Animation, Film, Photography and Motion Design (BFA)

Degree: Bachelor of Fine Arts
Major: Animation, Film, Photography, and Motion Design
Program Code: 3284

The BFA in Animation, Film, Photography and Motion Design teaches all aspects of the production process. Classes are structured around experiential learning, providing students with extensive hands-on practice with individual and collaborative projects that reflect industry standards.

Animation, Film, Photography and Motion Design encourages students to explore their passions and interests by allowing certain projects to be customized to their individual career goals. This degree cultivates a positive learning environment for experimentation and exploration with an emphasis on the study of time, motion and light in regards to various narrative, non-fiction, and experimental techniques. Students develop into critical, analytical, and independent problem solvers, thinkers, and creators.

The program offers cross-disciplinary coursework, which emphasizes the relationships between Animation, Film, Photography, and Motion Design so that each course enhances the others.

All CMU baccalaureate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:

1. Applying principles and elements of design through projects and quizzes.
2. Demonstrate proper use of tools, materials, techniques, use and care for equipment through quality craftsmanship, and analysis of scale, proportion, and measuring.
3. Create and defend original concepts that extend beyond formal elements to produce personal content, evidenced through projects and presentations.
4. Communicate, in written and oral forms, critical analyses of historical and contemporary art and design through projects and presentations.
5. Evaluate ethical, social, civic, and environmental challenges as they relate to art, design, and new media, and articulate responses through thesis film, portfolio, projects, and presentations.
6. Identify, evaluate, and integrate relevant sources to develop messages in visual culture, and apply information effectively through portfolio, demo reel, and website.
7. Design, curate, and publish a professional portfolio and demo reel that meet current industry standards and stated quality criteria.
8. Make and justify technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions using the creative design process for photographic and time-based media, demonstrated through projects and presentations.

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements. 

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity. 

Institutional Degree Requirements

The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU baccalaureate degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

• 120 semester hours minimum.
• Students must complete a minimum of 30 of the last 60 hours of credit at CMU, with at least 15 semester hours in major discipline courses numbered 300 or higher.
• 40 upper-division credits (an alternative credit limit applies to the Bachelor of Applied Science degree).
• 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
• A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
• No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
• Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, and credit for prior learning, is limited by the institutional residency requirements for the baccalaureate degree. Cooperative education and internship courses may be taken multiple times, up to a maximum of 15 credit hours.
• Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
• Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
• The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
• See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Essential Learning Requirements

(31 semester hours)

See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.

¹

Must receive a grade of “C” or better and must be completed by the time the student has 60 semester hours.

²

One course must include a lab.

Other Lower Division Requirements

¹

Essential Learning Capstone must be taken after completion of the Essential Learning English and Mathematics requirements, and when a student has earned between 45 and 75 hours.

Foundation Courses

(15 semester hours, must pass each course with a grade of "B" or higher.)

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(48 semester hours, must pass each course with a grade of “C” or higher.)

General Electives

(All college level courses appearing on your final transcript, not listed above that will bring your total semester hours to 120 hours, including 40 hours of Upper Division. 20 semester hours, 7 of which must be Upper Division.)

¹

Both courses must be completed. Students may choose which semester to take ARTA 222. ARTS 225 may be taken instead of ARTA 222. 

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:

• Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
• Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
• Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
• Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found on the Graduation web page.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.