Careers for Arts Students
Portage College Fine Arts program cultivates the strong foundational skills needed for various careers available in the arts and culture sector, including:

Animator, fine artist, art curator, illustrator, architect, tattoo artist, museum interpreter, video game designer, textile designer, commercial artist, art teacher, interior designer, photographer, clothing designer, art director, art archivist, art historian, art therapist, book illustrator, art professor, creative art director, graphic novel artist, cultural planner and many more.

Credentials
Certificate

Admission Requirements

• English Language Arts 30-2

Use this chart to check Provincial high school equivalencies accepted at Portage College. Note: This is just a guide.

Mature Status: Applicants must be 19 years of age and out of high school for one year

• English Language Arts 30-2 OR Equivalent
• Students who do not meet admission requirements can contact student services regarding opportunities for placement testing. * Students will need to submit an application to the program to start the process.

English Language Proficiency Information

Students who wish to carry on their education can do so at one of the following post-secondary institutions:

• Athabasca University: Transfers into a Bachelor of Professional Arts.
• MacEwan University: Transfers into a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
• Yorkville Bachelor of Creative Arts: View Video

*Students are encouraged to consult Transfer Alberta or speak to a student advisor about specific transferability.

Program Start/End Dates
August 28, 2025 to May 1, 2026 

Application Deadline
Domestic Student: August 15, 2025 (Application will still be considered after the deadline if seats remain)

Location
Lac La Biche Campus

Domestic Student Fees
Application Fee $53.50

Fall Term
Fee payment deadline August 15, 2025

Winter Term
Fee payment deadline: December 15, 2025

Total tuition & mandatory fees for year: $6,483.38

Part-time Fees
Tuition is calculated using “cost-per-credit” one credit is $170. Calculate the cost by multiplying the number of credits per course by $170.

Visit  Portage Bookstore for textbooks and supplies

Tuition Deposit: $100 (non-refundable for oversubscribed programs)

Need help funding your education? Check out our funding options.

Fee Explanations

Students’ Association Fees
These fees are authorized by student referendum and the Board of Governors. They are collected by the College on behalf of the Students’ Association in accordance with the Post Secondary Learning Act.

Health & Dental Fees
You may opt-out of the Dental and Health Insurance plan if you provide proof of comparable coverage for an extended health and/or dental care benefits plan.

Any questions regarding SA Fees including the Health and Dental Insurance fees should be directed to the SA Office 780-623-5609.

Athletics & Recreation Fees
These fees are collected to provide recreation and leisure opportunities that promote students’ physical, social, and emotional well-being, whether online or through in person facilities. Check out your +region in the link, to see what is offered at your campus or online.

Technology Fee
This is a mandatory fee assessed to students enrolling in any credit course (except for apprenticeship programs) at Portage College. The fee supports the on-going maintenance and upgrades to administrative systems that support the entire College infrastructure.

As such, it is considered a “mandatory non-instructional fee” and, therefore, is subject to Alberta Advanced Education Public Post-Secondary Institutions’ Tuition Fees Regulations. Visa students are charged the same rate as Canadian residents for this fee.

International Student Fees
Application Fee $160.00
Tuition Deposit $5000.00 (non-refundable)

If you choose to pay the full tuition and mandatory fees, you may still be eligible for a refund of payments above the $5000 deposit, as per the Portage College refund policy.

Fall Term
Fee payment deadline: August 15, 2025

Winter Term
Fee payment deadline: December 15, 2025

Total tuition & mandatory fees for year: $17,196.71

Visit  Portage Bookstore for textbooks and supplies

Fee Explanations

Students’ Association Fees
These fees are authorized by student referendum and the Board of Governors. They are collected by the College on behalf of the Students’ Association in accordance with the Post Secondary Learning Act.

Health & Dental Fees
You may opt-out of the Dental and Health Insurance plan if you provide proof of comparable coverage for an extended health and/or dental care benefits plan.

Any questions regarding SA Fees including the Health and Dental Insurance fees should be directed to the SA Office 780-623-5609.

Athletics & Recreation Fees
These fees are collected to provide recreation and leisure opportunities that promote students’ physical, social, and emotional well-being, whether online or through in person facilities. Check out your +region in the link, to see what is offered at your campus or online.

Technology Fee
This is a mandatory fee assessed to students enrolling in any credit course (except for apprenticeship programs) at Portage College. The fee supports the on-going maintenance and upgrades to administrative systems that support the entire College infrastructure.

As such, it is considered a “mandatory non-instructional fee” and, therefore, is subject to Alberta Advanced Education Public Post-Secondary Institutions’ Tuition Fees Regulations. Visa students are charged the same rate as Canadian residents for this fee.

Click here to view Other Fees for Service

• ART EXPOSE ll

  Course ID: VISA 172

  Name: ART EXPOSE ll

  Hours: 20

  Credits: 1

  Students work together to produce the art expose which is a two-day exhibition of all the work students have completed throughout the year. Students are required to participate in the planning, setting up, and hosting the event. Additionally, students will participate in a local field trip that provides experience visiting galleries, speaking to practicing artists and visiting other venues related to the production and sale of arts and crafts.

• ELECTIVE

  Course ID: ELEC100

  Name: ELECTIVE

  Hours: 45

  Credits: 3

  ELEC100

• INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART I

  Course ID: ARTH101

  Name: INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART I

  Hours: 45

  Credits: 3

  This course introduces the history of visual arts and design from the earliest evidence to the fourteenth century. The concentration will be on the history of art in the Near East and Europe: Western Art. Since there has been contact between these areas, the Indian sub-continent and the Far East, and these areas have influenced the later history of Western Art, the art of Asian cultures during this period will also be briefly considered.

  In this contemporary age, we are inclined to take visual images for granted, especially with the increase of images in mass advertising and television. In today's digital age, the impact of visual content is becoming more significant with the rise of the Internet and electronic media. Yet of all the arts, the visual arts are perhaps the most dependent on the continuum of evolution, development, tradition, and experimentation founded on earlier models and aesthetics.

  This course will, therefore, introduce students to the wealth contained in that continuum. Students will learn the skills necessary to consider visual art in a fulfilling way. Students will acquire some vocabulary, terminology, and more common methodologies. Students will develop skills to analyze and discuss works of art, articulate the cultural context of a piece of art, and identify how art reflects cultural concerns and imperatives. This course constitutes the first half of the basic foundation for all art history courses offered at the university level.

  Perhaps most significantly, students will explore some of the greatest human creations, works, constructions, and artifacts that exist, influence, and continue to have power over our imaginations and our intellects.
• INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART II

  Course ID: ARTH102

  Name: INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART II

  Hours: 45

  Credits: 3

  This course introduces the history of visual arts and design from the 14th Century to the present day. While the course can be taken by itself, it also builds on the knowledge gained from ARTH 101, which covers the history of visual arts and design from the earliest times up to the 14th Century. Starting from a period considered to be the origin of our modern age, ARTH 102 follows the development of visual arts to the types of art, design, and architecture found in our contemporary world.

  In our modern age, we are inclined to take for granted the cornucopia of visual images and art to which we are exposed, which has increased dramatically with the rise of mass advertising and television. In today's digital age, the impact of visual content is becoming more significant with the rise of the Internet and electronic media. Yet of all the arts, the visual arts are perhaps those most dependent on a continuum of evolution, development, tradition, and experimentation founded on earlier models. This course will introduce you to the wealth contained in that continuum. It will also introduce you to ways of looking at and considering visual art in a deeper and more fulfilling way. Students will acquire some vocabulary, terminology and more common methodologies. You will develop skills in analyzing and discussing works of art, understanding the cultural context of the art, and how works of art reflect cultural concerns and imperatives.

  For those who wish to continue the study of art history, this course will provide the foundation for academic approaches to the subject. The course introduces some of the most significant human creations, works, and artifacts that impact human thoughts and experiences while continuing to influence our imaginations and intellect.

• FINE ARTS STUDIO I

  Course ID: VISA 108

  Name: FINE ARTS STUDIO I

  Hours: 75

  Credits: 3

  In this course, students enhance their artistic exploration with studio time to create a body of work that reflects their vision and expression in a focused area of study. Through close collaboration with their instructor, students will design and carry out a comprehensive plan for curating a vendor display to showcase and market their artwork at various art-related events. This plan will encompass their personal artistic direction, research objectives, chosen media, projected timelines, and the anticipated volume of work to produce. Not only do students continue to expand their portfolios, but they also gain practical experience in setting up and curating art exhibitions to display their work to its fullest potential.

• JUNIOR LEVEL ENGLISH

  Course ID: ELEC100

  Name: JUNIOR LEVEL ENGLISH

  Hours: 45

  Credits: 3

  Junior Level English Elective

• VISUAL ARTS I - DRAWING

  Course ID: NATA166

  Name: VISUAL ARTS I - DRAWING

  Hours: 75

  Credits: 3

  The focus of this course is on the exploration of a variety of wet & dry drawing materials and the development of basic drawing skills. Students will be introduced to fundamentals including line, shape, volume, value, texture, perspective and composition. This exploration and skill development will be done through observational and imaginative drawing.

• VISUAL ARTS II - PAINTING

  Course ID: NATA167

  Name: VISUAL ARTS II - PAINTING

  Hours: 75

  Credits: 3

  This is an introductory painting course that familiarizes students with a variety of techniques, concepts, and processes in painting. The focus will be on using acrylic paint to develop an understanding of colour and composition. This will be done through a series of projects that feature a variety of genres, compositional concepts and visual strategies.

• VISUAL ARTS III - PRINTMAKING AND MIXED MEDIA

  Course ID: NATA168

  Name: VISUAL ARTS III - PRINTMAKING AND MIXED MEDIA

  Hours: 75

  Credits: 3

  In this course, students will complete exploration modules in each of the following mediums: printmaking and mixed media compositions. Students will study various printmaking processes with an emphasis on learning basic materials and exploring the potential of this art form. Additionally, students will explore the use of mixed media in primarily 2D compositions.

• VISUAL ARTS IV - Media Exploration ll

  Course ID: NATA169

  Name: VISUAL ARTS IV - Media Exploration ll

  Hours: 75

  Credits: 3

  In this course, students will complete a variety of sculpture modules while exploring various sculptural processes and art media including clay, wood, plaster, metal, natural materials, and composites. These sculpture modules will also include a wide range of sculptural methods such as mold making, clay construction, glaze technology, wood and metal fabrication, digital 3-D printing, and maquette building.

• VISUAL ARTS V-MAKING/2D COMPOSITION

  Course ID: NATA173

  Name: VISUAL ARTS V-MAKING/2D COMPOSITION

  Hours: 75

  Credits: 3

  This course builds on the skills and knowledge acquired in Visual Arts I & II. Further development of drawing and painting skills will be achieved through various mediums, including watercolor and focusing on strategies that help students produce visual expressions that reflect interpretive and expressive outcomes. Students will work on developing personal styles.