The Photography program blends artistic vision with extensive technical training, fostering a deep, critical engagement with the medium. You will delve into historical, analogue, and digital processes, exploring photography as both a tool for creative expression and a means of cultural production.
You will gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art facilities, including digital labs, darkrooms, film processing stations and studios with access to technician support. Courses in photography history, theory, and criticism build a nuanced understanding of the medium's evolution and its relevance in contemporary art and culture. You will expand your skills in lighting, composition, editing and production through independent and group projects, and you will explore photography through moving image, installation, interdisciplinary practice and emerging forms of image-making.
The program encourages experimentation and connections with other disciplines like installation, video, and performance. You will emerge with a refined portfolio, equipped to make your mark in an ever-evolving visual landscape, and the critical tools to navigate various professional creative professions, including photographic arts, curation, editing, art education, and beyond.
Program Highlights
At the End of this Program...
At the end of this four-year program, you will earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.
Admissions Requirements
- For Ontario high school students, a minimum overall average of 70%
- Portfolio
- Statement of Intent
- Official transcripts
- See detailed academic requirements here
Jobs You Can Get
Graduates of the program become:
- Independent artists
- Freelance photographers and videographers
- Fashion, commercial and editorial photographers
- Curatorial and other gallery administrators
- Educators and/or go on to pursue graduate studies
- Photo editors and image researchers
- Creative entrepreneurs
Internships & Experiential learning
OCAD U offers so much more than co-ops because creative careers take many forms. Our career services help you build a professional community, valuable experience and skills you need for a meaningful career. Get access to:
- Short experiential learning placements from among hundreds of organizations
- Creative in-class projects with real-world industry partners
- Exclusive summer internships
- Gallery exhibitions of your work
- Freelance creative opportunities
- Jobs after graduation
What You'll Do in the Program
Before you focus on Photography, your first year at OCAD University will be in our first year art program. You will have a ton of choice in taking different classes to get a good foundation for future years. A few are mandatory, such as art history, colour and drawing, but the rest of your classes could include:
- Sculpture concepts
- Wearable art
- Photography
- Painting
- Animation
- Body and technology
- Printmaking
- Art and code
In second year, you will develop core photographic skills and deepen your understanding of the medium through studio and seminar courses in:
- Colour photography
- History of photography
- Digital imaging and printing
- Black & White darkroom
- Studio lighting
In third year, you will push your practice further through experimentation, advanced studio work, critical studies and professional development. Courses may include:
- Advanced lighting
- Photography theory and criticism
- Studio electives
- Colour darkroom
- Experimental photography
- Historical processes
- Professional practice
In your fourth year, you will bring together the technical, conceptual and critical skills developed throughout the program through Senior Studio. You will develop and refine an independently directed body of work, supported by faculty mentorship, critique and professional practice.
Your final year provides the opportunity to define your individual photographic practice, experiment with new approaches to image-making, and prepare your work for professional presentation.
You’ll showcase your work at OCAD U’s GradEx, Toronto’s largest free art and design exhibition, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
Minors
In all undergraduate programs, you can choose a minor to go along with your major. A minor gives you the opportunity to pursue a focused secondary field, helping you expand your practice, skills and knowledge. It can make you stand out to employers, graduate schools, or in grant applications by showing expertise in more than one field.
You don’t need to choose a minor on your application; once you start at OCAD U, you can choose from over 90 electives to build towards one of our 25 focused minors. Learn more about Minor Programs here.
Meet our alumni
Take the Next Step
Meet Delali Cofie
Meet Lucas Kschischang
Meet Brendan George Ko
