CSULB FEA Department Office: UTC 104 Phone: 562-985-5404 Fax: 562-985-5405
ADMISSIONS AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS2010-2011 - College of the Arts Department Office: Administrative Coordinator: Telephone: Department Email: fea@csulb.edu Learning Outcomes: PDF Version: 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:
B.A. IN FILM AND ELECTRONIC ARTS Two B.A. degree options are offered by the department: one in Theory and Practice of Cinema and one in Narrative 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 Theory and Practice of Cinema by virtue of meeting the Admission Requirements and listed above. In addition to the Admission Requirements and listed above, students applying to the Option in Narrative Production must submit a portfolio to the FEA Department by January 15th for the following fall semester. NOTE: Although most FEA classes are open only to fully-admitted majors, some classes are open to all students. These include FEA 205, 206, 310, 312, 314, FEA317/W/ST316, FEA 339, FEA/HIST/RGR 346I, FEA/ENGL 318I, 412, FEA/ITAL 454, FEA/FREN 456, 486I, 498. 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 Theory and Practice of Cinema (FEA-BA01) Students are admitted to this option by virtue of meeting the Admission Requirements and Supplemental Screening listed above. Requirements: LOWER DIVISION CORE - 9 Units
UPPER DIVISION CORE - 9 Units
CULTURE AND MEDIA - 9 Units (choose three)
INTERNATIONAL CINEMA - 9 Units (choose three)
TRACKS OF SPECIALIZATION - 15 Units Select one of the following 15-unit tracks. Courses in any track may be applied as electives in other tracks. See an advisor to determine the most relevant electives for your track. (All courses are 3 Units, unless noted) Track One: Critical Practice (15 Units)
Track Two: Documentary Production (15 Units)
Track Three: Screenwriting (15 Units)
Track Four: Editing (15 Units)
Track Five: Audio (15 Units)
Track Six: Broadcast Production (15 Units)
Track Seven: Film and Television Management (15 Units)
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 50 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 3.4 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 111B with a cumulative GPA that is still 3.4 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 narrative 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:
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. Please cite at least three books in your essay. Sample of Original Creative Work: Applicants choose to submit at least one, but no more than two (two creative supplements to your application; these count the same as any other single element in the portfolio) of the following:
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 and 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:
Review Process Between mid-February 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. 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 B 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. LOWER DIVISION CORE - 9 Units
FALL SEMESTER OF JUNIOR YEAR - 12 Units (These courses should be taken concurrently)
SPRING SEMESTER OF JUNIOR YEAR - 12 Units (These courses should be taken concurrently)
Senior Year Requirements: At the end of their junior year, students in the Narrative Production Option must declare a two-semester track of specialization for their senior year: Production & Directing or Cinematography. PRODUCTION & DIRECTING TRACK (SENIOR YEAR) Fall semester - 9 Units:
Spring semester - 9 Units: (These courses should be taken concurrently)
CINEMATOGRAPHY TRACK (SENIOR YEAR) Fall semester - 9 Units:
Spring semester - 9 Units:
TOTAL UNITS TO COMPLETE THE OPTION: 51 Units MINOR IN FILM AND ELECTRONIC ARTS Students are admitted to the minor after having completed a minimum of 30 units of college-level course work including all 12 units of General Education Foundation courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher. Requirements:
Students should consult a departmental advisor regarding ways by which elective units can be grouped into specialized tracks. For example, a basic management skills set might include 327 and 376; a basic sound mixing skill set would include 307 and 320; and documentary track would include 380, 382 and 383. TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED FOR THE MINOR: 21 Units MFA IN THEATRE ARTS - OPTION IN DRAMATIC WRITING Applications are not being accepted at this time; however, interested students should contact Donna Thomas for information. CHECKLIST Before submitting your portfolio to the department, please check off that you have in fact included all of the required materials:
Questions about the department, the application process, or the requirements should be directed to the Department's Administrative Coordinator: (562) 985-5404. |
