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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

Art, Performance and Cinema Studies Major

Bachelor of Arts

This program leads to a bachelor of arts (BA) degree.

Within the contemporary arts, there are lively debates about the meaning and significance of individual artworks, as well as their relationships to audiences and to other forms of culture. The program investigates art and culture with attention to the historically changing forms of class, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality and aesthetics. It provides students with the knowledge, research and communication skills needed to participate effectively in contemporary debates about art and culture. The core program includes two introductory studio courses from a multidisciplinary range of choices; these provide the experience of the creative process in dance, music, theatre, video or visual art. The program is interdisciplinary, but also provides a knowledge of and sensitivity to the distinctive qualities of specific art forms. Course selection beyond the program’s core is flexible and students are encouraged to shape their studies in the school, or in the university at large.

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.

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

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 (see process below) 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 for Both Streams

Students in both streams complete a total of 27 units including all of:

CA 118 - Contemporary Art History (3)
CA 137 - The History and Aesthetics of Cinema II (3)
CA 186 - Art and the Moving Image (3)
CA 210W - Art and Visual Culture: Materials, Forms, Histories (3)
CA 285 - Interdisciplinary Studio - Composition/Collaboration (3)

Art and Performance Studies Stream

Lower Division Requirements

In addition to the lower division courses required for both streams, students in the art and performance studies stream must complete:

CA 117 - Modern Art History (3)

Plus six units from below:

CA 127 - History of Dance: From the 20th Century to the Present (3)
CA 136 - The History and Aesthetics of Cinema I (3)
CA 140 - Contexts in Creative Music and Sound Practice (3)
CA 149 - Sound (3)
CA 217 - Introduction to Performance Studies (3)
CA 228W - Dance Aesthetics (3)
CA 235 - Experimental Film and Video (3)
CA 257W - Context I (3)
HUM 211 - Art and Literature of the Italian Renaissance (3)

And six units from below:

CA 120 - Introduction to Dance Forms: Contemporary and Popular (3)
CA 129 - Movement Fundamentals (3)
CA 150 - Introduction to Acting (3)
CA 160 - Introductory Studio in Visual Art I (3)
CA 170 - Introduction to Production Technology (3)
CA 243 - Gamelan I (3)

Upper Division Requirements

Students are encouraged to plan in advance, as some upper division courses may not be offered each year. Students who wish to complete upper division courses must make sure they have the disciplinary prerequisites and should be aware that studio courses may have limited enrolments.

Students complete a minimum of 28 units from the list below, including a minimum 12 units from these courses:

CA 312 - Selected Topics in Contemporary Arts (3) *
CA 314 - Readings in the History of Art, Performance and Cinema (3) *
CA 315 - Sound Art: History and Concepts (4)
CA 412W - Advanced Seminar in Art and Performance Studies (4) *
CA 414 - Advanced Topic in the History of Art, Performance and Cinema (3) *

Remaining units can be drawn from the list below:

CA 308 - Contemporary Arts Field School I (Theory/History) (4)
CA 316 - Intermediate Selected Topics in Cinema Studies (4)
CA 318 - Theory and Cinema (4)
CA 319W - Critical Writing in the Arts (3)
CA 341 - Music and Culture (3)
CA 357W - Context II (3)
CA 359 - Selected Topics in Theatre (3)
CA 389 - Selected Topics in the Contemporary Arts II (3)
CA 401 - Directed Studies (Theory/History) (3)
CA 406 - Practicum in Contemporary Arts II (4)
CA 408 - Contemporary Arts Field School III (Theory/History) (4)
CA 416 - Advanced Seminar in Cinema Studies (4)
CA 457 - Context of Theatre III (4)
CA 485 - Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Contemporary Arts (5)
CA 489 - Interdisciplinary Project in Contemporary Arts (5)
HUM 309 - Literatures and the Arts Across Cultures (4)
HUM 311 - Italian Renaissance Humanism (4)

Other CA courses can be substituted for courses on this list with permission from area.

* may be repeated for credit if the topic changes

Cinema Studies Stream

Lower Division Requirements

In addition to the lower division courses required for both streams, students in the cinema studies stream must complete:

CA 136 - The History and Aesthetics of Cinema I (3)

One of:

CA 216 - Selected Topics in Cinema Studies (3) ***
CA 235 - Experimental Film and Video (3) ***
CA 236 - Cinema in Canada (3)

And one of:

CA 117 - Modern Art History (3)
CA 127 - History of Dance: From the 20th Century to the Present (3)
CA 140 - Contexts in Creative Music and Sound Practice (3)
CA 149 - Sound (3)
CA 217 - Introduction to Performance Studies (3)
CA 228W - Dance Aesthetics (3)
CA 257W - Context I (3)
HUM 211 - Art and Literature of the Italian Renaissance (3)

Plus three units from below:

CA 120 - Introduction to Dance Forms: Contemporary and Popular (3)
CA 129 - Movement Fundamentals (3)
CA 150 - Introduction to Acting (3)
CA 160 - Introductory Studio in Visual Art I (3)
CA 170 - Introduction to Production Technology (3)
CA 238W - Screenwriting I (3)
CA 243 - Gamelan I (3)

*** Cannot be repeated for credit within the degree requirements

Upper Division Requirements

Students are encouraged to plan in advance, as some upper division courses may not be offered each year. Students who wish to complete upper division courses must make sure they have the disciplinary prerequisites and should be aware that studio courses may have limited enrollments.

Students must complete a minimum of 28 units, including all of:

CA 316 - Intermediate Selected Topics in Cinema Studies (4) *
CA 318 - Theory and Cinema (4)
CA 416 - Advanced Seminar in Cinema Studies (4) *

Remaining units can be drawn from related courses including:

CA 308 - Contemporary Arts Field School I (Theory/History) (4) **
CA 312 - Selected Topics in Contemporary Arts (3) **
CA 314 - Readings in the History of Art, Performance and Cinema (3) +
CA 315 - Sound Art: History and Concepts (4)
CA 316 - Intermediate Selected Topics in Cinema Studies (4) *
CA 319W - Critical Writing in the Arts (3)
CA 338W - Screenwriting II (3)
CA 389 - Selected Topics in the Contemporary Arts II (3) **
CA 401 - Directed Studies (Theory/History) (3)
CA 406 - Practicum in Contemporary Arts II (4)
CA 408 - Contemporary Arts Field School III (Theory/History) (4) **
CA 412W - Advanced Seminar in Art and Performance Studies (4) +
CA 414 - Advanced Topic in the History of Art, Performance and Cinema (3) +
CA 416 - Advanced Seminar in Cinema Studies (4) *
CA 485 - Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Contemporary Arts (5)
CA 489 - Interdisciplinary Project in Contemporary Arts (5)
ENGL 383 - Studies in Popular Literature and Culture (4)
HUM 309 - Literatures and the Arts Across Cultures (4)
HUM 311 - Italian Renaissance Humanism (4)
HUM 333W - Italian Films, Italian Humanities (4)

Other CA courses can be substituted for courses on this list with permission from area.

* Can be repeated as an elective if the topic of the course changes.

** Only when the topic is cinema/media/theory of relevance; prior approval required.

+ Can be repeated as an elective if the topic of the course changes. Only when the topic is cinema/media/theory of relevance; prior approval required.

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.