Fine Arts

Explore the power of visual communication.

Got a bent for critique? Choose a major in Visual Culture, where you’ll focus on analysis and theory as you delve into the history, culture, and impact of visual arts. It’s excellent preparation for a career as an art historian, educator, librarian, or gallery/museum administrator. You can even gain practical experience with a 36-hour internship at a local arts institution, or by choosing co-op with your degree.

Alternatively, immerse yourself in hands-on creation with our Studio Practice major. We offer classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, media arts, and digital imaging. You can also choose one of three specializations, including one that will prepare you for a career in education.

In Fine Arts, you’ll hone your mastery of technique, develop a cohesive body of work, and learn the skills you’ll need as a professional artist.

Whichever path you choose, you’ll enjoy an intimate community and supportive professors.

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Fine Arts degree admission requirements

Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Fine Arts as your major at the end of first year. 

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First-year courses

*The Arts First requirement consists of two first-year courses that are capped at 25 students: ARTS 130 - Inquiry and Communication and ARTS 140 - Information and Analysis. Instead of listening to a lecture and trying to capture notes, Arts First courses will have you and your classmates working together to respond to a challenge posed by the instructor.

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Alyana, a Fine Arts major, wanted to foster community at Waterloo. Through a studio project, she was able to develop her "You Are My_" initiative, which she says was successful because it tapped into people's inherent want to express how we feel. "Having a gesture as simple as giving and receiving a button was a simple way to express these emotions," she says.

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Co-op = relevant paid work experience

By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore new career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.

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Customize your Fine Arts degree

Choose Studio Practice or Visual Culture as the area of focus for your Fine Arts major or add additional areas of interest and expertise by including a minor (or minors) as part of your degree.

Within the Studio Practice major, you can choose specializations in Intensive Studio, Digital Art, or the Teaching Preparation Specialization. With the Teaching Preparation specialization, you'll be eligible for the Bachelor of Education program at Nipissing University in either the Junior/Intermediate or Intermediate/Senior divisions.

Popular areas of focus for Fine Arts students include Digital Arts Communication, Intensive Studio, and Film Studies.

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What can you do with a degree in Fine Arts?

Graduates often pursue careers in creative fields such as marketing, design, and education. They commonly work in art galleries, banks, schools, media companies, and more.

Recent graduates

• Designer & Technologist – Whiting Design
• Graphic Designer – Punch & Judy 
• User Experience Designer – Green Brick Labs
• Junior Character Rigger – Big Jump Productions
• Brick Laser Apprentice – Kitchener Glass
• Instructor – Conestoga College
• Artist - C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures

For more information on potential careers, check out our page on careers in arts, humanities, social sciences, languages, and creative arts.

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Ready to learn more?

• Visit the Department of Fine Arts website
• Email Samantha Wiebe, our Arts recruitment co-ordinator, who can answer any questions about the program
• Subscribe to our newsletter to get tips and advice from current students