Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College is a Catholic post-secondary institution in Ontario offering liberal arts degrees and certificates.
Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College provides a post-secondary education in the liberal arts within the Catholic tradition. Its motto is "The Truth will set you free", the Latin of which is Veritas Vos Liberabit. The college's vision is to provide a vibrant Catholic liberal arts education that integrates faith and reason in all of its disciplines. Its patronal feast, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, is observed on June 8.
Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy began unofficial operation in the village of Combermere in the fall of 1999 as a small study centre. The Diocese of Pembroke, which supported Catholic higher education, offered the use of the former Saint Joseph's Convent, overlooking Lake Kamaniskeg in Barry's Bay. The official inaugural year was in 2000 under the directorship of Mr. John Paul Meenan, with nine students. Dr. David Warner became president in January 2008, and Dr. Patrick Craine, an alumnus, began service as president on July 1, 2025.
The college offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree and a three-year Bachelor of Arts in Christian Humanities degree, as well as one-, two-, and three-year certificates in the Liberal Arts. As of February 2024, the four-year Bachelor of Arts has majors in Classical and Early Christian Studies, History, and Literature. Catholic theology and philosophy are part of the core curriculum.
Applicants may apply through regular admission, which requires an application essay plus an academic essay or standardized test scores. Homeschooled students, mature students, and transfer students with credit transfer are also considered.
The college is authorized to grant degrees by the Province of Ontario, following a PEQAB assessment by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development. The Newman Guide recommended the college as one of 28 global Catholic higher education programs recognized for faithful Catholic education.