Visual Arts - Studio
BFA
Ready to bring your creative vision to life? The Visual Arts – Studio program lets you explore diverse artistic mediums, from painting and sculpture to photography and print media, while developing your unique style. You’ll work closely with renowned artists, exhibit your work in Toronto galleries and gain hands-on experience in Canada’s top arts creation facilities. This program is perfect for aspiring artists, curators, educators and creators looking to make their mark.
Program Overview
York University’s Visual Arts - Studio BFA is a hands-on fine arts program where you can explore a broad range of mediums and develop your own style. You'll build a strong foundation in your first year, working across drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, print media, lens-based work and more. After completing the common first year, you can choose to specialize in one or more of these areas.
You’ll learn in exceptional facilities, including the largest university sculpture studio in Canada, while developing your creative vision through hands-on practice, critical perspectives and opportunities to experiment across disciplines and materials. As you move into upper years, you’ll develop your creative, conceptual and technical skills, building a cohesive body of work through critiques and exhibitions. By graduation, you’ll have a strong portfolio and the experience to thrive as a practicing artist, educator, gallery director and more.
Sample Courses
As a Visual Arts – Studio student you can take courses like:
- Drawing: Comics and Sequential Art
- Painting: Shifting the Boundaries of Abstraction
- Introductory Photography: Black and White
- Introduction to Sculpture: Mould Making
- Stone Carving
Career Possibilities
As a Visual Arts - Studio student you can become:
- Independent Artist
- Art Educator
- Studio Technician
- Gallery Director
- Curator
- Art Therapist
- Special Effects Artist for screen-based media, including gaming
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Department
Visual Art & Art History
Duration
4 years
Evaluation process
Questionnaire, Portfolio, Interview
Entry Options
Fall, Winter, Summer
Next Steps
We’re excited that you’re considering applying to York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). Check out our step-by-step guide to submitting an application.
Student & Alumni Testimonials
AMPD gave me permission to take my internal world seriously. It was a place where I learned to experiment, to trust the odd or intuitive impulses in my work, and to develop a visual vocabulary that still anchors my practice today. The grounding in drawing and material thinking that I developed at York continues to shape how I build images, whether I’m working on a small aluminum panel or a 10,000-square-foot mural.
Rebecca Munce (BFA ‘13)
I chose the Visual Arts – Studio program at York not only for it’s exceptional studio spaces but for the incorporation of art history into the program. In these Art History classes, I’m allowed to learn historical references and methodologies that I incorporate in my own body of work. With the help of professors, I’m able to better my skills and create a cohesive body of work that I can take outside of the university
Brian G,
Third-year Visual Art – Studio Student
I got really inspired by the experiences around me. I love that the arts faculty included music, theatre, film and design. You have to take other courses and integrate yourself amongst this whole arts umbrella.
Claire Scott (BFA ’16)
Artist & Curator
At York they encouraged us to try different disciplines. When I went there it was just about drawing but once I took my first sculpture course it spoke to me and became the most important discipline for me.
Ekow Nimako (BFA ’10)
Internationally Exhibiting LEGO Artist
The community that is here in the studios is supportive and they love my work and they always cheer me on. They inspire me - I found my community.
Revill Villanueva (BFA ’23)
Visual Arts – Studio
Program Highlights
Annual Open House. A public exhibition celebrating the work of senior BFA students with juried prizes takes place each spring.
Capstone Courses. Year-long capstone studio courses with exhibition opportunities.
Odette Sculpture Residency. An opportunity to take Master Classes with a renowned Canadian or international artist.
Exhibit in the Department’s designated gallery spaces and in student-run galleries across campus and downtown Toronto.
Study art in the most acclaimed facilities in Canada, including Canada’s largest university sculpture studio and the first Digital Sculpture Laboratory dedicated to the convergence of digital and physical art.
Professional Practices for Visual Artists: a fourth-year course that gives students the practical tools and professional knowledge needed to transition to work as practicing artists.
Areas of Concentration
Explore a mix or specialize
Drawing
Painting
Photography
Sculpture
Print Media
Time Based Art
How to Apply
Get Ready to Apply
Make sure you have all the information in hands
IMPORTANT DATES
Stay informed about all the key dates and deadlines for applying. Make sure to submit your application by the specified deadline to ensure guaranteed consideration. Note that some programs require a supplementary application, so be sure to check the deadlines for those as well.
TUITION, FEES & FUNDING
Tuition and Fees will be paid to York University. For information on Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, please see the Future Students Website. Entrance Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries are available each year to support your education.
REQUIREMENTS
Our programs are open to students directly from high school, those with previous post-secondary studies, international students, exchange students, and mature applicants.
Get in Touch
Reach out to us for more information on our programs, upcoming events, open houses, and applying to AMPD. We're here to assist you with any questions you may have and to help guide you through the application process.
Need More Information?
If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to connect with us. Our team is here to help! You can also schedule a visit to see our campus in person.