University of Ottawa campus

Arts & Humanities

Major in Visual Arts at University of Ottawa

University of Ottawa, Canada

Programme overview

The Major in Visual Arts is a 42-unit bachelor's programme offering the same range of compulsory practical and theoretical courses as the BFA with more electives. It can be combined with a minor or a second major, leads to the Master of Fine Arts, and is offered in English and in French.

Faculty: Faculty of Arts  |  Department: Department of Visual Arts  |  Intake: Fall (no January admission)  |  Study mode: full-time  |  Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

What you will study

Compulsory courses are Introduction to Painting, Introduction to Sculpture, Modern Art 1900-1945, Digital Photography Workshop I and Professional Practices in Art. Students then choose electives in drawing, art history and contemporary art, and 9 units from either a Studio Profile or an Arts Administration Profile.

Career pathways

Graduates pursue careers such as fine arts education, project or communications officer in artistic organizations, artist agent, conservator or curator.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must submit a digital portfolio through SlideRoom (15 images of completed artwork, 7 of them self-initiated projects) and meet the general admission requirements of the Faculty of Arts. Prerequisite: English 4U or Francais 4U. High school grade average: mid 70s. OUAC application deadline March 1; portfolio deadline April 1.

Three terms: fall (September), winter (January) and spring-summer (May and July). Most Arts, Social Sciences and Telfer programs are open in winter; Engineering and Health Sciences programs are not open in winter or spring-summer. International students are not admissible in the spring-summer term. Education programs start in the spring-summer term; Civil Law programs start in the fall term.

Fall 2027 (September 2027 start): applications open September 17, 2026; applying before January 15, 2027 is recommended; supporting documents and test results are due by February 15, 2027 or 30 days after applying. Programs can close at any time once full; most programs close in June for Canadian applicants and in May for international applicants.

Winter 2027 (January 2027 start): applications open September 17, 2026 and the deadline is October 17, 2026; supporting documents are due by November 1, 2026.

Spring-summer 2027 (May and July 2027 start): applications open April 1, 2027 and the deadline is April 30, 2027; supporting documents are due by May 31, 2027.

Education (undergraduate): applications open September 17, 2026 and close November 2, 2026, with documents due by December 1, 2026. Civil Law: applications open September 17, 2026 and close March 1, 2027, with documents due by March 30, 2027. Common Law and Medicine programs have their own deadlines.

Undergraduate applications are made through OUAC; the OUAC application fee is $156.00, plus $10.00 for international applicants with a mailing address outside Canada and $50.00 per additional choice (amounts effective September 1, 2026). A Faculty of Arts portfolio evaluation for BFA and MFA is $24.45 and a Department of Music audition is $65.00.

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