NSCAD enrollment up despite higher tuition rates

Higher tuition fees haven’t seemed to have affected NSCAD University this fall where enrollment of first year students is up 12 per cent.

Last December, the school’s board of governors voted to increase tuition by between 7.7 and 9.1 per cent over three years for students taking five classes or more per semester, which kicked in this fall.

Jim Barmby, NSCAD’s Associate Vice President, Student Experience and Registrar told NEWS 95.7 the increase is being attributed to a recruitment technique that’s becoming popular at many schools.

“What we’ve done differently over the previous years is we’ve included students as part of the recruiting process where we have recruiting assistants who are students,” he said.  “The 3 students employed this summer who helped us connect the students to answering any of their questions, tell the stories of what it’s like to be a NSCAD student.”

Barmby said the university is working on a new website that should be out in the next 6 or 8 months, as well as revising curriculum to further enhance the NSCAD experience. He added the Master of Design programs and the Master of Fine Arts programs are being expanded. He said the school will be introducing a Master of Arts in Art Education Program ‘fairly soon.’

Nova Scotia is second in the country for highest average tuition fees at just under $7,200. Ontario is the highest where fees average $8,100, according to Statistics Canada.