Program Overview
The Master of Fine Arts in Cinema program at this institution is a terminal degree that focuses on independent film and media production. It requires 60 units of coursework, with a specialization in documentary, experimental, or fiction filmmaking. Students build a foundation in technical crafts, aesthetics, theory, and creative conceptualization, leading to the production of creative work that demonstrates their unique artistic voice. The program also includes teaching experience and prepares graduates for careers in the independent film and media industry.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Master of Fine Arts in Cinema program is designed for individuals who wish to pursue independent film and media production. It is a terminal degree requiring 60 units of coursework. The program allows students to specialize in documentary, experimental, and/or fiction filmmaking.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Have a GPA of 3.0 in the last two years of undergraduate study.
- Complete two courses in cinema studies beyond the introductory level (one in critical theory and one in cinema history).
- Complete one introductory film production course and a basic course in non-linear digital editing or equivalent experience.
- Have knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro.
Outline:
The program is structured into three distinct years, with required courses and electives for a total of 60 units.
First Year:
Students build a foundation in technical crafts, aesthetics, theory, and creative conceptualization.
Second Year:
Students take advanced courses leading to the production of creative work showcasing original thinking, conceptual clarity, technical skill, and a refined personal aesthetic.
Third Year:
Students complete a creative project that serves as a culmination of their previous work and demonstrates the development of their creative voice.
Core Courses (27 units):
- CINE 701 Creative Process I (3 units)
- CINE 702 Creative Process II (3 units)
- CINE 710 Production Practice I (3 units)
- CINE 711 Production Practice II (3 units)
- CINE 712 Production Practice III (3 units)
- CINE 726 Cinema Theory II (3 units)
- CINE 770 Film Production Research (3 units)
- CINE 852 Directed Experience in Film Education (3 units)
- CINE 894 Creative Work Project (3 units)
Theory Electives (9 units):
Select three from the following:
- CINE 720 Critical Paradigms and the Cinematic (3 units)
- CINE 721 Cinematic Documentary (3 units)
- CINE 723 Cinema Forms and Aesthetics (3 units)
- CINE 727 Cinematic Styles, Forms and Movements (3 units)
- CINE 728 Cinema Histories (3 units)
- CINE 741 Cinema and the City (3 units)
- CINE 743 Sexuality in the Cinema (3 units)
- CINE 747 Postcolonial Cinema (3 units)
- CINE 748 Cinema and Cultural Studies (3 units)
- CINE 749 Critical Practices (3 units)
- CINE 820 Seminar in Critical Theory (3 units)
Production Electives (6 units):
Select two from the following:
- CINE 713 Visual Effects Workshop (3 units)
- CINE 715 Cinematography Workshop (3 units)
- CINE 730 Experimental Cinema Workshop (3 units)
- CINE 740 Workshop in Documentary Production (3 units)
- CINE 755 Feature Screenwriting (3 units)
- CINE 761 Directing for Cinema (3 units)
- CINE 762 (3 units)
- CINE 763 (3 units)
Additional Cinema Electives (18 units):
Selected on advisement.
Assessment:
The program includes periodic reviews and formal evaluations of student work.
Formal Reviews:
- Script review at the end of the first semester.
- Progress review at the end of the first year.
- Presentation and faculty evaluation of the creative work project proposal at the end of the second year.
- Public screening of the student's creative thesis project.
Written English Proficiency Requirement:
- Level One: Assessed using written work completed in the critical theory course taken in the first semester.
- Level Two: Assessed using the creative work proposal prepared in CINE 770.
Teaching:
- Students gain teaching experience through CINE 852, a directed experience in film education course.
Careers:
The program prepares students for careers in independent film and media production.
Other:
- Completion of CINE 852 is a prerequisite for taking any paid position.
- Up to 24 units of graduate credit from an M.A. program in film production may be applied toward the M.F.A. (subject to approval by the Cinema graduate committee and Dean of Graduate Studies).
- Students must be continuously enrolled in an upper-division or graduate-level cinema course until graduation.
- Students must take two critical theory courses from the list provided by the spring semester of their second year.
- Students must take CINE 726 during the spring semester of their second year.
