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To view the current Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar.

Interactive Arts and Technology and Business Joint Major

Bachelor of Science

This bachelor of science (BSc) program produces well-rounded graduates with expertise in the school’s concentrations as well as solid business knowledge. All programs are human-centred and technology oriented. Combining these aspects with business knowledge prepares for industry leadership positions, and provides a strong understanding of how to deploy design processes in larger managerial and technological contexts. As well, students will identify market and funding opportunities.

All bachelor's degree programs for a first bachelor's degree require successful completion of a minimum of 120 units including at least 44 upper division units.

Admission Requirements

Beedie School of Business Admission Requirements

Joint major applicants should apply to Beedie through the Internal Transfer process, which is outlined on the Beedie School of Business website, after completing 24 units, of which at least 12 units must have been completed at SFU, and the required courses for joint major program admission with a minimum C- letter grade. Students must already be accepted to the interactive arts and technology portion of the joint major or be eligible for admission that term.

Admission to the Beedie School of Business is competitive. Applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements to be considered; attainment of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants are encouraged to review admission policies and requirements specified on the Beedie School of Business admission website.

Supplemental Application

The Beedie School of Business requires all applicants to submit a supplemental application as part of their admission evaluation. The supplemental application will be used to assess factors beyond academics such as engagement, achievement, and additional qualities. For further information on the supplemental application, please visit: https://beedie.sfu.ca/programs/undergraduate-2/bba-major/how-to-apply.

The supplemental application may include:

  • An explanation of extra-curricular experience (i.e. in the areas of: athletics, arts, community leadership/involvement, work experience, and/or entrepreneurship)
  • Short answer questions
  • Online video interview
  • References with at least one being academic in nature
  • Any additional information in support of the application

Application Procedures

Internal transfer applicants (current SFU students) should apply for admission to the faculty upon completion of the admission requirements.

Students not accepted upon initial application may reapply. Unsuccessful applicants are permitted to appeal.

Students applying for a second degree in business must consult with a Beedie Academic Advisor. Students who have a business degree (e.g. BBA, BCom, business major/joint major, MBA, etc.) or have significant curriculum overlap will not be eligible for admission to the BBA program.

Application Deadlines

Visit https://beedie.sfu.ca/programs/undergraduate-2/bba-major/how-to-apply for application deadlines.

School of Interactive Arts and Technology Admission Criteria

Please refer to the admission requirements section.

Grade Requirements

In addition to normal university grade point average requirements, the Beedie School of Business requires a minimum 2.30 overall SFU Business grade point average for entry into all 300 and 400 division business courses.

A minimum 2.30 overall SFU Business course grade point average is required for graduation from a business major, joint major, or double degree program.

For a course to be accepted as fulfilling a prerequisite, or for a lower division requirement, or for a core course to be accepted in a student’s program in business, a student must have obtained a minimum grade of C- (C minus).

Students must achieve a minimum C- grade (or higher) in all required courses.

Program Requirements

Prerequisite Grade Requirement

Interactive arts and technology course entry requires a grade of C- or better in each prerequisite course.

Students must obtain permission from the department if they wish to complete, for further credit, any course that is a prerequisite for a course the student has already completed with a grade of C- or higher.

Continuance Requirements

Students in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology are required to maintain a 2.4 GPA in their IAT courses. Students who fall below this continuance requirement will be placed on academic warning in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology and will have two terms to bring their IAT GPA to a 2.4 or higher. Failure to do so will result in removal from the interactive arts and technology major or joint major program.

Students removed from the interactive arts and technology major or joint major program will be placed in the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology double minor program. Students wishing to transfer back into the major or joint major will need to meet the admission requirements to obtain re-entry.

Lower Division Business Requirements

Students complete all of

BUS 207 - Managerial Economics (3)
BUS 217W - Critical Thinking in Business (3)
BUS 251 - Financial Accounting I (3)
BUS 254 - Managerial Accounting I (3)
BUS 272 - Behaviour in Organizations (3)
MATH 157 - Calculus I for the Social Sciences (3)

and one of

ECON 103 - Principles of Microeconomics (4)
ECON 113 - Introduction to Microeconomics (3)

and one of

ECON 105 - Principles of Macroeconomics (4)
ECON 115 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (3)

and one of

BUS 232 - Business Statistics (3)
ECON 233 - Introduction to Economic Data and Statistics (3)
STAT 270 - Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3)

Lower Division Interactive Arts and Technology Requirements

Students complete all of

CMPT 120 - Introduction to Computing Science and Programming I (3) or an equivalent introductory programming course such as CMPT 102, CMPT 125, CMPT 126, CMPT 128, CMPT 130, or CMPT 166
IAT 100 - Digital Image Design (3)
IAT 102 - Graphic Design (3)
IAT 167 - Digital Games: Genre, Structure, Programming and Play (3)
IAT 201 - Human-Computer Interaction and Cognition (3)
IAT 235 - Information Design (3)
IAT 265 - Multimedia Programming for Art and Design (3) or other approved second year programming course

In addition, students are required to choose one concentration.

Upper Division Business Requirements

Students complete all of

BUS 303 - Business, Society and Ethics (3)
BUS 312 - Introduction to Finance (3)
BUS 343 - Introduction to Marketing (3)
BUS 393 - Commercial Law (3)
BUS 478 - Strategy (3) ^

and one of

BUS 374 - Organization Theory (3)
BUS 381 - Introduction to Human Resource Management (3)

BUS 360W is recommended but not required. BUS 360W will be waived as a prerequisite for 400 division business courses for those in approved business joint programs, provided that an alternative approved upper division W course is in progress, or has been completed. Students should consult with a Beedie School of Business Academic Advisor for further information on obtaining a waiver.

BUS 360W must be completed at Simon Fraser University in accordance with the WQB requirements.

^ Must be completed at Simon Fraser University.

Business 400 Division Requirement

Students must complete at least one 400 division BUS course, worth a minimum of three units (excluding BUS 478 and practicum courses).

Business Concentration

Students may choose to complete one or more business concentrations by meeting the concentration requirements listed on the business major page of the calendar.

Upper Division Interactive Arts and Technology Requirements

SIAT Concentrations

A concentration is a group of related courses that approved IAT joint majors must pursue within their degree. Including concentration courses, joint majors must complete 20 units of upper division IAT units.

Students may complete more than one concentration. All completed concentrations will be recognized on their transcript. All upper division (300 and 400-level) concentration courses must be completed at SFU.

Creative Media

In the creative media concentration, students gain skills in emergent areas such as narrative, interactivity, video, sound design, motion capture, visual effects and immersive technologies to tackle meaningful and critically-engaged stories, preparing them for further work in graduate studies or careers in entertainment, film, media arts, and software media industries.

Students who choose this concentration complete the following courses:

IAT 313 - Narrative and New Media (3)
IAT 340 - Sound Design (3)
IAT 344 - Moving Images (4)
IAT 443 - Senior Project in Creative Media (6)

Designing Interactions

Designing interactions develops competencies in interaction design, speculative design and user experience design. Projects develop problem-solving capabilities rigorously tested by critique after framing and research for interventions for people and communities. The role of the designer is explored in a range of contexts. Projects range from screen-based to tangible artifacts, products and services.

Students who choose this concentration complete the following courses:

IAT 333 - Interaction Design Methods (4)
IAT 431 - Speculative Design (4)
IAT 438 - User Experience Design (6)

Extended Reality and Game Design

The XR and game design concentration provides a blend of technical, theoretical, and practical skills in diverse areas of extended reality and game design. Students learn to create compelling gaming and immersive experiences, apply user-centered design, manage projects, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and engage in critical thinking and ethical practices.

Students who choose this concentration complete the following courses:

IAT 312 - Foundations of Game Design (4)
IAT 343 - Animation (4)
IAT 410 - Advanced Game Design (4)
IAT 445 - Immersive Environments (4)

AI and Data Science for Human-Centered Systems

This concentration is aimed to teach students the skills to extract insights from data, design and build AI systems for interactive technologies, data-driven decision-making, and computer assisted creativity. It emphasizes applying human-centered computing principles and ethical considerations to AI and data science to design, evaluate and deploy state-of-the-art interactive systems.

Students who choose this concentration complete the following courses:

IAT 355 - Introduction to Visual Analytics (3)
IAT 360 - Exploring Artificial Intelligence: Its Use, Concepts, and Impact (3)
IAT 460 - Generative AI and Computational Creativity (4)
IAT 461 - Data Science for Human-Centered Systems (4)

Design and Development for Web and Mobile

This concentration provides students with the theories, tools and methods for developing digital applications for the web and mobile. There is a heavy focus on modern development practices, accessibility considerations and creating applications tailored to meet the unique needs of the target audience while considering the context of use.

Students who choose this concentration complete the following courses:

IAT 339 - Web Design and Development (3)
IAT 359 - Mobile Computing (4)
IAT 459 - Internet Computing Technologies (4)

IAT BSc Requirements

Of the total of 44 upper division units required to their degree, students must complete a total of 24 units chosen from the following science courses to satisfy the BSc requirements:

IAT 330 - Make Change Studio I: Introduction (3)
IAT 333 - Interaction Design Methods (4)
IAT 336 - Materials in Design (4)
IAT 339 - Web Design and Development (3)
IAT 351 - Advanced Human-Computer Interaction (3)
IAT 355 - Introduction to Visual Analytics (3)
IAT 359 - Mobile Computing (4)
IAT 381 - Special Topics in Interactive Arts and Technology (Science) (3)
IAT 387 - Directed Studies (3)
IAT 410 - Advanced Game Design (4)
IAT 430 - Make Change Studio III: Refinement and Production (3)
IAT 432 - Design Evaluation (3)
IAT 437 - Representation and Fabrication (3)
IAT 452 - Developing Design Tools (3)
IAT 455 - Computational Media (3)
IAT 459 - Internet Computing Technologies (4)
IAT 481 - Special Topics in Interactive Arts and Technology (Science) (3)
IAT 487 - Directed Studies (3)
IAT 499 - Graduation Project (6)

and any upper division course from: computing science (CMPT), engineering science (ENSC), biomedical physiology and kinesiology (BPK), management and systems science (MSSC), mathematics (MATH), mathematics and computing science (MACM), cognitive science (COGS), or psychology (PSYC)

SFU Degree Requirements

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to Simon Fraser University beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

WQB Graduation Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit

Requirement

Units

Notes
W - Writing

6

Must include at least one upper division course, taken at Simon Fraser University within the student's major subject; two courses (minimum three units each)

Q - Quantitative

6

Q courses may be lower or upper division; two courses (total six units or more)
B - Breadth

18

Designated Breadth

Must be outside the student's major subject, and may be lower or upper division:

Two courses (total six units or more) Social Sciences: B-Soc
Two courses (total six units or more) Humanities: B-Hum
Two courses (total six units or more) Sciences: B-Sci

6

Additional Breadth

Two courses (total six units or more) outside the student's major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements).

Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

  • At least half of the program's total units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.
  • At least two thirds of the program's total upper division units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.