Please note:

To view the Spring 2025 Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2025/spring.

School for the Contemporary Arts | Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology Simon Fraser University Calendar | Summer 2025

Dance Major

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The bachelor of fine arts (BFA) with a major in dance approaches dance as an art form and integrates theory with creative and technical studio courses. Emphasis is given to contemporary dance technique, composition and experimentation. Courses are also offered in body conditioning practices, ballet, history and criticism, and movement analysis. Course work in other artistic disciplines is encouraged, and opportunities for participation in a variety of productions are available. The program is intended for students who desire to study dance in relation to other contemporary art disciplines and academic fields.

Students are encouraged to plan their program in consultation with the school’s advisor.

Admission Requirements

Program and course admission is contingent upon University admission. Contact Student Services for admission procedures, requirements and deadlines. Entry to all programs and to many courses is by audition, interview or application. Contact the school’s office for information on procedures and deadlines or visit our website.

Although the University operates on a trimester system, most CA courses are planned in a two term (fall and spring) sequence. Consequently, students enter in the fall term (September) and are advised to contact the school in the preceding January for program entry and requirements information.

Entry to CA 122 Contemporary Dance I is by audition/interview usually in early spring. Contact the school to make an appointment.

Transfer Credit and Advanced Standing

Unassigned or general elective (type 2 and 3, respectively) transfer credit awarded for courses completed at other recognized post-secondary institutions will not automatically entitle students to advanced standing in the school’s programs. Advanced standing is generally given on an individual basis as a result of an audition or interview.

About the School’s Course Offerings

Students are encouraged to take advantage of interdisciplinary offerings within the school. As many programs depend on a continuing sequence of courses completed in order, students should plan carefully to gain the maximum benefit and efficiency from their study.

Note that not all courses are offered every term and several are offered on a rotational basis, i.e. every third or fourth term. An advisor is available to help plan study programs.

Students are reminded that the school is an interdisciplinary contemporary arts department, and are strongly advised to acquaint themselves with the many disciplinary courses that are available.

Special Topics Courses

The subject matter (and prerequisites) of special or selected topics courses vary by term.

Prior Approval Prerequisite

Where a prerequisite is or includes ‘prior approval,’ approval must be obtained before enrolling in the course. Contact the school for further information.

Program Requirements

Entry to first year dance courses required for the major is by audition and interview. Contact the school prior to attendance at the university to request information about audition details and dates.

Students complete 120 units, as specified below.

Academic Continuance Policy

Policy:

All students who successfully complete the acceptance process within the School for the Contemporary Arts are offered the status of “Major” in a specific area of study entering the first year. In order to remain a major, all students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA in CA courses of 2.67. Students that fall below the 2.67 will have a limited time to bring the average up before losing their status as a major.

Process:

All SCA student GPA levels will be evaluated at the end of each academic year, normally at the end of the Spring semester. A student who falls below the required cumulative GPA in CA courses of 2.67 will be notified of their probation status as a major with a limited time to adjust their CA GPA. Students will need to meet with the Area Coordinator and Advisor and plan their academic career for either re-establishing the Major or pursuing an FCAT BA with a double minor program. If the student does not bring the cumulative GPA in CA courses to 2.67 in the allotted time, he/she will be dropped from the major. If the student is in first or second year of study within the major and falls below the required cumulative GPA in CA courses of 2.67, the student will have two semesters to bring up their average to 2.67. If the student is in third year of their major, they will have one semester to bring their average to 2.67. Students who lose their status as a major in the SCA will have the option of pursuing the extended minor as part of the double minor BA option in FCAT, or via other options in the university. In extraordinary circumstances, the area coordinator and director of the school will review academic continuance policy cases.

Lower Division Requirements

Students complete a minimum of 45 units including

two core courses below

CA 186 - Art and the Moving Image (3)
CA 285 - Interdisciplinary Studio - Composition/Collaboration (3)

plus one additional CA history course outside their major*

and all of

CA 122 - Dance Training and Movement Systems I (5)
CA 123 - Dance Training and Movement Systems II (5)
CA 124 - Improvisation Tools and Scores (3)
CA 127 - History of Dance: From the 20th Century to the Present (3)
CA 129 - Movement Fundamentals (3)
CA 220 - Dance Training and Movement Systems III (4)
CA 221 - Dance Training and Movement Systems IV (4)
CA 228W - Dance Aesthetics (3)

and six additional units in lower division CA courses outside of dance from below

CA 149 - Sound (3)
CA 150 - Introduction to Acting (3)
CA 160 - Introductory Studio in Visual Art I (3)
CA 170 - Introduction to Production Technology (3)
CA 171 - Introduction to Stage and Production Management (3)

* See advisor for course options.

Upper Division Requirements

Students complete a minimum of 34 units including all of

CA 320 - Dance Training and Movement Systems V (4)
CA 321 - Dance Training and Movement Systems VI (4)
CA 324 - Approaches to Composition (3)
CA 420 - Dance Training and Movement Systems VII (4) *
CA 424 - Making/Artistic Research (3)
CA 425 - Intensive Studies in Performance: Senior Projects (5) *

and the remaining units to total 34 from the following, including one upper division CA history or theory course outside the major**

CA 322 - Intermediate Ballet I (3) *
CA 323 - Intermediate Ballet II (3) *
CA 326 - Repertory I (5) *
CA 327 - Repertory II (5) *
CA 329 - Selected Topics in Dance II (3)
CA 421 - Choreographic Lab (4)
CA 426 - Dance/Movement Analysis (3)
CA 427 - Advanced Ballet I (3)
CA 428 - Advanced Ballet II (3)
CA 440 - Soundbox II (3)
CA 485 - Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Contemporary Arts (5)

* May be completed more than once for credit.

** Other dance related courses may be substituted with permission of the school.

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.