Our programs take you on an exploration of the visual arts, with a special emphasis on contemporary creation. Both include compulsory practical and theoretical courses that encourage creation and reflection. The department provides photography and media art labs, as well as painting, drawing and sculpture studios. Our location in the heart of Ottawa gives you access to a wealth of artistic venues, such as the National Gallery and the Ottawa Art Gallery. In addition, you train under the guidance of nationally and internationally recognized artists, curators, art historians and theorists. While maintaining its focus on traditional disciplines (drawing, painting, sculpture and photography), the department also helps you discover the use of new media and technologies in the visual arts.

The University of Ottawa is proud of our many graduates who have gone on to make major contributions to the art world and our decades-long history of outstanding artists, art historians and theoreticians who have taught in the Visual Arts Department. This legacy lives on. Our professors offer attentive teaching and mentoring within a close-knit departmental community, while also encouraging student interaction with a broad network of art institutions and professionals.