Bachelor of / Baccalaureate in Fine Arts (BFA)

Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts is unique in Canada. It offers, in a single faculty, an unparalleled range of programs from both the Visual and the Performing Arts. Students following Bachelor of/Baccalaureate in Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs develop the theoretical, practical and technical skills in their field of study while, at the same time, complementing this with courses from other disciplines and faculties. Members of the faculty teaching fine arts are both professional artists active in their fields, and scholars dedicated to creative work and research. They provide a wide diversity of viewpoints supplemented by extensive programs of visiting artists and scholars.

The Performing Arts Division consists of the following:

• Contemporary Dance
• Music
• Theatre

The Visual Arts Division consists of the following:

• Art Education - Visual Arts
• Art History
• Cinema
• Creative Arts Therapies (Graduate programs)
• Design and Computation Arts
• Studio Arts

Degree Requirements

The BFA degree normally requires completion of a minimum of 90 credits (108 or 120 credits, depending upon the academic background of the applicant) and may be pursued on a full-time or part-time basis. The course FFAR 250—The Visual and Performing Arts in Canada—is a degree requirement for all programs within the Faculty of Fine Arts. Disciplines are offered in one or more of three types of concentrations within the Faculty.

A Specialization is a faculty-approved sequence of courses within the required minimum number of credits which consists of a minimum of 66 credits in a discipline or field. It provides a comprehensive education in that field.

A Major in the faculty is an approved sequence of courses within the required minimum number of credits that consists of a minimum of 48 credits. It provides a solid grounding within a particular field with a moderate degree of specialization. Major students have the opportunity to explore other areas.

A Minor in the faculty is a sequence of courses totaling 24 or more credits in a single discipline offering a basic introduction to the key concepts of the field of study. There is no requirement to add a Minor program to a Major or Specialization program. Students choosing to add a Minor to their Major may be required to complete more than the 90-credit (or 108-credit or 120-credit) minimum to obtain a BFA degree. (NOTE: Applications to a single Minor will not be considered.)

The Faculty of Fine Arts offers both six-credit (two terms) and three-credit (one term) courses. The normal course load for students enrolled in the Faculty of Fine Arts is 30 credits per year for all full-time students, and a maximum of 18 credits per year for part-time students.

A candidate for graduation must satisfy the Fine Arts General Education Requirement by successfully completing a minimum of six credits from course offerings outside the Fine Arts academic sectors (Visual Arts and Performing Arts).

Extended Credit Program (ECP)

The Extended Credit Program is normally offered to students who have not followed the pre-university education system in Quebec. Students admitted to an Extended Credit Program in Fine Arts are required to complete an additional 30 credits for the degree. Advanced standing credits awarded for Ontario Academic Courses (OACs) must be applied towards the ECP portion of a student's degree program.