Visual Arts
Our Department of Visual Arts offers hands-on degree programs that develop both the technical and conceptual skills needed to transform ideas into art. As a Visual Arts student you will learn to:
- Communicate visually through various media including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and ceramics
- Develop studio skills through practical applications
- Interpret the world, cultures, and daily life through a creative lens
- Critically analyze visual culture
In addition to the in-depth study of studio disciplines, our programs also include the study of art history and art theory, professional development, and outreach opportunities with local art galleries and creative organizations
We are a relatively small Department with a close-knit community of student artists. Our small size allows our faculty to focus on you as an individual artist and offer personal attention within the studio class setting. We also attend a field trip each year to visit museums and galleries, to supplement the structure of in-class learning. Our classes have visited art and cultural centres in Toronto, Chicago, Montreal, Ottawa, Minneapolis, and New York.
The Lakehead Advantage
We are one of the few universities in Ontario to offer ceramics as a studio path in all of our Visual Arts programs. Our ceramics studio is well-equipped to facilitate a wide range of clay practices and projects. You will learn about mold-making techniques, surface treatments, wheel throwing and hand building in clay, glaze application, firing oxidation, and reduction kilns with the guidance of a working ceramics artist.
Our Department of Visual Arts hosts an annual Juried Student Art Exhibition in which all students are invited to submit studio coursework to exhibit. The event is unique to Lakehead University and celebrates the high quality of student art produced as part of our programs. Artwork is chosen by a jury of Visual Arts instructors and later installed at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery for a five-week exhibition. The opening night includes an awards celebration with over $7000 in achievement awards presented to students for selected artworks in the exhibition.
Our location in the heart of Northwestern Ontario makes our campus and the surrounding region, one of the most beautiful places to study art in North America. If you are inspired by nature, this is the institution for you. Our students come from around the world foster their skills and creativity in a remote and tranquil environment conducive to creating original art.
We work closely with the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Definitely Superior Art Gallery, and many other local artist collaboratives. These organizations regularly visit our classes, contribute to course content, and recruit students for volunteer opportunities and community programming. We are proud to be a contributor to the vibrant art scene in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.
In the final year of study, courses in Professional Practices for Artists and Exhibition Planning prepare you to build your own studio practice after graduation. This includes guidance on topics including grant writing, exhibiting in the gallery system, promotion/marketing, writing an artist statement, and more. It's our goal to provide you with the tools and the information necessary to succeed post-graduation that goes beyond technical skill and ability.
Transfer Options
It’s easy to transfer to Lakehead. Our pathway and general transfer policies are designed to help you maximize your credits from your current or previous studies at either college or university – or even both.
There are a number of ways to transfer to Lakehead. Let us help you achieve your degree completion goals. For more information regarding specific admission requirements from college or university, check out the “Admissions Requirement” tab above and select your most recent level of study.
Applying to Lakehead University is easy and we are here to help you along the way.
Step 1 – Determine your general admission requirements:
To determine your general admission requirements, select one of the definitions below:
| Ontario High School Students |
General Admission Requirements:
*Higher averages may be required for admission to programs in which the demand for places by qualified applicants exceeds the supply of available spaces. |
| Other Canadian High School Students |
General Admission Requirements:
*Higher averages may be required for admission to programs in which the demand for places by qualified applicants exceeds the supply of available spaces. |
| International Secondary School/ College or University |
General Admission Requirements:
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| Canadian College |
| General Admission Requirements: College transfer applicants who are applying to a program that does not have a college transfer pathway are eligible for admission consideration if they have:
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| Canadian University |
General Admission Requirements:
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| Canadian Bible College |
General Admission Requirements:
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Step 2 – Determine your program-specific prerequisite requirements for your program(s) of choice:
To determine your program-specific prerequisite requirements, choose from the drop-down menus below:
Program Specific Requirements
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Visual ArtsDegree:Fine ArtsAlberta/NWT/Nunavut:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for Ontario High School Students:English (ENG4U)Program Specific Requirements for Alberta/NWT/Nunavut High School Students:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for British Columbia/Yukon High School Students:English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12Program Specific Requirements for International Students:EnglishProgram Specific Requirements for Manitoba High School Students:English Language Arts (Comprehensive Focus, Literary Focus, or Transactional Focus) 40SProgram Specific Requirements for Mature/Transfer Students:English (ENG4U). Other secondary or post-secondary courses that are equivalent to the English prerequisite requirement are accepted.Program Specific Requirements for New Brunswick High School Students:English Language Arts 121 or 122Program Specific Requirements for Newfoundland/Labrador High School Students:English 3201Program Specific Requirements for Nova Scotia High School Students:English 12 or English 12 African HeritageProgram Specific Requirements for PEI High School Students:English 621AProgram Specific Requirements for Quebec (CEGEP) Students:2 English (603 or 604)Program Specific Requirements for Quebec (Private) Students:English (ENG4U) or equivalentProgram Specific Requirements for Saskatchewan High School Students:English Language Arts 30 A or English Language Arts 30 B
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Visual ArtsDegree:ArtsAlberta/NWT/Nunavut:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for Ontario High School Students:English (ENG4U)Program Specific Requirements for Alberta/NWT/Nunavut High School Students:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for British Columbia/Yukon High School Students:English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12Program Specific Requirements for International Students:EnglishProgram Specific Requirements for Manitoba High School Students:English Language Arts (Comprehensive Focus, Literary Focus, or Transactional Focus) 40SProgram Specific Requirements for Mature/Transfer Students:English (ENG4U). Other secondary or post-secondary courses that are equivalent to the English prerequisite requirement are accepted.Program Specific Requirements for New Brunswick High School Students:English Language Arts 121 or 122Program Specific Requirements for Newfoundland/Labrador High School Students:English 3201Program Specific Requirements for Nova Scotia High School Students:English 12 or English 12 African HeritageProgram Specific Requirements for PEI High School Students:English 621AProgram Specific Requirements for Quebec (CEGEP) Students:2 English (603 or 604)Program Specific Requirements for Quebec (Private) Students:English (ENG4U) or equivalentProgram Specific Requirements for Saskatchewan High School Students:English Language Arts 30 A or English Language Arts 30 B
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Visual ArtsDegree:Arts and Education (PJ)Alberta/NWT/Nunavut:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for Ontario High School Students:English (ENG4U)Program Specific Requirements for Alberta/NWT/Nunavut High School Students:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for British Columbia/Yukon High School Students:English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12Program Specific Requirements for International Students:EnglishProgram Specific Requirements for Manitoba High School Students:English Language Arts (Comprehensive Focus, Literary Focus, or Transactional Focus) 40SProgram Specific Requirements for Mature/Transfer Students:English (ENG4U). Other secondary or post-secondary courses that are equivalent to the English prerequisite requirement are accepted.Program Specific Requirements for New Brunswick High School Students:English Language Arts 121 or 122Program Specific Requirements for Newfoundland/Labrador High School Students:English 3201Program Specific Requirements for Nova Scotia High School Students:English 12 or English 12 African HeritageProgram Specific Requirements for PEI High School Students:English 621AProgram Specific Requirements for Quebec (CEGEP) Students:2 English (603 or 604)Program Specific Requirements for Quebec (Private) Students:English (ENG4U) or equivalentProgram Specific Requirements for Saskatchewan High School Students:English Language Arts 30 A or English Language Arts 30 B
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Visual ArtsDegree:Fine Arts and Education (IS)Alberta/NWT/Nunavut:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for Ontario High School Students:English (ENG4U)Program Specific Requirements for Alberta/NWT/Nunavut High School Students:English Language Arts 30-1Program Specific Requirements for British Columbia/Yukon High School Students:English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12Program Specific Requirements for International Students:EnglishProgram Specific Requirements for Manitoba High School Students:English Language Arts (Comprehensive Focus, Literary Focus, or Transactional Focus) 40SProgram Specific Requirements for Mature/Transfer Students:English (ENG4U). Other secondary or post-secondary courses that are equivalent to the English prerequisite requirement are accepted.Program Specific Requirements for New Brunswick High School Students:English Language Arts 121 or 122Program Specific Requirements for Newfoundland/Labrador High School Students:English 3201Program Specific Requirements for Nova Scotia High School Students:English 12 or English 12 African HeritageProgram Specific Requirements for PEI High School Students:English 621AProgram Specific Requirements for Quebec (CEGEP) Students:2 English (603 or 604)Program Specific Requirements for Quebec (Private) Students:English (ENG4U) or equivalentProgram Specific Requirements for Saskatchewan High School Students:English Language Arts 30 A or English Language Arts 30 B
As a first year Visual Arts student, you are required to take studio courses in all of our offered disciplines as well as art history. This is intended to expose you to new skills and aesthetics, and to help you define a discipline to focus on throughout your undergrad.
The following first year courses are required:
- Visual Arts 1090 – Prehistory to the Middle Ages
- Visual Arts 1091 – Renaissance to the Contemporary Period
- Visual Arts 1150 – Introductory Drawing
- Visual Arts 1017 – Fundamentals of Art
- Visual Arts 1010 – Introductory Painting
- Visual Arts 1030 – Introductory Sculpture
- Visual Arts 1050 – Introductory Ceramics
- Visual Arts 1015 – Introduction to Digital Image
The balance of your courses will be electives in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, or other required courses if you are enrolled in the Concurrent Education program.
Our Department of Visual Arts has regular work study opportunities that involve art demos, campus/facility tours, teaching, and studio maintenance. This is a great way to bolster your resume, supplement your academic background with related experience, and make some income.
Each year we take a departmental field trip to visit museums and/or art galleries as a way to enhance the structure of our programs and bond as a group. In the past, we have gone to art and cultural centres in Toronto, Chicago, Montreal, Ottawa, Minneapolis, and New York to view some of the best artworks in the world.
The Visual Arts Network (VAN) is an independent, student-run club dedicated to increasing awareness of art within the university, and fostering a positive social environment within the Department. VAN organizes fundraisers, events, and student exhibitions throughout the year. We encourage you to get involved in VAN and play a part in the great arts community at Lakehead University!
More information about Payment Methods, and Payment Due Dates can be found here: Student Fees Information
Arts (Includes, but is not limited to: ISTEM, ILIP, HB Mus, HBFA, Palliative Care, Dementia Studies, etc.)
Thunder Bay
| Year | Tuition | Ancillary Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | $5,984.51 | $1,408.45 | $7,392.96 |
2 | $5,955.86 | $1,325.73 | $7,281.59 |
3 | $5,915.30 | $1,325.73 | $7,241.03 |
4 | $5,398.29 | $1,325.73 | $6,724.02 |