Graduate

The Master of Arts in Contemporary Arts (MA) is at the forefront of an emergent intermedial approach to the arts. A radical mutuality characterizes the relationships among the visual arts, visual culture, performing arts, and art forms that incorporate reproducible and digital media. This program thinks across the media arts in a comparative perspective that synthesizes the historical and theoretical approaches of art history, performance studies, and studies of computer-based arts.

The Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts (MFA) program provides advanced, professional interdisciplinary training for artists in the fields of music, dance, theatre, film, video and visual art. The program develops student's individual artistic practice, creativity, interdisciplinary research, technical skill and critical awareness of art's relationship to contemporary society.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Contemporary Arts is a research-intensive program focused on scholarly and practiced-based approaches to the fine and performing arts. Students may undertake comparative scholarly approaches to visual culture, media arts, sound studies, and performance studies, culminating in a substantial written thesis, or pursue a mix of studio, curatorial, and community-based research, resulting in the creation of an original artwork or a public presentation supplemented by a substantial written body of work incorporating students鈥� reflection and commentary.

MA PROGRAM APPLICATION

If you are interested in applying for the MA program for entry in Fall 2026, please refer to the MA program application procedures to review what you will need for your application.

The SFU Graduate Studies application portal for prospective students is set to open on October 1, 2025.

The SCA's Internal MA deadline is January 31, 2026.

PLEASE NOTE: the SCA Graduate Program Committee will begin to review MA applications on November 1, 2025, in order to allow MA applicants a sufficient amount of time to apply for their necessary study permits and other necessary documents (i.e. PALS). The final MA application deadline is January 31, 2026.

Please click HERE for further information about the MA program.

Read the MA Graduate Handbook online HERE.

MFA PROGRAM APPLICATION

If you are interested in applying for the MFA program for Fall 2026, please refer to the MFA program application procedures to review what you will need for your application.

The SFU Graduate Studies application portal for prospective students is set to open on October 1, 2025.

The SCA's Internal MFA deadline is January 15, 2026.

PLEASE NOTE: the SCA Graduate Program Committee will begin to review MFA applications on November 1, 2025, in order to allow MFA applicants a sufficient amount of time to apply for their necessary study permits and other necessary documents (i.e. PALS). The final MFA application deadline is January 15, 2026.

Please click HERE for further information about the MFA program.

Read the MFA Graduate Handbook online HERE.

PhD PROGRAM APPLICATION

If you are interested in applying for the PhD program for Fall 2026, please refer to the PhD program application procedures to review what you will need for your application.

The SFU Graduate Studies application portal for prospective students is set to open on October 1, 2025.

The SCA's Internal PhD deadline is December 31, 2025.

Please click HERE for further information about the PhD program.

Read the PhD Graduate Handbook online HERE.

Future Course Offerings

Here's the planned course load for our graduate programs (which have some courses in common):

Spring 2026

CA 825: New Approaches in Digital Art Studies with Claudette Lauzon
CA 827: Practicum in Contemporary Arts with Kay Higgins
CA 830: Internship in Contemporary Arts with Kay Higgins
CA 883: Studio in Contemporary Arts with Nadia Shihab
CA 891: Professional Practices II with Denise Oleksijczuk

Please visit the Course Calender for course descriptions.

Questions?

For further inquiries about the SCA's Graduate Programs, please send an email to the Graduate Program Coordinator: sca_gpa@sfu.ca.

Tour the SCA

We'd love to show you around! A tour is a great opportunity to ask questions about our Areas and the application process. Please fill out our Tour Request Form with your contact information and we'll get back to you to set something up.