Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.
Want to learn more?
Visit the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies website to learn more about Visual Arts (BFA).
View full program detailsProgram information
Train with the next generation of artists and cultural producers. Learn in cutting-edge facilities designed for traditional and digital-studio arts courses. The Visual Arts program offers a perfect balance of studio work and academic study, immersing you in hands-on critical and contemporary art education.
Program overview
- Campus
- Okanagan
- Program length
- 4 years
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
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- Degree
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
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What you'll learn
Visual Arts offers a critical and contemporary art education. There is an equal emphasis on academic study and studio work. You will acquire the foundational skills, techniques, and theories to work in two and three dimensions in a variety of media such as drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, computer applications, and video. Art history courses, visiting artists’ presentations, and participation in art exhibitions also form integral parts of the program.
In addition, electives (12 credits in the third and fourth years) establish a strong critical foundation.
Note: Bachelor of Fine Arts programs at UBC Okanagan require 126 credits, and may therefore take more than four years to complete.
Experiential learning and research
As part of a senior-level practicum, you are able to work and study in certain off-campus, art-related positions to receive credit toward your degree. In fourth year, you have the opportunity to complete advanced studio work, where you will propose and carry out an independent program of studio work in consultation with course directors and faculty advisors. Self-directed readings, writing projects, individual and group critiques, and participation in a final exhibition are required as part of this course. The Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies offers $2,500 undergraduate research awards that provide undergraduate students support to engage in research and creative activities over the summer months.
Campus features
Facilities on UBC’s Okanagan campus include sculpture, photography, and printmaking studios, private studio space for senior-level students, and the Asper Centre for Artists’ Video, which houses state-of-the-art video and digital video editing equipment.
Courses
There are hundreds of courses you can take within Visual Arts. Here are a few you might like.
Introduction to art and visual cultures of major world regions from prehistory to the early modern period.
The continued study of Western, Indigenous, and global art practices and the theoretical discourses that contribute to the development of contemporary art
Advanced interdisciplinary course addressing the importance of technology-based approaches in contemporary art with emphasis placed upon the formation of an idea and the media most appropriate to its expression. No more than 12 credits in total will be granted for VISA 382, CULT 311, or any combination thereof
The development of Surrealism from its roots in 20th-century French thought to its global proliferation in film, literature, visual culture and contemporary theories
Bachelor of Fine Arts at UBC's Okanagan campus
Outcomes
UBC degrees are respected by employers around the globe. Program graduates will have the skills to pursue a career in a variety of fields. You could work as a:
- Animator
- Art director
- Designer
- Sculptor
- Theatre director
- Video editor
Your skills will be applicable to careers in public or private art galleries, theatres or museums, cultural organizations, film production, studio art practice, and future graduate studies.
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Program requirements
Choose application type:
English-language requirements
English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.
General admission requirements
IB Diploma Programme
- Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.
IB Certificate Courses
- IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
- IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.
Degree-specific requirements: Fine Arts
- No specific courses required beyond those needed for general admission
- Portfolio submission
- Letter of intent (see UBC Okanagan Calendar)
Related courses
The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.
- Language Arts
- Social Studies
- Visual and Performing Arts
Want to get a feel for campus?
If you’re unable to visit UBC in person, or you just want to get a sneak peek at your new home campus before you arrive, take one of our virtual tours. Current UBC students walk you through UBC’s residences, study spots, recreational facilities, lecture halls, academic buildings, and more.
Related programs
Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.
Want to learn more?
Visit the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies website to learn more about Visual Arts (BFA).
View full program details