Simon Fraser University's (SFU) School for the Contemporary Arts, located in Vancouver, embraces a distinctive interdisciplinary methodology in the realm of arts education. The school provides a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Interdisciplinary Arts, a Master of Arts (MA) in Contemporary Arts, and a PhD in Contemporary Arts.
The faculty, comprised of globally recognized artists and scholars, operates at the innovative intersections of Dance, Film, Music & Sound, Theatre & Performance, Performance Production & Design, and Visual Art. Their focus is on fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary practices. The modern facilities in downtown Vancouver are equipped for studio work across various disciplines, as well as hosting seminars, exhibitions, performances, and community events.
The MFA program spans two years and encourages creative dialogue, theoretical exploration, and artistic experimentation among students from diverse disciplines. The MA program adopts an intermedial viewpoint, merging theoretical insights and historical contexts from art history, cinema studies, performance studies, and digital arts with hands-on applications. Meanwhile, the research-driven PhD program emphasizes interdisciplinary methodologies within the fine and performing arts, supporting both scholarly inquiry and practice-based research.
Applications for the MFA and MA programs must be submitted by February 15, 2026. The PhD program will reopen for applications on October 1, 2026, for students intending to start in Fall 2027.
In a unique offering, the School for the Contemporary Arts provides domestic tuition rates for international students, setting it apart from many other programs.