Judy Radul
Associate Professor
Judy Radul’s interdisciplinary practice has recently focused on video installation but also includes sculpture, photography, performance and mixed media works. She has exhibited nationally… More
MA Comparative Media Arts
The MA in Comparative Media Arts 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, cinema studies, performance studies, and studies of computer-based arts.
With its intimate scale, interdisciplinary design, and faculty of international reputation, The School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU provides a rich environment for scholars of the fine and performing arts. This MA will allow scholars to immerse themselves in an environment of creative experimentation, working in parallel with students in the interdisciplinary MFA program.
The MA in Comparative Media Arts prepares students for work as curators, cultural programmers, arts administrators, arts writers, and other careers in the arts. It also prepares students for a range of PhDs that study the fine and performing arts.
Deadline for Fall 2013 Admission:
All required documents must be received by March 15, 2013.
Contact:
Dr. Arne Eigenfeldt, arne_e@sfu.ca
Dr. Laura U. Marks, lmarks@sfu.ca
Graduate program secretary, mfagrad@sfu.ca
Program of Study
The MA in Comparative Media Arts is a four-semester program, culminating in a public symposium.
Required courses:
FPA 821-4 Research methods in comparative media arts
FPA 822-4 Research colloquium in comparative media arts
FPA 829-6 Extended essay in comparative media arts
And at least three of:
FPA 823-4 New approaches in visual art and culture
FPA 824-4 New approaches in moving-image studies
FPA 825-4 New approaches in digital art studies
FPA 826-4 New approaches in performance studies
FPA 827-4 Practicum in comparative media arts
Plus an elective from an array of courses across the university.
MA Application Process
Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in visual culture, art history, cinema studies, performance studies, cultural studies, communications, literary studies, or other degrees focusing on the arts. Applications with Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees that include substantial scholarly studies will also qualify.
All applicants who submit complete applications will be notified of their status by the end of March 2013. Candidates accepted into the MFA program will begin their courses in September 2013.
Please be sure that your mailing and e-mail addresses are current, as you will be notified of application results by e-mail and by letter.
Deadline:
All required documents must be received by March 15, 2013.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION REQUIRES:
1. On-line Application for Graduate Studies.
ALL CANDIDATES MUST COMPLETE AN ON-LINE APPLICATION (CLICK HERE).
If you have not submitted the online application you will not be considered for the program.
All graduate program applications are processed through the Dean of Graduate Studies office. In order to use the online application system, you will need to pay an application fee of $90 CAN (students with Canadian transcripts) or $125 CAN (students with international transcripts) by credit card (MasterCard or Visa).
The on-line application includes a checklist of the documents that you will need to submit to us to support your application. This checklist will be updated on line as we receive your documents. Please refer to the on-line checklist to ensure that all documents are received - due to the number of applications, it is not possible for us to monitor every applicant's checklist closely.
2. Official sealed Transcripts of all post-secondary education. Sealed transcripts may be included with your application, or may be sent directly to the address above by the academic institution. Non-English language transcripts must include an official English translation.
3. A Curriculum Vitae.
4. A sample of Academic Writing, 2000-3000 words. Acceptable samples include senior undergraduate essays or other academic writing and published articles.
5. Three (3) Letters of Reference from (preferably) academic or professional sources. Letters can be uploaded online directly by each reference. He or she will receive log in information and instructions for uploading his or her letter once you have named him or her as a reference. We do not have a template for reference letters; your referees can use their preferred format.
6. International students: English is the language of instruction and communication in the University. The School for Contemporary Arts requires English proficiency as outlined on the Dean of Graduate Studies website.
Please note that we must receive test results directly from the testing agency. Copies of documents sent by the student will not be accepted.
Funding: Students are eligible for fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. We also encourage students to apply for funding before entering the program, including through SSHRC. [link to http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/fellowships/cgs_masters-besc_maitrise-eng.aspx]
Faculty
Dr. Henry Daniel
Research specialization: Research-creation; performance studies; dance theory and criticism; dance and new technology
www.sfu.ca/~hdaniel
Dr. Arne Eigenfeldt
Research specialization: Generative art; computational creativity; new media and performance
Dr. Jacqueline Levitin
Research specialization: Film history; genre studies; women filmmakers; Chinese cinemas; art of film directing; post-colonial cinemas
Dr. Laura Marks
Research specialization: Film theory; new media art; experimental media; art and philosophy; Islamic art and philosophy; Arab cinema
www.sfu.ca/~lmarks
Dr. Denise Oleksijczuk
Research specialization: Visual culture; photography; pre-cinematic media arts; nineteenth-century British art; curating
Dr. Christopher Pavsek
Research specialization: Non-fiction cinema and art; cinema studies; critical theory; Marxist theory
Professor Judy Radul
Research specialization: Video; contemporary art and theory; art and law; performance; performativity; questions of the image.
Other Information
Situated in the new cultural hub of the city, our School working closely with the Cultural Unit and Community Engagement office, aspires to be the generator of excellence in artistic, intellectual, cultural and community events and programming. Through exposure and engagement with continuous cultural productions and presentations, we create direct and experiential learning opportunities for students, for faculty and for the diverse communities in which we are situated.
Electives
FPA 811-5 Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminar I
FPA 812-5 Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminar II
FPA 877-5 Selected Topics in Fine and Performing Arts
FPA 889-5 Directed Study in Fine and Performing Arts
CMNS 855-5 Selected Topics in Communication Studies
CMNS 857-5 Selected Topics in Communication Studies
ENGL 811-4 Studies in Theory II: Performance and/in the City
ENGL 820-4 Studies in Print Culture Theory
ENGL 821-4 Studies in Manuscript, Print and Media Culture
GSWS 823-5 Graduate Seminar in Feminist Art/Literary Criticism
HUM 802-5 Themes in the Humanities
HUM 805-5 Special Topics
IAT 810-3 New Media
IAT 811-3 Computational Poetics
IAT 832-3 Exploring Interactivity
SA 875-5 Ethnographic Methodology: Social/Cultural Anthropology
Faculty Profile
MA Comparative Media Arts Academic Calendar >>
MA Comparative Media Arts Faculty Members
Alumni Reflections
'Art and Culture Studies at SFU is the rare example of an academic program that balances visual studies and traditional art history. Not only was I well prepared for graduate school, the experience and guidance I received from SFU's excellent faculty led to work in the art world at one of the best museums in North America as well as editorial work at an art magazine in New York City. Vancouver's cultural landscape is one of the most vibrant, unique, and accessible anywhere. As an undergrad, I found it an ideal backdrop to my art history studies and truly foundational in my own understanding of contemporary art. SCA is a progressive program for the adventurous and the ambitious alike.'
Matthew Schum (B.A. in Art and Culture 2004), Ph.D. student in Art History, University of California, San Diego