OCAD University
OCAD University
This public university of art and design was initially known as Ontario School of Art. Established in 1876, it makes it one of oldest art and design institutions in Canada. It has undergone many changes since then and currently boasts a number of galleries and libraries located either on campus, outside of it and even online ones. These galleries and different exhibition spaces are open for students of OCAD University to showcase their art works in professional settings. Moreover, students of OCAD University can conduct research in the field of digital immersion, experience and expression in the nineteen research labs and networks of the University.
Programs
There are a lot of programs offered on the undergraduate level at OCAD University some of them are in the following fields: Apps and Web, Architecture and Interiors, Digital Media and Technology, Design, Digital, Business and Entrepreneurship, Drawing and Painting, Fine Arts, Visual Communications and others. For most of the programs offered it’s required to compile a portfolio of your works as a part of the admission process, so make sure you meet all the requirements beforehand. You may as well participate in a Summer workshop for the young artists held at OCAD University, who is thinking about applying for the university for their post-secondary education. During a week you will gain some hands-on experience of contemporary art, design and concepts which will help you to prepare for entering the university and work out the right portfolio.
As for the programs offered by OCAD University, for instance, one of them is Graphic Design. They claim that the program of the OCAD University differs from the Graphic Design programs of other institutions, as it doesn’t only aim at teaching students technical skills solely, but facilitates students to consider Graphic Design as a form of the art and perform their works for social good, influencing a whole society. During the program, students gain hands-on experience on the courses of typography, interactive communication, motion graphics, design and editorial and publication design. Students will also learn such disciplines as Drawing, Photography for communication, Theory of visual culture and Research Methods of Graphic Design. The fourth year of studies at OCAD University is dedicated to working on a thesis project and studying two electives. Your final work will be exhibited at the Universities Graduate Exhibition, which will be visited by more than forty thousand people. Generally, the studies of Graphic Design is obviously mainly about experience and what makes a good designer is an extensive portfolio of outstanding works. Thus students of OCAD University gain lots of practical experience and work out their own portfolios by completing internships, experiential learning placements and collaborative projects with their fellow-students. On top of that, students of the Graphic Design program at OCAD University are often offered freelance job positions, as the employers are perfectly aware of the high level of students’ skills. After graduation from OCAD University students can find employment in graphic design studios, journalism and broadcast media and a huge variety of fields as professional graphic designer specialists are always in demand. After completion of the program at OCAD University, you will be awarded a Bachelor of Design degree, but if you wish to pursue further studying of the field, you may go to the University of Concordia and achieve a degree of Master of Design. This innovative program focuses on multidisciplinary research with educators from graphic design, architecture, fashion, game design and illustration backgrounds.
Another program offered by OCAD University is Experimental Animation which lasts for four years and leads to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The program aims at teaching students animation for art, film and computer industry who can successfully implement 2D and 3D animation techniques, stop-motion and know how to work with augmented and virtual reality technologies. For example, during the second year students study 3D modeling and animation and also start developing their storytelling skills, while the fourth year at OCAD University is dedicated for experiential learning, when students gain work experience collaborating with the university partners, they also conduct their own project, which they will have a chance to show in the university festivals or exhibitions.. OCAD University graduated the famous animator who directed the music videos for the band Beatles and computer animator George Dunning. Beyond animation, students of this OCAD University program study different art and design courses as electives and there are, by the way, ninety of them offered by the university.
One of the unique programs offered by the OCAD University is Criticism and Curatorial Practice which leads to the degree of Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. After the graduation of the program, which lasts for four years, you will be able to work in museums, art galleries as an art consultant or in arts administration. The creators of the program at OCAD University believe that a person can’t make a professional critic or a curator if they are not an artist themselves, thus students are to undertake several courses in making arts. Moreover, this program of OCAD University will be beneficial to any artists or culture workers, as during the studies students learn such disciplines as art history, visual culture, issues of the art today, art writing, history and theory of art criticism, art and code and a number of others. As well as the previous programs, the seventh and eighth terms of studying the program of Criticism and Curatorial Practice is dedicated mainly to experience and practice, and during this period, students also collaborate with professionals of the field and graduate students and work on their thesis.
Accommodation
There are several housing options for the students of OCAD University. The first one is to live in the buildings dedicated for student residence offered by OCAD University housing partners, as it doesn’t have its own residence. For example, you may choose to live in a dorm-style residence called Campus One where you can buy a meal plan for your own convenience. Campus One offers students to use such facilities as yoga and dance studio, grade room, movie theatre, ping-pong lounges, while all the private bedrooms are fully-furnished and equipped with Wi-Fi. If you decide to live in the residence, you may choose a neighbor yourself or they can be matched to you according to your life-style and interests.
If you wish to live in a residence with more privacy, then there is another residence called Avant Toronto, located right in the city centre and only a kilometer away from your OCAD University campus. This one provides a private bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom in each unit, while a lounge room and sports facilities are shared by all the residents of the building. The rooms are fully equipped with newest furniture and the intercom system can be operated via smartphone.
Another residence where you can live while studying in OCAD University is Hoem building, designed for the ones who want to live in a state-of-the-art building and do the creative work even at the place of residence. The maker space of the building is equipped with 3D printers, work benches and laser cutters. It’s a safe place to reside in, as 24/7 security is provided here, right in the hub of the city of Toronto.
Whatever type you are going to choose, living in a residence is a perfect place to make connections with people from different backgrounds and from other educational establishments, besides OCAD University. And it also brings you the sense of community and teaches a number of life skills, as you will need to share some of the facilities with your neighbors and other students and participate in various events.
If you don’t want to live in a shared accommodation and wish to rent a separate apartment, you would better start searching for the right one beforehand: for instance, in early July if you are planning to go to Toronto in August or September. The average rent price for a one-bedroom apartment in the city is around $2100, the precise price of which depends on the proximity to the city center and type of the flat.
Future Prospects
Upon graduation from OCAD University international students can work at any place they wish: in their country of origin, anywhere in the world or in Canada. International students may as well pursue further studying or researching their field of interest in some of the Canadian educational establishments, extending the study permit. But in case, you, as an international student, wish to obtain a permanent residence in Canada, you could start by getting a post-graduation work permit worked out specifically for the foreign graduates of Canadian educational institutions. The period of validity of work permit is three years, and after this you may go for the Express Entry as you will have already gained some work experience obtained in Canada. By the way, international students have a chance to start working while studying at OCAD University. For example, you may work as a tour guide, study-group leader and choose among other work positions offered by the university.
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