eauclare

This is my first post here, and since I wasn't finding much info on Canadian schools, I thought I'd start it as a new topic. I'm in my 3rd year of a BFA at Concordia University in Montreal, QC (not listed below as you need a 2-year gap to pursue an MFA after getting a BFA there, and I'd like to go somewhere new). I'm starting to seriously research schools and narrow down where I'd like to go. I feel like I'm likely to stay in Canada as going to US seems incredibly complicated and expensive, but maybe I shouldn't write it off. I also have dual Irish citizenship so I'd like to look at Europe -- but for now I'm focusing on what's available here. These are the schools I'm currently looking into (listed from West to East) with my current favourites bolded: University of Victoria (Victoria, BC) Emily Carr School of Art + Design (Vancouver, BC) University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB) University of Regina (Regina, SK) University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK) University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB) University of Western Ontario (London, ON) OCAD University (Toronto, ON) University of Toronto (Toronto, ON) York University (Toronto, ON) NSCAD University (Halifax, NS) Honestly I don't want to go to Toronto because it's dense, expensive, and has incredibly hot summers (I barely survive the heat waves in Montreal as it is). But it has good schools so I feel obliged to look into it before writing it off. What I'm looking for is a program with good facilities for painting, where I can push my painting with good mentorship and rigorous conceptual learning. I know interdisciplinary art is hot right now, and I'm not against that (I've taken classes in performance, multimedia, fibres and liked it) but I don't want to end up somewhere where the interdisciplinary focus means there's no one who can mentor as a *painter*. At the end of the day, that's my passion and that's what drives me. Anyway, I would love any advice from people currently applying to or attending a school in Canada. Or any Canadian citizens doing an MFA in the US and not accruing astronomical student debt - is it doable? What schools in Canada are best for painting? Are there any resources for researching Canadian MFAs I should know about? Any schools I should add to my list? General advice?

As far I understood, an MFA in visual arts is a "terminal degree" meaning the highest level. From study.com: "There is no Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Studio Art, but there is a PhD in Art History. For people passionate about art, a doctoral program in art history can lead to research and teaching in schools and art studios." If you are doing an MA in Anthropology now but are interested in studio arts, you could get your second master's as an MFA.