The Film program is an innovative undergraduate program leading to a BA in film or a minor in film production, cinema studies, or screenwriting.
In the BA program, students pursue a course of study that encompasses scholarly appreciation and analysis of film as well as production and technical aspects of the moving image and writing for the screen. The program employs a scholarly, creative, and professional approach to the study of film and seeks to help each student discover their talent as an independent critic, artist, and communicator.
The Film BA is designed to build specific skills in media production into a strong technical and practical foundation for advanced studies. Students can choose from a range of advanced courses in specialized disciplines, from writing and producing to directing, cinematography, and editing. The Film program emphasizes exploration of the student’s personal creative voice through hands-on productions, and continuously emphasizes thoughtful, engaging storytelling.
All students begin with short, skill-specific exercises and progress to more complex productions, while learning how to navigate the collaborative nature of film production. Students are encouraged to experiment with traditional narrative structures, documentary, and multi-camera production, as the curriculum allows and their interests dictate. In FILM 453 (Wildcat Films), students have the opportunity to run the program’s in-house production company, which produces work for actual clients and contributes to the operation and outreach of the program as a whole.
To complete the learning experience and help students prepare for the job market, all students pursuing the major are required to take a leadership role in a capstone film and develop a career plan and portfolio of work. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of internship opportunities, and the program strives to maintain industry connections in order to foster these relationships.
Admission Requirements
Any student who has a minimum CWU (or combined CWU/ transfer) grade point average of 2.4 or higher may be admitted to this program by submitting an application form at cwu.edu/film/film-degree. Admissions occur on a rolling basis and are dependent upon the number of slots available in the program.
Graduation Requirements
Students must maintain a 2.4 CWU GPA or higher with a minimum grade of C- in all courses counted toward fulfilling the film major or minor requirements.
Program Learner Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- demonstrate themselves to be expressive, innovative visual thinkers;
- demonstrate the ability to analyze and interpret emotional, psychological, and cognitive influences in the perception of visual media;
- demonstrate an understanding of the distinguishing features of American and International cinema;
- demonstrate a meaningful understanding of the production elements and narrative structures employed in film;
- demonstrate knowledge of theoretical approaches to cinema (genre, auteurism, structuralism, poststructuralism, semiotics, psychoanalysis, feminism, and post-colonialism);
- demonstrate the knowledge of and ability to apply different theoretical perspectives on the role and power of media within society to influence social values, political beliefs, identities, and behaviors;
- demonstrate a basic skills set in producing, directing, cinematography, and editing; and
- identify and effectively use the fundamental structure and features of a screenplay.