The Interior and Non-Metropolitan program began in 1975 as a response to government concern that residents in interior regions of BC were excluded from university education. After a year of offering credit courses at non-metropolitan colleges, SFU began to formally develop a distance education program and initiated a three-year experimental program in Kelowna offering degree completion programs in Psychology and Biological Sciences. SFU's goal was to design a distance education program that would provide an opportunity for all persons in BC to complete a degree without the usual attendance at UBC, UVic or SFU. By this time UBC and UVic were also offering interior programs and together with SFU ensured that the courses offered by each institution did not overlap each other. SFU interior courses were developed by university faculty and delivered with the assistance of the Office of Continuing Studies. Under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, the Interior University Programs Board approved courses and provided program funding from the provincial government.

In 1978 the the Interior Universities Programs Board was disbanded and replaced by the Open Learning Institute. The Open Learning Institute took responsibility for offering a bachelor of Arts and Science Program in cooperation with colleges, while universities remained responsible for offering professional programs. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s SFU initiated a number of programs that were delivered out of university centres in Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George and Fort St. John. The Faculty of Education offered a variety of credit and non-credit programs and other departments developed courses in response to school district requests. Courses were taught through a combination of face-to-face instruction, directed independent study courses and via Knowledge Network telecourse programming.

In 1984, the provincial government established the University Consortium to increase access to post-secondary distance education courses. The Open Learning Agency (formerly the Open Learning Institute) was selected to be the central administrative headquarters for the University Consortium. SFU, UBC and UVic were integrated into the new program as consortium partners, delivering courses and programs in cooperation with various educational institutions, professional associations, workplaces, and community organizations. As of 2005 SFU's relationship with the Open Learning Agency remains in place. Through the British Columbia Open University (BCOU), a division of the Open Learning Agency, students can register and take distance education courses delivered by SFU without having to be admitted to the university.

Sub-series consists of records relating to the development and administration of the Interior and Non-Metropolitan Programs offered by SFU. Activities, events and topics documented include program development, the Interior University Program Board, SFU's Planning Committee on Interior Programming, administration of the Kelowna and Fraser Valley programs and budget planning. Records include agendas and minutes, program and course proposals, budget and financial working papers, correspondence, reports and working papers.

Sub-series consists of records relating to the administration of the SFU/Secwepemc Cultural Education Society Program. Activities, events and topics documented include program development, the SFU/SCES Joint Committee, and planning for the 10-year program anniversary in 1998. Records include correspondence, minutes, working papers, contracts, course outlines, budget and financial working papers, questionnaires, and publications.

The Applied Science Continuing Education program has offered a series of non-credit certificate programs in the areas of Communication, Computing Science, Engineering, Kinesiology and Resource and Environmental Management since 1989. Courses, seminars, workshops, and conferences are developed as a result of faculty support and industry demand with changing technological needs often dictating course content. In the 1990s an autonomous Faculty of Applied Sciences Continuing Education Unit was created that reported directly to the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. However, the unit proved to be financially unsustainable so in 2002 it was downsized and its administrative control was returned to the Dean of Continuing Studies.

Sub-series consists of records relating to the development and administration of the Applied Sciences Continuing Education program. Activities, events and topics documented include general programs offered in the Applied Science Continuing Education Program (including specifically designed in-house programs), computer programming and Internet courses; international programs on management techniques and cultural orientation; project management; and risk assessment and decision analysis for management of natural resources. Also documented are external programs sponsored by Applied Science Continuing Education such as The Institute for Government Informatics Professionals and The Technology Industries Association (TIA) Business Program. Records include correspondence, working papers, minutes, course outlines, program evaluations, contracts, and pamphlets.

Sub-series consists of records relating to the general production of exhibitions. Activities, events and topics documented include attendance statistics, visitors' comments, and exhibition planning. Records include statistics, comment sheets, flyers, invitations, schedules, newsclippings, budget summaries, correspondence, and other documents.

This series consists of the Director's correspondence relating to the administration of the Dance program. Activities and topics documented include program establishment, curriculum development, meetings of the Dance Area Committee, budget planning, and student and faculty relations. Records include correspondence, reports, course proposals and descriptions, calendar change forms, petitions, and budget papers.

This series consists of the Director's correspondence relating to the administration of the Music program. Activities and topics documented include program establishment, curriculum and policy development, public programming, workshops, conferences and special events (e.g. the Computer Music Weekends), and budget, equipment and space planning. Records include correspondence, reports, schedules, budget working papers, program proposals, course and workshop descriptions.

This series consists of the Director's correspondence relating to the administration of the Theatre program. Activities and topics documented include program establishment, curriculum and policy development, theatre design, planning and use policy, student and faculty relations. Records include correspondence, reports, meeting agendas and minutes, policies, program proposals, course proposals and descriptions, architectural drawings, and CVs.

Series consists of records relating to correspondence between the Vice-President, Research and companies in the local and international research industry field. For a list of these companies, please see access points below.

Document types include correspondence and working papers, reports, and publications.

Sub-series consists of audio and audio-visual recordings of individual plays performed at the Theatre. Includes five performances between 1965 and 1972 (sound recordings only) and 2 pieces from 2002 (moving images); see item list and descriptions for details of individual performances.

Sub-series consists of audio and audio-visual recordings of performances conducted as part of the Summer Institute

This sub-series consists of records documenting the content and evaluation standards of courses offered by the School. Records include course outlines and descriptions; directed studies proposals; reading lists and slide lists; examination, assignment and essay questions; lecture schedules and outlines; memoranda and instructors' reports. For some courses in the performing arts, instructors' evaluations of students have been preserved as evidence of evaluation methods. Some teaching material has been retained (e.g. glossaries, lecture notes), but reprints of articles have not been preserved. The sub-series does not include course administration records (e.g. enrollment lists, grade lists, book requisition forms, grade change forms, registration status reports, waiting lists, add / drop forms, lab fee notices, student directories). Note that record types found in the files vary considerably from course to course.

Series consists of records relating to general public programming matters not falling under a more specific category. Activities, events and topics documented include performing groups associated with the university (SFU Madrigal Singers, the Simon Fraser University Theatre Company, the Magnetic Band), a 1974 copyright dispute (file 8), public and media relations, correspondence with visiting artists, the 1977 residency by five members of the Royal Shakespeare Company (Patrick Stewart, Sheila Allen, Richard Pasco, Ben Kingsley, and Juliet Aykroyd). Records include event programs, membership lists, correspondence, petitions, workshop evaluations, proposals, reports, attendance statistics, press clippings and media releases, architectural drawings (set design, file 17), reprints and other printed reference material.

This sub-series consists of records relating to the association of SFU and the Quartet. Activities documented include contract negotiations, budget, funding and reporting, campus performances and workshops, off-campus tours, and the decision in 1982 to discontinue the residency. Records include correspondence, proposals, reports, contracts and agreements, funding requests and grant applications, programs, tour itineraries, maps and briefing notes, media releases, publicity photograph (file 14), and press clippings.

Sub-series consists of photographic material relating to School in general.

Sub-series comprises records documenting the activities of the Canadian Beekeepers' Council. The Council was established in 1939 to study problems relating to the marketing of bee products and to promote education and standards. Records consist of correspondence, reports, a pamphlet, and a programme.