Curriculum Plan for BFA DFM Undergraduates
Once accepted, the student must then complete the following courses totaling 42 credits (for a total of 72 credits). GPA requirements continue through each assessment period with annual reviews occurring at the end of spring semester each year.

 

Year One as a BFA Major

Fall

MAR 252 Screenwriting- 3 cr.
MAR 330 Principles of Sound Design - 3 cr.
MAR 355 Directing Fiction Film - 3 cr.
MAR 357 Techniques of NL Editing- 3 cr.

 

Spring
MAR 301 Digital Film Practices- 3 cr.
MAR 326 Intro to Cinematography - 3 cr.
MAR 340 Principles of Interactive Media - 3 cr.
MAR 446 Sound for Film - 3 cr.

 

Year Two as a BFA Major

Fall
MAR 415 Short Form Screenwriting - 3 cr.
MAR 442 Experimental Film - 3 cr.
MAR 465 Special Projects - 3 cr.

 

Spring
MAR 450 Topics in Film/Media - 3 cr.
MAR 455 Visions of Documentary - 3 cr.

 MAR 460 Senior Project - 3 cr.

 

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Course Descriptions

Please see the Course Catalog for a complete listing of Media Arts courses. 

 

101L Introduction to Media Arts

3 cr. Offered every term. Overview of the media arts and their interaction, integration and development in the creation of story beginning with early years of photography and movie-making through the introduction of radio and television up to the digital revolution.

102 Digital Technology in the Arts

3 cr. Offered every term. An introduction to the relationship between aesthetics and the emerging capacities of digital technology. The course will explore the basic evolution of hardware, system software, and the internet and will present a brief history of the pioneers of both traditional and digital art. It will also look at contemporary and emerging trends in the artistic application of digital technology.

111A Fundamentals of Integrated Digital Art

3 cr. Offered every term. A project oriented editing and design course that focuses on artistic expression and its relationship to digital technology. Using Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects, students will create audio/visual work in both the still image and time based mediums.

112A Intro to Non-Linear Editing

3 cr. Offered every term. Study of the history, process and philosophy of narrative film/video editing and an introduction to Final Cut Pro nonlinear editing software.

 

210 Creation of Media Story

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Majors only. An introduction to screenwriting and visualization for media story. Focus is on developing visual writing skills and effective utilization of critical story elements.

221 Fundamentals of Digital Image Design

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Majors only. Introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and practices of digital still imaging in order to establish a common aesthetic and technical language necessary to develop quality designs on the computer.

 

251 Digital Video Production Techniques

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Majors only. Intermediate study of digital video cameras, lighting, sound, and their use in specific production situations.

 

252 Screenwriting

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Major. Intermediate level writing class devoted to short films, with an emphasis on writing camera-ready scripts for spring production. Feature film structure and techniques also discussed.

300 Visions of Film

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Study of major film theories that led to the constitution of visual film language and their application in contemporary film narrative and direction.

301 Digital Film Practices

1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered every term. Media Arts Majors only. Practical application of the principles of production through work on graduate and upper level undergraduate projects, either as a crew member, production manager, designer, editor, director of photography or actor.

302 Intro to Motion Design

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. This project-oriented course will introduce students to the basic technical and aesthetic components of digital motion design using the industry standard software programs Photoshop and After Effects.

325 Fundamentals of Digital Animation

3 cr. Offered every term. Media Arts Majors only. Introduction to two-dimensional digital animation, focusing on character and motion design animation fundamentals including: cell animation (frame by frame), motion-tweening, working with key frames and motion paths, moving elements on a 2D stage, object choreography and text animation.

 

326 Intro to Cinematography

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Preliminary study of digital cinematography including color theory, composition, lens choice, continuity, camera movement/support, lighting for film and video, and grip in both studio and location situations.

 

330 Principles of Sound Design

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Majors only. Introduction to fundamental concepts, principles and practices of digital sound recording and editing in order to establish a common aesthetic and technical language necessary to develop quality audio design.

 

340 Principles of Interactive Media

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Overview of the fundamental techniques and principles of interactive media and exploration into it's artistic application. Topics include internet structure, cloud computing, basic HTML and CSS, mobile devices, browsers, and distance collaboration.

 

355 Directing Fiction Film

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Developing, directing and editing a five to seven minute fiction movie. In depth work on creation of shooting script, casting, work with actors and location work. Emphasis on collaborative process and diligence and preparation in all levels of production.

 

357 Techniques of Non-Linear Editing

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Investigation of different techniques of narrative editing, including continuity, construction and montage. Students edit short project using supplied footage. Emphasis on finding and shaping the story. Final project uses student’s own footage from the project in MAR 355.

 

415 Screenwriting

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Majors only. Intermediate level writing class devoted to short films, with an emphasis on writing camera-ready scripts for spring production. Feature film structure and techniques also discussed.

 

442 Experimental Film

3 cr. Offered autumn. Media Arts Majors only. Surveying a wide range of experimental cinema (film/video) from the 1920's to the present with a central focus being artistic practice in the context of historic and cultural concerns. Students will also create projects focusing on exploring film/video both as a form of personal expression and as a medium, rather than as mass entertainment.

 

446 Sound for Digital Film

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. This course is targeted to the digital filmmaking student and introduces fundamental concepts, principles and practices of digital sound recording and editing. This will enable students to expand their aesthetic by integrating their sonic and visual creative work.

 

450 Topics in Film and Media Studies

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Research and exploration of contemporary film, video, and integrated digital media. Focus on areas of student research both in commercial and non-commercial venues and styles.

 

455 Visions of Documentary Film

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Production of short experimental works of non-fiction. Emphasis on pre-production articulation of ideas and goals that lead to competent dramatic footage of actual events and people. Applied concepts: personal point-of-view, metaphor as organizing principle, articulation of subject/thesis, complexity of story, embedded meanings, use of visual motif.

 

460 Senior Project

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. This capstone course gives the student an opportunity to create an integrated senior project which brings together all of the elements of their course of study.

 

465 Special Projects

3 cr. Offered spring. Media Arts Majors only. Focus on the production of short commercial works, including advertisements, industrial work, “how to” video, as well as paper projects with potential clients. Students develop a DVD/Web portfolio for entry into the profession upon graduation. The class serves as a synthesis point for analysis and presentation of techniques and principles learned throughout the program.