Canadian Schools for MFA?

[ten-of-swords]

I'm curious if there are any notable schools in Canada to get a MFA?

[michaelwebster]

Nova Scotia College of Art and Design was really well known in the 70s and 80s, the same time as CalArts mythic period. I don't know much about them now, but I bet they are still good.

[isis_83]

NSCAD (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design) is a great school. I'm finishing my undergrad degree there this year, and it's been a really great experience. I should mention though that they're currently going through some rough financial times - although I think this impacts undergrad course offerings much more than grad students. It's a really great school though - and quite small. I think they take something like 8 grad students per year. The faculty are great - really engaged, and they're always around.

OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) is the biggest art school in Canada. I don't know much about it's grad program except that it's relatively new (been around for 5+ years?). But in general the school has a good reputation. It's in (downtown) Toronto, which has a really great, thriving arts scene.

Emily Carr (in Vancouver)

University of Toronto

University of Alberta

York University has great facilities and funding, but is in the no man's land that surrounds Toronto, and I would hate for it to be your introduction to Canada...

Concordia - in Montreal, which is a fabulous city, with a great arts scene

Western (in London), and Guelph might also be good to check out

There's not that much info about Canadian schools rankings, especially for arts schools, but McLean's magazine does a yearly run-down of all Canadian Universities (all of the above are degree granting universities), and Canadian Art magazine does a similar thing for Canadian art schools (although I don't know if it's annual).

Also, although I don't know what funding is like, Canadian schools are significantly cheaper (even when you're paying international rates).

[sguid]

ten of swords - I recognize you from last year's forums! I'm looking at Canadian schools too. They are much less expensive. Emily Carr in Vancouver, I've been to, it's really great & in a cute area of town. Very trendy. NSCAD also looks awesome but their acceptance rate is really low. However, trying might be worth it just to live in Nova Scotia I'm thinking of applying to York - thanks isis for the facility comment. This American loves Canada

[MFAinCanada]

As far as I've been able to find out, Guelph is considered to be the top school in Canada, nothing official, but talking to professors, artists, gallerists and curators Guelph seems to have the best reputation. I'm waiting to hear back from them! Western and Concordia are really good schools as well. Emily Carr and OCAD are very new grad programs, but both have some great faculty. NSCAD was a really great school in the 80's and 90's, but I think their remoteness has hurt it in over the past 10 years. The University of Manitoba in Winnipeg is a good up and coming program with some good young faculty. Winnipeg produces a weird amount of top artists (AA Bronson, Marcel Dzama, Daniel Barrow, Sarah Ann Johnson ... ) for its size, maybe Winnipeg is like a northern Portland? 

 

Most Canadian schools offer full funding, or TA or research positions to cover the funding. The sense I get is that it's generally (not always the case) a bit more academic in the Canadian schools than in the US. I think if you want to end up in NY, going to school in the US, preferably close to NY, is the way to go. If you want to end up in Berlin or Rotterdam, going to school in Canada is likely a good option. 

[Charnoo]

As far as I've been able to find out, Guelph is considered to be the top school in Canada, nothing official, but talking to professors, artists, gallerists and curators Guelph seems to have the best reputation. I'm waiting to hear back from them! Western and Concordia are really good schools as well. Emily Carr and OCAD are very new grad programs, but both have some great faculty. NSCAD was a really great school in the 80's and 90's, but I think their remoteness has hurt it in over the past 10 years. The University of Manitoba in Winnipeg is a good up and coming program with some good young faculty. Winnipeg produces a weird amount of top artists (AA Bronson, Marcel Dzama, Daniel Barrow, Sarah Ann Johnson ... ) for its size, maybe Winnipeg is like a northern Portland? 

 

Most Canadian schools offer full funding, or TA or research positions to cover the funding. The sense I get is that it's generally (not always the case) a bit more academic in the Canadian schools than in the US. I think if you want to end up in NY, going to school in the US, preferably close to NY, is the way to go. If you want to end up in Berlin or Rotterdam, going to school in Canada is likely a good option. 

I was curious about the statement that 'most Canadian schools offer full funding...'  I was just looking under financial aid and awards sections of various websites and trying to calculate the odds and it seemed like there were lots of aid opportunities but directed across all of Graduate Studies for the whole school.  Is there something I'm missing... (it just seemed like at most schools there were maybe 3-4 scholarships worth about fifty percent of graduate international admission and so if there were six grad students admitted... not great odds of near-full funding).

[kafralal]

I think your take Charnoo, is more accurate. You don't hear much about scholarships for MFA's at Canadian schools, or see much on their web sites.

It looks like everyone gets a paid position as a TA or assistant at Guelph. Concordia has a good program and I think they have the cheapest tuition.

York gives full or half entrance scholarships for the first year, for those with an A average in their undergrand and a lesser one for those with a B+, and TA positions in the second year. I would contact the schools you're interested in and ask directly, it may just be that they don't post the info because department funding changes from year to year. U of Ottawa has full scholarships for Canadians with an 8.0/10 in undergrad.

Also for anyone interested in printmaking, U of Alberta has a great rep, not sure about money.

But in response to MFACanada's comment above: If I wanted to end up in Rotterdam or Berlin, I would do my MFA in Rotterdam or Berlin! Rotterdam and Amsterdam have some great programs and Berlin has the city.

[kafralal]

For those interested in a program in Beautiful British Columbia!

 

Brand new, beautiful studios with lots of light!

 

http://www.artandeducation.net/announcement/university-of-british-columbia-ubc-seeks-applications-for-fall-2014-graduate-programs/

[Jenesis]

I'm applying to Canadian MFA programs this year- Guelph, York, Windsor, Waterloo and Concordia- anyone else applying to these?  This forum seems to be pretty American-heavy, in terms of applicants and schools. 

 

I hear a lot of funding for schools isn't really advertised/mentioned on their websites, hopefully it works out well enough that I can afford to go.  In any case, the Canadian schools are much cheaper than the states.  Waterloo has a really interesting internship- the Shantz internship- essentially, you can go to intern with almost any artist in the world (assuming they can set it up) for a month or two between first and second year, with some expenses and a stipend!  I'm already dreaming about it.

 

Here is the largest portion of my professional practice- what I'm applying to school with.  The Institute of Morphoid Research -   http://jenniferakkermans.com/portfolio_category/imr/  I would love to see what everyone else does here.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Jenesis

[bad advice]

NSCAD university is a great school.

 

The professors are on the ball. Having gone to NSCAD as an undergrad I really enjoyed working with a few of the previous MFA students that TAed classes I was in.