The drama concentration will include courses and performance experience in acting, stagecraft, play production, design, literature of the theater, readers theater, theater history, and directing.

Both tracks also include literature, humanities, social/behavioral science, mathematics, and natural science courses.

For more information about CCCC's new Associate in Fine Arts degree, contact Phil Ashe at 919-545-8676 or by email at pashe301@cccc.edu, or go online to: www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/universitytransfer/finearts.

Pre-registration for CCCC's spring semester is currently underway and will continue through noon Friday, Dec. 14. Late registration takes place 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, and through 12 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, at the college's Chatham, Harnett and Lee main campuses. Contact the Student Support Services Department at one of the campuses for more information: Chatham, 919-545-8025; Harnett, 919-814-8827; or Lee, 919-718-7300.