NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design)
Halifax, Canada
NSCAD University is an art and design university in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada), with roots going back to 1887. It teaches visual arts, design and craft at undergraduate and graduate level and has campuses in the city, including the Fountain Campus and the Port Campus. Its public exhibition spaces, the Anna Leonowens Gallery, present more than 100 exhibitions a year, including MFA thesis and BFA graduating shows.
Every undergraduate starts with a year-long Foundation Studies programme that introduces all the disciplines taught at NSCAD. Students then continue into one of these degrees:
- Bachelor of Design (BDes) in Interdisciplinary Design
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art History, studio or non-studio
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in disciplines such as Ceramics, Film, Photography, Painting or Textiles+Fashion
- Graduate degrees: Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts in Art Education
Applications, including those from international students, are submitted through the SlideRoom platform, and a recruiter can advise on the application pathway. NSCAD has no on-campus residences, but its students can apply for rooms at partner universities in Halifax, and homestays for international students are managed by Canada Homestay Network.
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Programmes
All undergraduate degrees begin with a year-long Foundation Studies programme.
- Bachelor of Design (BDes): Interdisciplinary Design
- Bachelor of Arts (BA): Art History (Studio) and Art History (Non-Studio)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): Fine Art – Drawing, Painting, Printmaking and Sculpture; Ceramics; Expanded Media; Film; Interdisciplinary Arts; Jewellery+Metalsmithing; Photography; Textiles+Fashion
The Art History (Studio) degree lasts four years.
Graduate programmes
- Master of Design (MDes)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
- Master of Arts in Art Education (MAAE)
Admission
Applicants, including international students, can first fill in a short form to talk with a recruiter, who contacts them within one business day to plan an application pathway. Applications and documents are then uploaded to SlideRoom, NSCAD's application platform; depending on the programme, a decision can arrive in as little as two weeks. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or previous post-secondary studies can count as transfer credits. International students must pay the compulsory international health plan.
Housing
NSCAD has no on-campus residences. Its students can apply, subject to availability, for residence places at partner institutions in Halifax:
- Saint Mary's University (SMU)
- University of King's College
- Atlantic School of Theology
- Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU)
Homestays with local host families for international students are managed by Canada Homestay Network. Many students rent furnished rooms or share apartments, and the housing page lists property managers and rental websites.