OCAD University is a public art and design university in downtown Toronto, Ontario, with roots dating to 1876.
OCAD University is located at 100 McCaul Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its vision is to be a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars imagining and creating a joyful, equitable and sustainable world. Its mission is to advance interdisciplinary art and design education and research grounded in liberal arts and science and driven by leading-edge technologies, innovative teaching and professional practice.
The university was founded as the Ontario School of Art in 1876 by the Ontario Society of Artists, with 14 registered students. In 1912 it was incorporated as the Ontario College of Art (OCA), becoming Canada's first school dedicated to educating artists. In 2002 it was granted university status by the Government of Ontario and began conferring Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) and Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) degrees. In 2010 the Ontario College of Art and Design became OCAD University, and in 2020 the Government of Ontario gave it full power to confer its own degrees, including honorary doctorate degrees.
The main campus is in downtown Toronto, next to Grange Park and the Art Gallery of Ontario, and includes 12 buildings. 5-million campus redevelopment and was designed by Will Alsop in partnership with Robbie/Young + Wright Architects. Facilities listed include the Dorothy H. Hoover Library, Library Learning Zone, University Archives, studios and shops, a Rapid Prototyping Centre, a ceramics studio, a mouldmaking studio, Tool Loans, and The Store for studio supplies.
The university has over 400 faculty, more than 4,300 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students. Dr. Gerald McMaster became the university's first Canada Research Chair, Tier 1, in 2015. In 2022-23 the university was recognized as a Center for Sustainability Across the Curriculum, becoming the first Canadian university to participate in that association.
Undergraduate admissions are available through general and portfolio-based routes. Upper-year transfer entry is also offered.