Basically non-specialized art schools vs. schools that specialize in art. If I were to go to OCAD or Sheridan, my choice of program would be Illustration. My field of interest is in digital painting (the kind you see in concept art for videogames).

So my question is, how do the art programs between these schools compare? If there isn't much of a difference, I would prefer to go to York University or University of Waterloo so I can take electives in Chinese / Japanese language classes and I like their campuses better than OCAD (haven't seen Sheridan).

Also, to get a work visa for working internationally, I need a minimum of a 4 year bachelor's degree in any field (meaning an applied degree isn't good enough). I'm assuming that any degree with the word 'applied' in it is an applied degree. Would Sheridan's 4 year Bachelor's of Applied Arts be considered an applied degree? If so then going to Sheridan is out of the question.

Are the art programs at OCAD and Sheridan better than the ones at York and Waterloo? How big is the difference?