ADMISSIONS AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

2007-2008 - College of the Arts

Department Office:
University Telecommunications Center (UTC), Room 104

Department Chair:
Craig Smith

Administrative Coordinator:
Donna Thomas

Telephone:
(562) 985-5404

Learning Outcomes:
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film & Electronic Arts

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NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:

The following information covers departmental admission requirements and requirements for the B.A. in Film and Electronic Arts. Complete course descriptions are printed in the University Catalog which may be obtained by contacting the University Bookstore at (562) 985-5093 or online at www.csulb.edu. To order an Admissions Application, please call (562) 985-5505, or apply online: at www.csumentor.edu; (International Admissions (562) 985-5476 or email: cie-admission@csulb.edu). These items may also be available at your community college counseling offices or library.

ADMISSION UNDER IMPACTION

Applications to the major in Film and Electronic Arts exceed the number that can be accommodated by the Department's facilities and resources; therefore, this program has been designated Impacted by the California State University.

Conditional Admission to the major in Film and Electronic Arts requires:

1. Completion of all 12 units of General Education Foundation and at least 18 units of General Education courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; and
2. Completion of ART 110 (Introduction to the Visual Arts) or AH 115C (Foundation Art History III) (or equivalent).
3. International student applicants must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language with a score of 550 or higher. Priority admission will be given to legal residents of the State of California.
4. It is recommended that FEA 299 be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
5. Students seeking admission to the Option in Film/Video Production, please note additional application requirements below.

Transfer students must apply to CSULB (not to the FEA Dept.) during the University's initial filing period of October and November* for the following fall semester and August for the following spring semester.

Currently enrolled students who meet the requirements listed above must submit a Change of Degree Objective form to the Film and Electronic Arts Department by Feb. 1* for the fall semester or Oct. 1 for the spring semester.

*Applications for admission to the Option in Film/Video Production are accepted in spring semester only. Admission to this option is in fall semester only.

Supplemental Screening Criteria:

1. Students should complete FEA 299 by their first semester.
2. Students must also attempt to complete the CSULB Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) requirement by the end of the semester in which FEA 299 is completed.

Students who fail to meet either of the supplemental screening criteria may not continue in the major and may re-apply only once in accordance with University policy regarding impacted majors.

B.A. IN FILM AND ELECTRONIC ARTS

The department offers two B.A. degree options: one in Film and Electronic Media and one in Film and Video Production. Students in both options must complete all requirements, pre-requisites, and electives in residence at the upper division level.

Students are admitted to the Option in Film and Electronic Media by virtue of meeting the Admission Requirements and Supplemental Screening Criteria listed above.

In addition to the Admission Requirements and Supplemental Screening Criteria listed above, students applying to the Option in Film/Video Production must submit a portfolio to the FEA Department in January for the following fall semester. Please see complete details below.

NOTE: Although most FEA classes are open only to fully admitted majors, some classes are open to all students. These include FEA 300, 310, 312, 314, FEA317/W/ST316, FEA/ENGL 318I, FEA/HIST/RGR 346i, 412, FEA/ITAL 454, FEA/FREN 456, 486I. These courses as well as SPAN 428 and RUSS 428 (see limitations listed under the International Media Category V) may be applied to the Departmental requirements once the student has been fully accepted into the major. Completion of any of these courses does not imply acceptance into the major.

Option in Film and Electronic Media (FEA-BA01)

Students are admitted to this option by virtue of meeting the Admission Requirements and Supplemental Screening listed above.

Requirements:

I. Major Screening Course - subtotal (3 units)

1. FEA 299 Media Aesthetics (should be taken in their sophomore year)

II. Media Studies Core - subtotal (9 units)

1. FEA 300 History of Broadcasting (3)
2. FEA 302 Classical Film Theory (3)
3. FEA 314 Theatrical Film Symposium (3) (for students who entered the FEA major prior to Fall 2008) or FEA 205 Film History (3) (for students who are entering the major in Fall 2008 or after)

III. Media Practice Core (choose two courses from one track, for 6 units total) - subtotal (6 units)

1. Post-Production
   1. FEA 307 Audio Production
   2. FEA 320 Sound Design
   3. FEA 415 Media Editing
   4. FEA 416 Advanced Media Editing
2. Management
   1. FEA 327 Production Management
   2. FEA 376 Media Sales/Distribution (F)
3. Writing
   1. FEA 303 Film and Electronic Media Writing
   2. FEA 304 Writing the Short Script
   3. 404 Writing the Feature Script (prerequisite FEA 303 or 304 with "B" or better)
   4. 408 Writing the Screen Adaptation (prerequisite FEA 303 or 304 with "B" or better or ENGL 405 or 407 with "B" or better)

IV. Culture and Media (choose three) - subtotal (9 units)

1. FEA 310 Media and Culture
2. FEA 317/W/ST 316 Women in U.S. Film
3. FEA 318I/ENGL 318I Theory of Fiction and Film
4. FEA 380 Documentary History and Theory (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
5. FEA 394 American Film Genres (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
6. FEA 412 American TV and African-Americans
7. FEA 486I Alternative Media

V. International Media (choose three) - subtotal (9 units)

1. FEA 392A European Cinema (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
2. FEA 392B European Cinema (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
3. FEA 392C Latin American Cinema (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
4. FEA 392D Japanese Cinema (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
5. No more than one from:
   • FEA 454/ITAL 454 Italian Cinema
   • FEA 456/FREN 456 French Cinema
   • RUSS 428 Russian Cinema
   • SPAN 428 Spanish Cinema

VI. Electives - subtotal (12 units)

This requirement can be met with a sequence of elective courses in FEA (see CSULB Catalog for additional FEA courses not listed here and for full course descriptions). With prior advisor approval, certain non-FEA courses may be counted toward this requirement.

VII. Senior Theory Course (choose one) - subtotal (3 units)

1. FEA 401 Contemporary Film Theory (prerequisite FEA 300 and 302)
2. FEA 402 Television Critical Theory (prerequisite FEA 300 or 310)

TOTAL UNITS TO COMPLETE THE OPTION: 51 units

Option in Film and Video Production (FEA-BA02)

The Film and Electronic Arts' Production Option is an upper division impacted major with enrollment limited to 42 new students each year. Applications for admission into the option are accepted in spring semester only. Admission to the option is in fall semester only.

Requirements for Admission to the Option

Students may not apply to the option before spring semester of their sophomore year (for admission the following fall). Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA at the time of application and by the time of entrance must have at least 56 units of college level course work completed, including all GE Foundation requirements and at least 18 units of GE courses including Art 110 or AH 115C with a cumulative GPA that is still 3.0 or above.

Transfer Students

Before applying to the option in spring, transfer students must first apply to the university in fall semester, declaring FEA as their major. CSULB requires transfer students to have at least 60 units of college level course work completed prior to admission. Although a transfer student may apply to the FEA production option prior to learning whether or not they have been admitted to the university, they cannot be accepted into the option until they have been officially admitted to the university. The Film and Electronic Arts Department is not involved in the university admissions process.

Application Materials

Students apply for admission into the option by presenting a portfolio to the department no sooner than spring semester of their sophomore year. Prior production experience is not required. The Film and Electronic Arts Department seeks students with comprehensive liberal arts backgrounds, creative imaginations and exceptional communication skills. For this reason, portfolios are comprised of the following materials:

1. Personal statement (3 pages max, double-spaced, 12 pt. font)
2. Critical essay on a film or TV show (3 pages max, double-spaced, 12 pt. font)
3. Sample of original creative work (either writing, visual art or a short film/video)
4. Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended by the applicant
5. Fact sheet. (PDF)
6. Two letters of recommendation using this format. (PDF)

Personal Statement: A summary of the applicant's background and creative interests. In this essay applicants must make a direct and compelling link between their life experiences and their desire to attend film school. Academic and career goals must also be outlined.

Critical Essay on a Film or Television Show: Although applicants are not expected to have a sophisticated knowledge of media criticism, they are expected to be able to make reasoned written arguments in support of a thesis. For this reason, applicants should choose to explicate a film or television show that they find to be particularly meaningful and interesting. Emphasis in this essay should be on the relationship between form and content in the film or television show being analyzed. A minimum of three print sources should be cited in the essay.

Sample of Original Creative Work: Applicants choose to submit at least one, but no more than two, of the following:

• Creative writing sample (prose, poetry, drama or film/TV script)
• Representative sampling of visual work (drawings, designs, artwork, photography, etc.)
• Short film or video (narrative, documentary or experimental)

Films and videos must be submitted on NTSC VHS or DVD and may not exceed ten minutes in length. Multiple films and videos may be submitted (on a single tape or DVD) so long as the total running time of all the projects combined does not exceed ten minutes. Portions of work may be included, but the admissions committee prefers complete works. If an applicant feels compelled to submit a film or video which exceeds ten minutes, they may do so on a separate VHS or DVD and if committee members feel so inclined-after watching that applicant's ten minute submission-they will view it. Please label all videos with 1.) the number of pieces included; 2.) the title and running time of each; and 3.) your contribution to each production (camera, script, editing, direction, etc.).

When submitting visual work, no more than thirty examples should be included. In the case of photography, prints need not be mounted. Artwork, including paintings, drawings and three-dimensional pieces, may be submitted on slides or DVD. Slides must be in slide sheets with the top right corner of each slide clearly marked. Label each slide sheet with your name. The individual slides must be numbered and labeled on a separate sheet of paper (information for each slide about dimensions and medium should be included).

Regarding creative writing samples, applicants may only submit a single work (poetry is the exception to this rule). The writing sample may be of any length, but the committee only agrees to read ten pages of any submitted work. Applicants should clearly indicate which ten pages they would like the committee to consider. If after reading those ten pages a committee member feels compelled to read further, he or she will do so.

Two Letters of Recommendation: These should be from professors/teachers who know the applicant well and can speak to the applicant's intellectual and creative abilities as well as assess their maturity, sense of responsibility and collaborative spirit. One of the letters may be from a film or TV industry professional so long as the applicant actually worked directly for the author of the letter. Letters from friends, family members, or non-industry employers will NOT be accepted. All letters of recommendation must be submitted on letterhead in sealed envelopes and may not be read by the applicant prior to submission.

Application Process and Deadlines

All applicants, without exception, must adhere to following rules and deadlines:

1. Only completed applications will be accepted. All supporting materials must be included at the time of submission (letters of recommendation may be sent separately by the recommenders).
2. Applicants must include with their application a standard manila folder with their name written legibly on the tab (last name first).
3. Applications mailed to the department must be postmarked no earlier than January 1 and no later than January 15. Please include a self-addressed stamped postcard so that we can confirm receipt of your materials. The address for mailing applications is:
   
   

   Film and Electronic Arts Department
   Production Option Admissions Committee
   California State University Long Beach
   1250 Bellflower Boulevard
   Long Beach, CA 90840-2801

4. Applications may be delivered in person to the department coordinator in UTC 104 beginning the first Monday in January. The deadline for submitting applications in person is January 15 at 4pm. No exceptions.

Review Process

Between mid-January and mid-April, every portfolio will be reviewed by two committee members. If two committee members disagree about the quality of a particular portfolio it will be sent to a third committee member for review. In order for a portfolio to receive a favorable review, two committee members must endorse it. The admissions committee is comprised of all full-time faculty members in the Film and Electronic Arts Department.

All applicants whose portfolios receive a favorable review will be considered for an interview by FEA faculty to determine whether or not they will be admitted to the Option. Interviews will be held in May. Weekend interviews will be held for non-CSULB students. All interviews must be face-to-face. No telephone interviews will be allowed.

Once all prospective students have been interviewed, formal offers of admission will be made, usually by late May. Transfer students who have not been accepted to the university will not receive offers. A wait-list of no fewer than five alternates will also be compiled and these applicants will be informed in writing of their status. Wait-list candidates as well as all applicants who have been offered and have accepted admission to the option must have their most current sealed official transcripts delivered to the department coordinator by no later than June 20. If an applicant's official transcripts reveal that he or she as fallen short of the minimum requirements listed above (not including summer school work still to be completed), their offer of admission will be rescinded and a qualified alternate will be chosen to replace them. There is no appeals process for students not admitted to the option.

Transfer applicants not admitted to the option but admitted to the university, as well as all CSULB applicants not admitted to the option, should enroll in FEA 299 in fall semester. Students who earn a grade of C or better in this course and who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher are admitted to the Film and Electronic Arts Department's Option in Film and Electronic Media, which offers a comprehensive course of study in the history and theory of media. Students in the Film and Electronic Media Option can not only enroll in a number of the production classes, including documentary, sound design and all of the writing courses, but they earn credit towards graduation for some of these classes.

Requirements of the Option

Students admitted to the option are required to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in all major course work in order to retain their place in the option. There is no probation period for students who fall below this minimum GPA. Students are also required to abide by the rules and regulations listed in FEA's Policies and Procedures handbook.

Junior Year Requirements: During a student's first year in the option they must take the following courses in the following sequence (of these first year courses, only FEA 299 and 300 may be completed prior to admission to the option):

Sophomore Year: FEA 299 Media Aesthetics

Fall Semester of Junior Year - 15 Units

• FEA 303 Film and Electronic Media Writing
• FEA 307 Audio Production (Only if you have taken FEA 299 previously; otherwise, FEA 307 is taken later in the program)
• FEA 309 Cinematography
• FEA 344 Directing
• FEA 415 Editing

Spring Semester of Junior Year - 15 Units

• FEA 300 History of Broadcasting (may be taken prior to admission)
• FEA 302 Classical Film Theory
• FEA 304 Writing the Short Script
• FEA 328 Film and Video Lighting
• FEA 336 Beginning Film/Video Production

Senior Year Requirements: At the end of their junior year, all students must declare a two-semester track of specialization for their senior year. The Narrative Production Track is subject to a competitive admissions process based on a script submitted in the spring semester of the junior year by the student seeking admission. The senior tracks are:

Narrative Production Track

• Fall semester: FEA 340 Advanced Production I
• Spring semester: FEA 342 Advanced Production II

Documentary Production Track

• Fall semester: FEA 382 Documentary Production I
• Spring semester: FEA 383 Documentary Production II

Cinematography Track

• Fall semester: FEA 341 Advanced Cinematography I
• Spring semester: FEA 342 Advanced Cinematography II

Writing Track

• Fall semester: FEA 404 Advanced Screenwriting I
• Spring semester: FEA 404 Advanced Screenwriting II

Animation Track

• Fall semester: FEA 337 Digital Arts Production
• Spring semester: FEA 437 3D Computer Animation

Students work collaboratively across tracks and with students in the Film and Electronic Media Option to produce projects for the end of the semester showcases.

In addition to choosing a two-semester track of specialization, students in their senior year complete the following requirements (these courses may be completed prior to admission, but it is recommended that students complete these requirements during their senior year):

Culture and Media (choose three courses from the following; students in the Documentary Track choose two in addition to FEA 380 Documentary History and Theory, which is required in that track):

1. FEA 310 Media and Culture
2. FEA 317 Women in U.S. Film
3. FEA 318I Theory of Fiction and Film
4. FEA 380 Documentary History and Theory
5. FEA 392A European Cinema 1930-1960
6. FEA 392B European Cinema After 1960
7. FEA 392C Latin American Cinema
8. FEA 392D Japanese Cinema
9. FEA 394 American Film Genres
10. FEA 412 American TV and African Americans
11. FEA 486I Alternative Media
12. No more than one from:
    • FEA 454/ITAL 454 Italian Cinema
    • FEA 456/FREN 456 French Cinema
    • RUSS 428 Russian Cinema
    • SPAN 428 Spanish Cinema

Production Courses (single track majors choose one):

1. FEA 307 Audio Production
2. FEA 314 Theatrical Film Symposium
3. FEA 320 Sound Design
4. FEA 327 Production Management
5. FEA 337 Digital Arts Production
6. FEA 381 Directing the Documentary (requires concurrent enrollment in FEA 380)
7. FEA 403 Diverse Media: Writing and Producing
8. FEA 404 Advanced Screenwriting
9. FEA 405 Comedy Writing
10. FEA 408 Screen Adaptation
11. FEA 415 Electronic Editing
12. FEA 416 Advanced Media Editing
13. FEA 492 Internship
14. FEA 498 Advanced Seminar

Students in the Writing Track are encouraged, though in no way required, to take FEA 403 and 405 to complete their production course requirements.

TOTAL UNITS TO COMPLETE THE OPTION: 51 units

Questions about the department, the application process, or the requirements of either the Option in Film and Video Production or the Option in Film and Electronic Media, should be directed to the Department's Administrative Coordinator: (562) 985-5404.