Resources
Department Specific Laptop Requirements
The following departments have a personal laptop computer requirement for incoming students:
Communication Design & Advertising Design
The following is the minimum hardware and software requirements for incoming students in Communication Design and Advertising Design. If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please contact your Department Chair.
Required Hardware
Apple MacBook Pro
15" Touch Bar and Touch ID
2.2 GHz 6 core 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz
16GB RAM minimum with up to 32GB if possible
Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB Memory
512GB SSD minimum up to 1TB if possible
Apple Macbook Pro w/educational discount
Recommended: AppleCare 3-year protection plan
Required Software
- Adobe Cloud Subscription, includes Adobe Font package ($120/year)
- Microsoft Office (free)
Graduate students enrolling at The College for Creative Studies will be required to own or purchase a laptop computer for their studies. The following information provides the recommended minimum hardware configuration and software requirements. Students will also have access to computers in the Graduate Lab and other sites on campus which will provide access to the software.
Recommended Hardware
Required Software
All MFA Programs
- Adobe Creative Cloud ($120/year)
- Microsoft Office (free)
MFA Color & Materials Design (optional for Integrated Design):
- Rhino
MFA Transportation Design:
Laptop Recommendations for Departments Without Requirements
The following recommendations are for departments at CCS that do not currently have a specific requirement for laptops. Before purchasing a laptop, we recommend contacting your department to confirm your choice.
Recommended Hardware
Students with laptops should also have an External Hard Drive with a minimum of 1 Terabyte of storage. When connecting the Hard Drive you are using for back up for the first time, format it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If you will be using your Hard Drive to share files between a Mac and a PC, format it as Fat32.
Recommended Software
- Adobe Creative Cloud ($120/year)
- Microsoft Office (free)
Laptop Support
The Academic Technologies Department (6th Floor, Taubman Center) has technicians available for students who are seeking technical help with their required laptop. If your issue requires repair, Academic Technologies will refer you to area authorized service centers. Additionally, Apple has impressive and consistently highly rated customer service and product reliability.
Monday - Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fridays
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Please Note: Students are required to keep software and operating updated at least yearly to remain compatible with CCS lab machines, rendering computers, output equipment, and other campus technologies
Policies Governing Laptop Use at CCS
Contact Us
Laurie Evans
Director, Academic Technologies
Taubman Center - 6th Floor
T 313.664.1501
levans@collegeforcreativestudies.edu