Advising and Enrollment

All current students may meet with the undergraduate advisor before registering for any future courses. The advisor will discuss program options, and course requirements for your degree. SFU views sound academic advising as a significant responsibility in educating students. Academic advisers assist students in developing intellectual potential and exploring educational opportunities and life goals. Many people in the campus community contribute to the advising process, including faculty, staff, student, and professional advisers. Through the relationship established between adviser and student within a friendly, helpful, and professional atmosphere, a student has the opportunity to learn about educational options, degree requirements, and academic policies and procedures; clarify educational objectives; plan and pursue programs consistent with abilities, interests, and life goals; and use all resources of the University to best advantage.

Ultimately, the student is responsible for seeking adequate academic advice, for knowing and meeting degree requirements, and for enrolling in appropriate courses to ensure orderly and timely progress toward a degree. Frequent adviser contact provides students with current academic information and promotes progress toward educational goals. The University supports that progress and encourages effective academic advising.

Advising Appointments

How to see the Advisor

Please call 778-782-3363 or email ca@sfu.ca to book an appointment.
In general, advising times are:

Monday and Wednesday 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Tuesday and Thursday 10:00am – 11:30am

Graduation checks should be done in person.

Appointments are roughly 15 minutes long, but occasionally there is a complex issue that takes longer.

Important Information

Wait-lists
If a class is full you can still put yourself on a wait-list. It doesn't mean you'll get in, but it increases your chances. Remember you can only put yourself on the wait-list for 8 credits, which amounts to two classes. The wait list is attached to the tutorial component, not the lecture. Our wait lists are needs based, not first-come-first-serve.

Academic Continuance
All BFA 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 GPA (FPA) of 3.0.

After a student has declared a major in Contemporary Arts, he or she will need to maintain their BFA Program GPA (FPA) at a minimum of 3.0. Maintenance of the BFA Program GPA level will be evaluated at the end of the 1st and 2nd academic years, normally at the end of the Spring Semester. A student who falls below a BFA Program GPA of 3.0 will lose their status as major, and meet with the SC Advisor.

Honours Requirements
To apply for program entry, students complete the same lower and upper division requirements as the major program, and have a minimum 3.5 grade point average in FPA courses, and a 3.0 CGPA. To complete the program, 132 units are required, including the selection of listed courses, and maintenance of a minimum 3.5 grade point average in upper-division FPA courses.

Graduation
You apply on the Student Information System under ‘Academics’. Remember you need 120 credits, 45 upper division credits, your program requirements, and your WQB requirements.

Supplemental Course Fees
Some studio courses have supplemental course fees. These are non-refundable.

Resources

Directed Study Proposal Form [pdf]

Add/Drop Form [pdf]

WQB Breakdown for Contemporary Art students [pdf]

FPA Studio/History Theory course list [pdf]

Staff Profile

Barbara Ringham

Undergraduate Advisor

Barbara has worked for SFU in a variety of roles and departments for 15 years.

Advising and Enrollment Faculty Members

Alumni Reflections

"The School for the Contemporary Arts gives students opportunities to open new doors and develop artistic expression. My own imagination was opened at SFU; I got the push I needed to take new ideas and pursue them."

Paul Plimley, Jazz Pianist, Composer, Improviser