Program Overview

Overview of the Cinema Studies Program

The University of Colorado Boulder offers a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema Studies, emphasizing the critical study of film as an art form. The program is designed to provide students with a solid knowledge of international film history and aesthetics, as well as exposure to various methodological approaches in cinema studies.

Requirements

To complete the program, students must fulfill the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required cinema studies courses. The program has two areas of emphasis: Critical Studies and Production.

General Requirements

• Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.
• No more than 6 credit hours of independent study may be credited toward the major.
• Students must complete the required cinema studies courses with a grade of C- or better.
• The College of Arts and Sciences' 18 credit hour minimum of upper-division credit hours must be fulfilled with CU cinema studies courses.
• Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in the major to graduate.

Graduating in Four Years

To maintain adequate progress toward a BA in cinema studies, students should:

• Declare a cinema studies major by the beginning of the second semester.
• Complete specific coursework by the end of each semester, as outlined in the recommended four-year plans of study.

Areas of Emphasis

The program offers two areas of emphasis: Critical Studies and Production.

Critical Studies Emphasis

• Requires a minimum of 41 credit hours in support of the BA requirements.
• Includes required cinema studies core courses, critical studies elective requirements, and cinema elective requirements.
• Course list includes:
  • CINE 1502: Introduction to Cinema Studies
  • CINE 3051 and CINE 3061: Film History 1 and 2
  • CINE 3104: Film Criticism and Theory
  • Various critical studies electives and cinema electives.

Production Emphasis

• Requires a minimum of 45 credit hours in support of the BA requirements.
• Includes required cinema studies core courses, critical studies elective requirements, production core courses, structure foundations elective, and production electives.
• Course list includes:
  • CINE 1502: Introduction to Cinema Studies
  • CINE 3051 and CINE 3061: Film History 1 and 2
  • CINE 2000: Moving Image Foundations I
  • CINE 2500: Moving Image Foundations II
  • Various production core courses and electives.

Recommended Four-Year Plans of Study

The program provides recommended four-year plans of study for both the Critical Studies and Production emphases. These plans outline the coursework students should complete each semester to maintain adequate progress toward graduation.

Critical Studies Emphasis

• Year One: Introduction to Cinema Studies, Gen Ed Skills courses, and electives.
• Year Two: Critical Studies Electives, Gen Ed Distribution courses, and electives.
• Year Three: Film History 1 and 2, Critical Studies Electives, and Gen Ed Distribution courses.
• Year Four: Film Criticism and Theory, Critical Studies Electives, and upper-division electives.

Production Emphasis

• Year One: Introduction to Cinema Studies, Moving Image Foundations I, and electives.
• Year Two: Moving Image Foundations II, Critical Studies Electives, and Gen Ed Distribution courses.
• Year Three: Film History 1 and 2, Lights, Camera, Action, and Critical Studies Electives.
• Year Four: Cinema Production I, Post Production Lecture, and upper-division electives.

Learning Outcomes

By completing the program, students will be able to:

• Define the major artistic contributions to the evolution of cinema.
• Demonstrate familiarity with world cinema from the silent period to the present.
• Recognize the contexts of national and international film history.
• Effectively apply film criticism, aesthetics, and film theory in writing, oral, and/or artistic forms.