Dominican University College

The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church was completed in November 1872 at the corner of Primrose and Victoria Avenue (now Empress) in Ottawa.[3] The adjoining Dominican convent and house of studies opened in 1899, modeled after the medieval studium generale specializing in Philosophy and Theology. In 1900, the Dominicans brought their School of Theology to Ottawa, followed shortly thereafter by studies in Philosophy in 1902, and granted ecclesiastical degrees at the level of licentiate. The first regent of the university, from 1900-1920, was Raymond-Marie Rouleau, who would later become archbishop of Quebec and then a Cardinal.

In 1930, the Institut d'Etudes Medievales d'Ottawa was established at the convent as the French speaking equivalent to the Institute of Mediaeval Studies at St. Michael's College of the University of Toronto founded in 1929. Étienne Gilson and Marie-Dominique Chenu were instrumental in the founding of the institute, which relocated to the Université de Montréal in 1942.[4]

On February 8, 1931, fire destroyed the original Saint-Jean-Baptiste church and portions of the convent. The rebuilt church and convent which remain today were opened on Easter 1932.[5]

In 1967, a civil charter was granted to the Collège dominicain de philosophie et de théologie by the Ontario Government, allowing the college to offer civil university degrees in philosophy and theology. The first Doctorate in Theology from Dominican College was granted in 1971. In 1974 Dominican College joined the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. The university opened its undergraduate and graduate programs in Philosophy to English speaking students in 1992 and 1997 respectively, and established English undergraduate and graduate programs in Theology in 2003 and 2007.

Today the building houses the Dominican Monastery and the Dominican University College, which offers undergraduate and graduate studies in philosophy and theology. The building has several architecturally interesting and historically significant features, including cloister vault ceilings, stained glass by Guido Nincheri, and a Casavant Frères organ.

The Faculty of Philosophy at DUC specializes in the history of philosophy, modern European philosophy and Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics. Faculty members come from both the analytic and continental traditions.

The Faculty of Theology has strengths in New Testament hermeneutics and value personalism.

View of St-Jean-Baptiste Church from the inner garden

The Association Étudiants Collège Dominicain (AECDO) elects representatives to sit on the boards for both the Faculty of Philosophy and of the Faculty of Theology. It organizes and directs various activities (extracurricular, social justice committee, social gathering) pertaining to student life.[7]

The Dominican University College Foundation is a public charitable organization whose sole purpose is to raise funds for DUC and the Institut de pastorale in order to help build its future and support students and faculty through bursaries and endowed research chairs.[17]

• Leslie Armour - former professor of philosophy, known for his work on Canadian philosophy and economics.
• Lawrence Dewan - former professor of philosophy, known for his work in Thomistic studies.[18]
• Lorraine Caza - alumna and former professor, the first woman in the world to hold the position of Dean of a faculty of theology of pontifical right.[19]
• Benoît Lacroix - philosopher, theologian, and medievalist.

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dominican University College.

• Official website
• Institut de pastorale website
• Canadian Dominicans
• University's Online Library Catalog