Alberta University of the Arts

Alberta University of the Arts is well-known for its complement of art, design and craft programs, with a focus on in-studio experience. Bachelor of fine arts students specialize in studio art and focus on one or two program areas including ceramics, drawing, fibre, glass, painting, media arts, print media, sculpture, jewellery and metals and object design and fabrication. Minors are available in animation or comics. Bachelor of design students choose a specialization in advertising and graphic design, character design and illustration, or photography. AUArts also offers an M.F.A. in craft media with four areas of focus: glass, ceramics, fibre, and jewellery and metals, or students can build an interdisciplinary program of study. “At Alberta University of the Arts, the study of art, craft and design is a search. It is an exploration of ideas, a celebration of creativity and an understanding of what connects us to the world,” says president Daniel Doz. “It is a way of seeing, a way of thinking about the tools and materials we use, the world we inhabit and, maybe more importantly, about ourselves.” Classes are small, and there is an emphasis on one-on-one instruction. The liberal arts are also well integrated, and first-year programs include courses on critical and creative practices and art history. The single campus building houses a professional art gallery, studios for fibre, glass, ceramics and jewellery, a metal shop, a foundry and a wood shop. Many programs also provide students with personal studio spaces in their third and fourth years. Perched on top of the city’s North Hill, adjacent to Calgary’s vibrant Kensington neighbourhood, the campus overlooks the Bow River and Calgary’s welcoming urban skyline. Downtown Calgary, with its galleries, museums and cultural events, is easily accessible via the CTrain, and the Rocky Mountains are only an hour away by car.

Campus buzz: AUArts celebrates its centennial in 2026 with special events throughout the year.

Quick facts

Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$7,763

Minimum Entering Grades
Arts: 60%, plus portfolio

Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 1,161 | Part-time: 31
Graduates: Full-time: 8
International Students: First-year: 10% | Graduate: 50%

Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: There are no residence on campus, but students can apply for residence at nearby SAIT

Standout programs

Fibre: Students engage in intensive studio-based research and study techniques ranging from papermaking and weaving to dyeing and painting cloth. 

Visual Communications: Students choose from two streams—advertising and graphic design or character design and illustration—preparing students for a variety of careers.

Glass: Students in this studio-based program enjoy a high level of interaction with both faculty and visiting artists.