OCAD University Programs & Pathways
Toronto, Ontario
Program strengths and how to compare pathways. This focused guide keeps the detailed tables, official sources, and practical next steps in one manageable reading path.
The short answer
- OCAD U has 17 undergraduate programs across three faculties: Design, Art, and Arts & Science.
- Faculty of Design awards a BDes in Advertising, Environmental Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, and Material Art & Design.
- Faculty of Art awards a BFA in Drawing & Painting, Experimental Animation, Integrated Media, Photography, Printmaking & Publications, and Sculpture/Installation.
- Faculty of Arts & Science has Creative Writing, Criticism & Curatorial Practice, Digital Futures, Indigenous Visual Culture, and Visual and Critical Studies.
- Visual and Critical Studies is the only BA and the only route without a studio portfolio.
Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Official university sources · How we review guides
OCAD University undergraduate programs
OCAD U publishes 17 undergraduate programs across three faculties. The degree choice determines the creative submission: studio BDes and BFA applicants submit portfolios, while Visual and Critical Studies is the non-studio BA route and uses an assigned writing sample and creative profile. Faculty placement is not always intuitive — Illustration is a Design program, Integrated Media an Art program.
| Faculty | Degree awarded | Current programs |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Design | Bachelor of Design (BDes) | Advertising; Environmental Design (with an Interior Design specialization); Graphic Design; Illustration; Industrial Design; Material Art & Design (BDes or BFA). |
| Faculty of Art | Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) | Drawing & Painting; Experimental Animation (BDes or BFA); Integrated Media (with a Life Studies specialization); Photography; Printmaking & Publications; Sculpture/Installation. |
| Faculty of Arts & Science | BFA and the single BA | Creative Writing (BFA); Criticism & Curatorial Practice (BFA); Digital Futures (BDes or BFA); Indigenous Visual Culture (BFA); Visual and Critical Studies (BA) — the only route assessed on a writing sample and creative profile rather than a studio portfolio. |
Three faculties, 17 undergraduate programs
Current structure · Published for this period
Faculty of Design (all BDes): Advertising, Environmental Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, and Material Art & Design. Faculty of Art (BFA): Drawing & Painting, Experimental Animation, Integrated Media, Photography, Printmaking & Publications, and Sculpture/Installation. Faculty of Arts & Science: Creative Writing (BFA), Criticism & Curatorial Practice (BFA), Digital Futures, Indigenous Visual Culture (BFA), and Visual and Critical Studies (BA).
Faculty placement is not always intuitive: Illustration sits in the Faculty of Design, Integrated Media in the Faculty of Art, and Criticism & Curatorial Practice in the Faculty of Arts & Science.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Programs at OCAD U: undergraduate program index · Verified August 14, 2026
Three programs award either a BDes or a BFA
Current structure · Published for this period
Digital Futures, Experimental Animation, and Material Art & Design each publish both Bachelor of Design (Honours) and Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) as the degree earned. The degree stream changes the shape of the four years, so confirm which stream an OUAC choice maps to rather than assuming the program is studio-only or design-only.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Digital Futures program page (Faculty of Arts & Science) · Verified August 14, 2026
Industrial Design (BDes, Faculty of Design)
Current program · Published for this period
A four-year BDes in which students 'learn how to develop innovative solutions for daily life, from physical everyday products to mobile apps,' working through research, concept development, and prototype making. The published sequence runs Form and Structure and Drawing for Industrial Design in first year, Emerging Technology and Material Explorations in second, Design for Health and Design Research and Innovation in third, and a major design project shown at GradEx in fourth. OCAD U states the program is recognized by the Association of Canadian Industrial Designers.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Industrial Design program page (Faculty of Design, BDes) · Verified August 14, 2026
Digital Futures (BDes or BFA, Faculty of Arts & Science)
Current program · Published for this period
OCAD U describes Digital Futures as the program where 'you'll create the technologies that shape the way we live, work, and play' — games, wearable technology, mobile apps, VR and AR experiences, and interactive installations. It requires a portfolio, statement of intent, and official transcripts on the same 70% academic base, and its statement of intent guidance asks for approximately 300 words.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Digital Futures program page (Faculty of Arts & Science) · Verified August 14, 2026
Indigenous Visual Culture (BFA, Faculty of Arts & Science)
Current program · Published for this period
INVC is a studio-based BFA in which students 'deepen your understanding of the visual, cultural, social, and political histories of Indigenous peoples' while developing their own practice, with electives across painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, installation, and digital media honouring First Nations, Métis, and Inuit traditions. The program works with OCAD U's Indigenous Student Centre on mentorship, open studio visits, and artist talks connecting students with Indigenous artists across Turtle Island.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Indigenous Visual Culture program page (Faculty of Arts & Science) · Verified August 14, 2026
Visual and Critical Studies is the only BA
Current program · Published for this period
Visual and Critical Studies is OCAD U's single Bachelor of Arts (Honours) programme and sits in the Faculty of Arts & Science. It is the one undergraduate route that does not require a studio portfolio, which makes it the realistic option for applicants whose evidence is written and critical rather than made.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Visual and Critical Studies program page (BA route) · Verified August 14, 2026
Official OCAD U program sources
Official Sources and Next Steps
Stellar keeps this guide structured for comparison, but official university pages remain the source of truth for program requirements, tuition, residence, scholarships, deadlines, and policy changes.
Prepared by Stellar Advisers Editorial Team · Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Editorial, corrections, and source methodology