Fine Arts in Focus

Undergraduate Program

The Department of Fine Arts is comprised of three undergraduate disciplines, offering major and minor degrees in Studio, Art History and Visual Culture, and Film Studies and Visual Culture.

Studio is the largest component and students can concentrate in a variety of mediums, including drawing, painting, sculpture, print, photography, and digital imaging. We have two streams in Studio at the 4th-year Honours level, one for students who wish to become practising artists and another for those who wish to work in an arts-related field. Our graduates have gone on to successful careers as artists, designers, illustrators, animators, art historians, teachers, writers, film makers, art librarians and art administrators in galleries and museums.

Art History and Visual Culture, and Film Studies and Visual Culture explore the prominence and pervasiveness of art and film in modern society, drawing on the expertise of faculty in Fine Arts and incorporating relevant courses taught across the Faculty of Arts and in Architecture. A minor option, Visual Culture in a Global Context, offers a truly interdisciplinary approach to the study of visual culture in society.

Our programs offer a solid foundation in the visual arts. While professional practice is an integral component of our programs, students can choose to pursue more concentrated study in this area with our Professional Practice Specialization and Fine Arts Teaching Preparation Specialization.

Master of Fine Arts Program

Come to Waterloo for your MFA... and travel!

Our full time grads have worked in England, Germany, Denmark, Brazil, Taiwan - and lots of other exciting places - and we picked up the tab! The Keith and Win Shantz Summer Internship Program is the only one of its kind, giving you the opportunity to study with an established artist anywhere in the world.

For more information, click here.

Alumni News

Heidi Jahnke (MFA 2011) has received a 9 month full time position at St. Thomas University in Fredericton
Shannon Partridge (MFA 2010) is featured on the site Designwar
Amy Switzer (MFA 2008) is featured in a National Post article
Scott Everingham (MFA 2009) is profiled on the Faculty of Arts website and has an exhibit at the Patrick Mikhail Gallery.