Making Arts Education Accessible to All
As transformative as it can be on a personal and societal level, getting a university-level arts education can pose a series of barriers for many people. Geography, financial limitations, institutional silos, and rigid program structures have made it difficult for many learners, particularly those outside the arts, to engage with its potential benefits.
The University of Ottawa Faculty of Arts’ new approach to online learning is designed to address those barriers by reimagining the way arts education is developed and delivered. New programs, courses and workshops in philosophy, literature, cultural studies, languages, and history (and more) are being developed to reach a broader range of learners, from all backgrounds, ages and life paths. These offerings are not reserved for full-time, on-campus arts majors; they are accessible to lifelong learners, working professionals, STEM students, and anyone with a desire to think critically and creatively about our world and our future.
The Arts as a Force for Equity and Empathy
Arts education helps students make sense of complex human experiences. It provides tools for ethical reasoning and critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding, and civic engagement. In a diverse and interconnected society, these are foundational, enduring tools that help us succeed.
An arts education that explores the richness of human culture through diverse voices, historical perspectives and creative expression also provides a host of individually transformative benefits: fostering empathy, expanding ethical awareness, and encouraging presence in a distracted world. These are key attributes of human intelligence, and they are deeply aligned with our institutional values around equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Bringing these benefits to a larger audience, through a combination of approach and technology, is vital.
Online platforms enable us to meet learners where they are, both literally and intellectually, while a more inclusive approach takes into account who they are. Whether a student is working full-time, parenting, living in a remote community, or simply exploring new areas of interest, they can now participate in a conversation about art, identity, power, and resilience. This shift allows for more diverse perspectives in the (virtual) classroom, enriching the dialogue and deepening the learning for everyone involved.
A Foundation for the Future
By expanding online offerings, the University of Ottawa Faculty of Arts is doing more than making education accessible, it’s laying the foundation for a more empathetic, resilient, and thoughtful society. Every student who learns to analyze a poem, engage in ethical dialogue, or understand the cultural history behind a global issue is gaining skills that matter far beyond the classroom.
Cultivating Human Intelligence, Together
The University of Ottawa Faculty of Arts’ commitment to cultivating human intelligence is grounded in the belief that the arts are not just relevant in today’s world, they are essential. By making arts education accessible, equitable, and innovative, more learners are invited into the conversation. This new approach to online learning will empower individuals to reflect, imagine, connect, and contribute to co-creating a better future for all.