Bachelor of Creative Arts Degree

The Bachelor of Creative Arts program is designed to give students who already hold a diploma in an artistic discipline the practical business and leadership skills needed to succeed in the creative arts industries. Developed for full-time students and those in the workforce, this flexible degree completion program can be completed in as few as 15 months. Students will gain a complete understanding of the methodologies, tools and perspectives of their chosen industries, including talent management, project budgeting, financial planning, and legal and ethical considerations in the creative arts.

An applicant may be admitted to the Bachelor of Creative Arts degree program if they meet one of the following sets of requirements:

Admission path 1:

• Completion in good academic standing of a three-year (six-term) diploma from a Canadian college of applied arts and technology or private career college legally recognized in the applicant’s home province (or the equivalent from a post-secondary education institution legally recognized in a jurisdiction outside Canada).
  • The diploma must have been earned in one of the creative arts, which include but may not be limited to: music, dance, drama and theatre, writing, interior design and decorating, painting, sculpture, photography, graphics and computer graphics, animation, game design, crafts, industrial design, fashion and costume design, motion pictures, television, radio, video, sound recording. 
  • The applicant must have graduated with a GPA of at least 2.0 (or the equivalent). 
  • Equivalent credentials earned in a country other than Canada are accepted.

OR

 Admission path 2:

• Completion in good academic standing of a two-year (four-term) diploma from a Canadian college of applied arts and technology or private career college legally recognized in the applicant’s home province (or the equivalent from a post-secondary education institution legally recognized in a jurisdiction outside Canada).
  • The diploma must have been earned in one of the creative arts, which include but may not be limited to: music, dance, drama and theatre, writing, interior design and decorating, painting, sculpture, photography, graphics and computer graphics, animation, game design, crafts, industrial design, fashion and costume design, motion pictures, television, radio, video, sound recording.
  • The applicant must have graduated with a GPA of at least 2.0 (or the equivalent).

AND one of:

• The completion of the equivalent of six credits of studio/applied course work in the applicant’s creative arts specialization or a closely related field over and above course work completed to earn the qualifying diploma;
  • Courses must have been completed at a public university, college of applied arts and technology, or private career college legally recognized in the applicant’s home province or country;
  • A grade of at least C must have been earned in the studio/applied courses;
  • Students who have not completed six semester hours of additional studio/applied credits but have met other admission requirements may satisfy this admission requirement by agreeing to complete up to two studio/applied arts courses at Yorkville University. (The specific courses will be decided on a case-by-case basis.) 

OR

• Six months’ professional, applied, and/or employment experience in the applicant’s area of creative arts expertise. 

AND

• Completion of nine semester hours of university-level undergraduate study.
  • Courses must have been completed at a public or private university legally recognized in the applicant’s home province or country.
  • Courses must cover at least two of the following broad areas of study: social sciences, humanities, sciences (including mathematics), fine arts.
  • A grade of at least C must have been earned in each of the courses.
  • Students who have not completed nine semester hours of university-level undergraduate study but have met other admission requirements may satisfy this admission requirement by agreeing to complete additional breadth courses at Yorkville University.

Note: The Admissions Committee has approved the following set of Yorkville University courses to satisfy the requirements for additional creative arts training and additional university-level courses:

• Additional university-level courses:
  • UNIV 101: University Studies
  • QRSS 100: Qualitative Research Methods for Social Science
  • COMM 100: Cross-Cultural Communication

• Additional applied arts courses:
  • ARTS 101: Principles of Art and Design
  • ARTS 102: Arts Industries in Canada – an Introduction and Overview

English Language Proficiency

Applicants seeking to establish English language proficiency by providing TOEFL, IELTS, or CAEL scores (or scores from other tests of English language proficiency recognized by the university) but whose scores fall below the standards required for admission may be considered for conditional admission in the following circumstances: they meet all other requirements for admission; their scores meet or are equivalent to at least the following standards – TOEFL 65; IELTS 6.5; CAEL 50.

Note that if you did not complete either your secondary education or your qualifying diploma where English was the language of instruction, you will be required to show proficiency in English sufficient for post-secondary study. Such proficiency may be established in one of the following ways:*

1. Successful completion of at least 12 credit hours of previous postsecondary education where English was the language of instruction.
2. Successful completion with the equivalent of “B” standing or better of a post-secondary level English for Academic Purposes program accredited by Languages Canada (http://www.languagescanada.ca/).
3. Confirmation of an official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of at least 550 (written version) or 80 (Internet based version); or an IELTS (International English-Language Test System) overall bandwidth of at least 6.5; or a Canadian Academic English-Language Test (CAEL) score of 60 or higher; or a Duolingo score of 105 or higher; or a score equivalent to these scores on another test of English language proficiency recognized by and acceptable to the University.

Conditional Admission

• The BCA Admissions Committee may admit students conditionally and/or may establish probationary conditions on admission.
• Applicants with English language proficiency scores that fall below the standards required for admission, may be considered for conditional admission in the following circumstances:

IELTS score (or equivalent)

• 6.5 and above: Students will enroll in the regular academic program
• 5.5 to less than 6.5: Students will enroll in the regular academic program and in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course in Term 1.

  The EAP course (ENGL180) is available at select campuses concurrently as part of Yorkville University’s programs and counts towards the completion of the degree. There is no additional cost to the program when students take the EAP course.

• Less than 5.5: Students will be referred to the ESL Pathway Program.

Yorkville ESL Pathway Program

The ESL Pathway Program enables students who have less than the minimum required IELTS scores to be accepted to Yorkville University programs in Ontario.

The ESL Pathway offers three levels of study focused on improving English language skills in reading, writing and oral comprehension.

Each level is 12 weeks in duration and involves 25 hours of instruction per week. All students will have access to ongoing language and international student services during their studies. 

In Toronto, the ESL Pathway program is only available at the Yonge Street location.

*In all cases, the university reserves the right to require proof of language proficiency before permission will be granted to register in academic courses. Applicants from countries where English is the language of instruction, but is not the primary language of the general population, may be asked to demonstrate English-language proficiency.

Documentation Required to Support Application for Admission:

• Official transcripts for all post-secondary education and professional training completed.
• A letter of intent which provides a sample of writing that can contribute to the committee’s assessment of an applicant’s ability to succeed in university studies. 
• A curriculum vitae or resume which provides insight into how the BCA builds upon previous post-secondary study
• Official name change documents should transcripts and other supporting documents be in a name different than the name on application.

For applicants seeking admission on the basis of 4-term diploma plus additional experience, evidence of the additional experience in the form of portfolios, catalogues, publications, reviews, testimonials, and/or employer references.

Have any questions? Please contact an Admissions Advisor.