Degree Program Options

Students may apply to enter the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and one of the degree program options listed below; see Admission and Transfer for more information.

Students may change their program without penalty throughout their degree, but must complete at least one Major or Honours program prior to graduation. A maximum of two specializations is permitted. Students are responsible for ensuring they meet all degree and program requirements.

• Major program: This program involves specialization in a single field of study.
• Double Major program: This program involves specialization in two fields of study. It is an ambitious program allowing a dual focus, but with few electives outside the subjects of the Majors. More than 120 credits may be required to complete this program.
• Honours program: This program involves intense specialization in a single field of study and is open only to students who have shown special aptitude. Entry requires high academic standing. Departments may also specify stringent continuation and graduation requirements.
• Double Honours program: This program involves intense specialization in two fields of study and is open only to students who have shown special aptitude. Entry requires high academic standing. Departments may also specify stringent continuation and graduation requirements. More than 120 credits will be required to complete this program.
• Minor Program: This program, chosen from any of the Minor Programs available to students in the Faculty of Arts¹, can be added to a Major or Honours program. It allows a dual focus with a smaller concentration complementing the primary program. B.F.A. students can select any Minor Program available to students in the Faculty of Arts, including Bachelor of Arts Minors¹ and Minors outside the Faculty of Arts. Some Minors may be self-declared via the Student Service Centre (SSC) while others permit admission only through a competitive application process.

¹Note that students completing a B.F.A. Major/Honours in Creative Writing, Theatre or Visual Arts may not also complete a B.A. Minor in the same discipline.

Students are also invited to consider the following programs:

• Double Major in Fine Arts and Arts: This program allows students to complete both a Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Major or Honours and an Arts (B.A.) Major or Honours within their B.F.A. degree. Students are advised to meet with an Arts Academic Advisor as early as possible to discuss program planning. Students who successfully complete both specializations may choose to graduate with either a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Arts degree, provided they also satisfy the degree requirements for the degree of their choice. See B.A. Degree Requirements and B.F.A. Degree Requirements. Note that students completing a B.F.A. Major/Honours in Creative Writing, Theatre or Visual Arts may not also complete a B.A. Major/Honours in the same discipline.
• Double Major in Fine Arts and Science: This program allows students to complete both a Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Major or Honours and a Science Major within their B.F.A. degree. Students must satisfy all requirements for the Science Major, including completing at least 30 upper-level credits in or permitted for a Major in that Science discipline or field of specialization. Students are advised to meet with an Arts Academic Advisor as early as possible to discuss program planning. They are further advised that many Science Majors require a separate application process, usually in second year; students should consult the website and/or meet with the Departmental Advisor in the Science program of their choice as early as possible. See the Arts Undergraduates website.
• Dual Degree Program: Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Management: This ambitious program option offers qualified students the opportunity to earn, in one extended program of study, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Management degree from the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration (Sauder School of Business). A formal application is required for admission. Students should consult Arts Academic Advising as well as the Dual Degree Program Option: Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Management.

Major Program

Completion of a Major requires at least 39 credits in one field of study. The following requirements must also be met:

• a minimum of 30 credits for the Major must be in courses numbered 300 and higher; and
• a minimum of 48 credits for the degree must be in courses numbered 300 and higher (these can include credits for the Major); and
• a minimum of 30 credits for the degree must be outside of the Major.¹

Double Major Program

Completion of a Double Major requires at least 39 credits in each of the two fields of study. The following requirements must also be met:

• a minimum of 30 credits for each Major must be in courses numbered 300 or higher;² and
• a minimum of 60 credits for the degree must be in courses numbered 300 and higher (normally completed by satisfying the 30 upper-level credit requirement in each Major²).

Note: Double majors in some BFA programs will require more than 120 credits.

Honours Program

Completion of Honours requires at least 60 credits in one field of study. The following requirements must also be met:

• a minimum of 48 credits for Honours must be in courses numbered 300 or higher; and
• a minimum of 54 credits for the degree must be in courses numbered 300 or higher; and
• a minimum of 30 credits must be outside Honours.^1,3

Double Honours Program

Completion of a Double Honours requires at least 60 credits in each of the two fields of study, so will normally require more than 120 total credits for the degree. The following requirements must also be met:

• a minimum of 48 credits for each Honours must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.⁴

Addition of a Minor Program

Students completing a single specialization (Major or Honours) may also choose to complete a Minor. Completion of a Minor requires between 18 and 36 credits in addition to the requirements for the primary specialization. The following requirements must also be met:

• a minimum of 18 credits for the Minor must be in courses numbered 300 or higher⁵.

¹All courses normally accepted or designated as applicable towards a specialization in a field of study, including cross-listed courses, are deemed to be within that field of study. This remains true even when the course credit is not actually applied to that specialization (i.e. is taken as elective credit).
²A maximum of 9 credits from courses numbered 300 and higher may be double-counted between the two Majors. Regardless of double-counting, students must complete 60 upper-level credits for the degree. See Credit Requirements and Regulations.
³For Honours specializations that exceed 90 credits, the Outside requirement will be reduced to accommodate the degree within 120 total credits.
⁴A maximum of 12 credits from courses numbered 300 and higher may be double-counted between the two Honours. Regardless of double-counting, students must complete at least 60 upper-level credits for the degree. See Credit Requirements and Regulations.
⁵A maximum of 6 credits from courses numbered 300 and higher may be double-counted between a Major and a Minor. A maximum of 9 credits from courses numbered 300 and higher may be double-counted between Honours and a Minor. Regardless of double-counting, students must complete the total number of upper-level credits required for the degree. See Credit Requirements and Regulations.