Program Overview

The UFV Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) equips students with the practical skills, critical understanding, and industry-related knowledge necessary to succeed as a professional artist.

Program Structure

• The program allows students to broaden their artistic range and explore varied disciplines, including traditional Studio Arts, New Media art, Graphic and Digital Design, Film Studies, and Art History & Visual Studies.
• Students have the option to complete a Visual Arts major or to pair a Visual Arts extended minor with another extended minor in Art History, Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Media & Communications Studies, or Theatre.

Career Opportunities

• Global spending on entertainment and media is expected to rise to $2.1 trillion by 2020.
• The creative economy is one of the world's fastest growing sectors for income generation, job creation, and export earnings.
• Opportunities abound for artists in occupations that support digital media, motion pictures, broadcasting, photography, and the performing arts.
• Other opportunities exist to pursue a career in the field of commercial art and work for design agencies, marketing agencies, photography studios, and publishers.
• Students may also find employment as a gallery curator, art director, or teacher, or opt to be self-employed as a professional artist in their discipline of choice.

Additional Opportunities

• Study tours, study abroad opportunities, and optional paid co-op work semesters are available throughout the program to expand students' horizons and gain life and work experience.

Degree Overview

Overview:

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) prepares students for careers as professional artists, designers, curators, or educators. The program emphasizes the development of practical skills alongside critical thinking and understanding of the art industry. Students are encouraged to explore a wide range of disciplines, including Studio Arts, New Media art, Graphic and Digital Design, Film Studies, and Art History & Visual Studies.

Objectives:

• Equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed as professional artists.
• Encourage students to broaden their artistic range and explore various disciplines.
• Provide a supportive learning environment with well-equipped studios, dedicated faculty, and a strong community network.

Description:

The BFA offers a major in Visual Arts, as well as the option to combine a Visual Arts extended minor with another extended minor in a related field (Art History, Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Media & Communications Studies, or Theatre).

Careers

Career Outlook:

• Global spending on entertainment and media is projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2020, highlighting the growth and opportunities within the creative economy.
• The film and video sectors in British Columbia contribute $3 billion in annual revenue and are experiencing significant employment growth, generating opportunities in digital media, motion pictures, broadcasting, as well as photography, and performing arts areas.
• This program prepares graduates for diverse career avenues in commercial art (design and marketing agencies, studios, photography studios, or publishing houses), curatorial roles (gallery settings), art direction, teaching, self-employed practice within their chosen artistic area, or further education and careers in industries like business, tourism, entertainment, and broadcasting.
• Study tours: The program offers opportunities to participate in study tours, enriching learning with practical experience outside the traditional classroom setting.
• International study: Students have opportunities to participate in international study experiences, broadening their perspectives and enriching their learning journey.
• Co-op work placements: Paid co-op work placements connect students’ academic learning with industry experience, preparing them for professional environments and potential career opportunities.

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is a fully accredited, public university located in the beautiful Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada, just east of Vancouver. Enrolling approximately 15,000 students per year across campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission and Hope, as well as a growing presence in Chandigarh, India, UFV is a comprehensive university that combines the variety of a large institution with the small class sizes and personal connections of a community-focused one. Students come to UFV to learn in a hands-on environment where they know their instructors and are known in return.

UFV is situated in the traditional territory of the Stó:lō peoples. The Stó:lō have an intrinsic relationship with what they refer to as S'olh Téméxw (Our Sacred Land), and UFV expresses its gratitude and respect for the honour of living and working in this territory.

Changemaking

At UFV, changemaking is not a slogan; it is the organizing principle of the university's identity. As a designated Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, UFV prepares students to lead collaboratively, think critically and contribute to stronger communities through innovation, reciprocity and a shared commitment to positive social change. Changemaking at UFV means turning knowledge into action, connecting learning to the real challenges facing communities in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia and the world beyond.

Academic structure

UFV is organized across six colleges, faculties and a school:

• College of Arts
• Faculty of Education, Community, and Human Development
• Faculty of Applied and Technical Studies
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Business and Computing
• Faculty of Science
• School of Graduate Studies

Programs

UFV offers more than 100 programs across academic, vocational, continuing education and trades pathways, including three master's degrees, 21 bachelor's degrees with majors, minors and extended minors in more than 35 subject areas, four graduate certificates, and more than a dozen trades and technology programs. Programs are available across a wide range of disciplines:

• Arts, humanities and social sciences: Bachelor of Arts in History, English, Philosophy, Communications, Political Science, Indigenous Studies, Global Development Studies, Latin American Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, and more
• Business and management: Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Administration Diploma and Certificate, Agriculture Management BBA, Trades Management BBA, Accounting Certificate, Marketing and Sales Certificate
• Computing and technology: Computing Science BSc, Computer Information Systems (Bachelor, Diploma, Certificate), Automation and Robotics Technician Diploma, Engineering Physics Mechatronics Diploma, Engineering Common Core Certificate
• Creative arts and design: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic and Digital Design BFA and Diploma, Creative Writing BA and BFA.
• Education: Bachelor of Education, Adult Education Degree, Early Childhood Education Certificate and Diploma, TESL Certificate, Master of Education (Educational Leadership and Mentorship)
• Health sciences: Nursing BSc, Practical Nursing Diploma, Certified Dental Assistant Certificate, Child Life and Community Health Graduate Certificate
• Social work and human services: Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Social Work, Child and Youth Care BA, Social Service Worker Diploma (Indigenous Focus)
• Trades: Carpentry, Electrician, Plumbing and Piping, Welding, Automotive Service, Automotive Collision Repair, Cabinetmaking, Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation, Electronics Technician, and Culinary Arts Certificates
• Indigenous studies: Indigenous Studies BA, Stó:lō Studies Certificate, Social Service Worker (Indigenous Focus) Diploma
• Upgrading and access: Adult Basic Education, English Language Studies, Workplace TASK for adults with disabilities

Campuses

• Abbotsford (main campus): 33844 King Road, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7M8 — the largest campus, home to the majority of UFV's faculties, research institutes, library, athletics facilities, housing and student services
• Chilliwack: a full-service campus offering a wide range of programs in the eastern Fraser Valley
• Mission: delivering programs and services for Mission-area students
• Hope: outreach and programming for the Hope community
• Chandigarh, India (UFV India): UFV's international campus, extending the university's reach to South Asia

Sustainability

UFV has achieved a Gold sustainability rating from AASHE (the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education), recognising its performance across environmental, social, and governance sustainability dimensions. Sustainability is embedded across campus operations, curriculum and community engagement, and UFV's Peace and Reconciliation Centre has earned international recognition for its work in restorative justice and reconciliation.

Open education

UFV is a leader in open education in British Columbia, committed to making learning more affordable and accessible through open textbooks, open educational resources and flexible learning models. Students who take courses using open textbooks save significantly on the cost of materials, reflecting UFV's belief that quality education should be accessible to everyone regardless of financial means.

Indigenous UFV

Indigenous affairs and reconciliation are woven through UFV's institutional identity. The Indigenous Affairs office, the Indigenous Student Centre, and dedicated programs in Indigenous Studies and Stó:lō Studies reflect a deep commitment to supporting Indigenous students, honouring Indigenous knowledge and advancing reconciliation with the Stó:lō peoples on whose territory the university stands. UFV is actively engaged in implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action in its academic programs and institutional culture.

Research

UFV is an active research university, with faculty engaged in applied and community-focused research across all disciplines. The Centre for the Social Sciences and Humanities, the Peace and Reconciliation Centre, the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies, and multiple research chairs bring structured research activity to the Fraser Valley community. UFV's research approach emphasises community engagement and real-world impact, consistent with its Changemaker Campus identity. Alumni have gone on to achieve notable research and professional milestones, including the development of North America's first mobile, modular soil-washing facility by a UFV alumnus in 2026.

Student life and housing

UFV offers a full range of student services, housing, and co-curricular programming to support student success and wellbeing. The new EverGreen residence on the Abbotsford campus offers modern suites and social spaces. A shuttle bus service connects campuses. Cascades Athletics supports varsity and recreational sport. CIVL Radio gives students a student-run campus radio station. The Academic Advising Centre, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights Office, and a dedicated Safe Student Community programme round out UFV's student support offer.

Contact

• Main address: 33844 King Road, Abbotsford, BC, Canada V2S 7M8
• Phone: 1-604-504-7441
• Toll-free: 1-888-504-7441
• Email: info@ufv.ca

Why UFV

1. A fully accredited Canadian public university enrolling approximately 15,000 students, offering more than 100 programs from trades certificates through to master's degrees
2. A designated Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, preparing graduates who lead collaboratively, think critically and contribute to positive social change
3. Small class sizes with accessible, dedicated faculty across campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission and Hope, plus a growing international campus in Chandigarh, India
4. A Gold AASHE sustainability rating and a nationally recognised Peace and Reconciliation Centre, reflecting UFV's commitment to environmental and social responsibility
5. A leader in open education in British Columbia, making learning more affordable through open educational resources across all programs
6. Deep Indigenous roots, with dedicated Indigenous Affairs and Indigenous Student Centre offices, Indigenous Studies and Stó:lō Studies programs, and active reconciliation commitments on Stó:lō territory
7. Located in the Fraser Valley, one of Canada's most scenic and economically dynamic regions, with easy connections to metropolitan Vancouver