Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts - Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

The Bachelor of Fine Arts is a competitive degree program requiring an application and selection procedure. All students begin their Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts track declaring the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Cinema Studies as their major. Students wishing to declare a BFA in Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts as their major must first satisfy specific prerequisites. The mission of the BFA is to prepare artists who will be competitive and original as independent filmmakers, who may aspire to advanced graduate degrees beyond the BFA, or who are considering an artistic approach to their filmmaking portfolio.

In addition to acquiring the skills to make creative films and video works, students completing the BFA will also advance their ability to analyze and interpret films critically, and to communicate and express themselves about film competently in written form.

Requirements

Admission Requirements

The Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts educates students in the history and development of film as an art form and contemporary medium. The curriculum instills an informed analytic awareness of the ways in which film has evolved artistically and stylistically, and provides the resources for significant creative exploration of the medium.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is competitive. In order to graduate with a BFA degree, students must first satisfy a number of prerequisites and then submit a formal application to the BFA program at the prescribed time (deadline will be posted each semester on the cinema studies website). Students are encouraged to apply to the BFA program at the end of their sophomore year.

Applicants must have a cumulative GPA at CU Boulder of 2.3 or higher, and a CINE GPA of 3.3 or higher. Applicants must submit a written application, a writing sample and a sample film. Applicants may also submit one additional "best" example of creative work (see specific admission guidelines for details). Admission into the BFA program is contingent upon approval of the application materials by the BFA committee. Students are required to attend a BFA orientation meeting prior to submitting their application. The program recommends that BFA students purchase film and sound media-capable Apple computing systems.

For more information, visit the department website. Students are encouraged to consult with the Cinema Studies advisor in order to obtain advice and current information.

Program Requirements

No more than 6 credit hours of independent study may be credited toward the major. Students must complete the required cinema courses with a grade of C or better.

Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the required courses listed below. The Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts requires a minimum of 57 credit hours in support of the BFA degree requirements.

Required Courses and Credits

Graduating in Four Years with a BFA

Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress toward a BFA in cinema studies & moving image arts, students should meet the following requirements:

• Declare and start the cinema studies major the first semester freshman year.
• Complete CINE 1502, CINE 2000, CINE 2005 or CINE 2105 and one lower- or upper-division critical studies course for 3 credit hours by the end of the third semester.
• Complete 3 credit hours upper-division Critical Studies Elective, CINE Production Elective (3 credit hours) and CINE 2500 by the end of the fourth semester.
• Note: In order to graduate in four years, a student must apply and be accepted into the BFA program at the end of the fourth semester. See the admission requirements section above for details of the application process.
• Complete CINE 3051, CINE 3400, CINE 3515, CINE 3525 and CINE 3061, and two production elective (6 credit hours) by the end of the sixth semester.
• Complete CINE 4500, 3 credit hours upper-division critical studies elective by the end of the seventh semester.
• Complete 3 additional credit hours of CINE 4500, CINE 4604, by the end of the eighth semester.

Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study

Through the required coursework for the major, students will complete all 12 credits of the the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement.