Major Requirements

Credits Required: 

Total credits: 120

Credits in the major: 52

The prerequisites to the Cinematic Arts major are TAT 237: Intro to Video, TAT 230: The Art of Storytelling and TAT 228: Cinematic History 1849-1960. (Transfer students may make arrangements to receive credit for equivalent courses, as well as substituting unmet pre-requistes as electives.)  After taking these courses, you officially begin the major by enrolling in TAT 300: Major ProSeminar. In ProSeminar, you will learn about the requirements of the major, explore pathways through the Individual Learning Plan and be introduced to the field. You will fulfill the Major Learning Outcomes listed below by completing coursework in Cinematic Media Production, Theory, History and Analysis.  The major culminates in a Capstone, a publicly presented project that displays your cumulative learning in the major.

Major Requirements and Learning Outcomes are identified below. In order to graduate, students must also meet all general education and university requirements. 

 

Electives

Select ANY 12 upper-division credits from courses not already taken in fulfillment of the Major Learning Outcomes.

MLO 1: Historical, Theoretical and Analytical Understanding

Students develop fluency in media criticism, media history and media ethics in order to describe and analyze the major historical movements (events, artists, genres, developments, etc.) and their interrelationships.  Students learn to understand media contextually, in relationship to social movements and technological developments so that they can describe and analyze relationships between aesthetics and content.  Students apply ethical, social and political analysis in critique.

Required Courses

  • TAT 228: Cinematic History 1849-1960 (4 units)
  • TAT 300: Major ProSeminar (4 units)
  • TAT 329: Contemporary Media History (4 units)

MLO 2: Research and Development

Students develop written and visual content through such processes as research, proposal writing, story treatments, storyboarding and script writing. Students demonstrate that they can plan appropriately according to available time and resources by producing planning documents such as budgets, production schedules, technical specifications and marketing plans. Students develop presentations for audiences utilizing contemporary distribution channels. Students evaluate projects through critical analysis. 

Required Courses

  • TAT 490: Research & Development (4 units)
  • And complete 4 units from the following courses:
  • TAT 203: Pre-Prod Research Methods (1 unit)
  • TAT 206: Marketing Strategies (1 unit)
  • TAT 207: Distribution Research Methods (1 unit)
  • TAT 208: Bus Fund for Creative Prod (1 unit)
  • TAT 223: DVD Distribution Workshop (2 units)
  • TAT 225: Web Distribution Workshop (2 units)

MLO 3: Contemporary Storytelling

Students demonstrate fundamental concepts of storytelling through written analysis and by creating various story forms using sound, image and text. Students practice developing written and visual content through such processes as story treatments, storyboarding, script writing, art direction and visualization techniques.

Required Courses

  • TAT 330: Cinematic Storytelling (4 units)
  • And take one of the following:
  • TAT 340: Screenwriting (4 units)
  • TAT 315: Visual Design (4 units)

MLO 4: Media Practice and Innovation

Students develop intellectual approaches and craftsmanship in media production through experiences to include writing, directing, cinematography, editing, designing and producing. Students demonstrate knowledge of new trends in form and content by creating meaningful, innovative and contemporary projects.

Required Courses

  • TAT 361: Intro to Non-Linear Editing (4 units)
  • And one of the following courses:
  • TAT 339: Advanced Video Prod Lect (2 units)
  • TAT 341: Directing for the Camera (2 units)
  • TAT 376: Documentary Making (4 units)
  • TAT 422: Animation (4 units)

MLO 5: Community Engagement

Students create work that contributes to society by exploring dominant values, social practices and media discourses through direct action and community collaboration. 

Required Courses

  • TAT 399S: Community-Based Media (4 units)
  • TAT 301: Practical Application (1 to 4 units)

MLO 6: Synthesis Through Capstone

Students demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in media through completion of a creative project that synthesizes the major learning outcomes.

Required Course

  • TAT 491: Capstone Completion & Assessmt (4 units)

Concentrations