The doctor of philosophy (PhD) in contemporary arts, offered through the Faculty of Communication, Art, and Technology, is a research-intensive program focused on interdisciplinary approaches to the fine and performing arts. Students will be given the option to undertake comparative approaches to visual culture, media arts, sound studies, and performance studies, culminating in a substantial written thesis, or to 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’ reflection and commentary.
Program Requirements
The program consists of course work, qualifying examinations, a thesis prospectus, and a thesis, for a minimum of 38 units.
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements in 12-15 terms (4-5 years).
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
January 2025
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby Campus,
8888 University Drive West,
BURNABY,
British Columbia (BC),
V5A 1S6, Canada
Students will normally hold a master of arts (MA), master of fine arts (MFA), or equivalent degree, with high standing, from a recognized university and a solid grounding in studies of contemporary art and/or an established professional artistic, curatorial, or programming practice.
English Language Requirements:
Internet-based TOEFL: 93 with minimum of 20 in each category
Paper-based TOEFL: 580 and TWE 5
IELTS (academic): overall band score of 7.0 of the academic (NOT general) test with a minimum of 6.5 in each section
CAEL: overall 70; minimum 60 in each section
Pearson Academic (PTE): overall 65; minimum 60 in all of their sections
Cambridge English Qualifications: C1 Advanced - minimum score of 193; C2 Proficiency - minimum score of 200
Duolingo English Test (DET): Provisionally through the Fall 2026 admission cycle - Duolingo English Test (DET) 130 overall with a minimum of 120 in each section.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
SFU has established itself as a leading research university over 60 years, consistently ranking in the top 1-2 percent of universities worldwide.
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