New BFA Degree in Filmmaking at SUU
Published: May 06, 2021 | Author: Savannah Byers | Read Time: 3 minutes
Southern Utah University recently received accreditation approval for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Filmmaking. A collaboration between SUU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Performing and Visual Arts, this degree program will be available beginning in fall of 2022.
CPVA Dean Shauna Mendini shared, “An interdisciplinary faculty, new facilities located in one of the most spectacular regions in the world, and a multifaceted curriculum that combines art and technology distinctly positions SUU to offer a unique and exciting filmmaking program.”
In an interview about the future of CPVA before he passed, former Dean Charles Metten shared, "The college badly needs a professional and active film, video, TV production and scholarly department for the motivated and interested students of the world." Dean Metten’s vision will finally come to fruition this fall.
"Our interdisciplinary filmmaking degree will be the only BFA in the state of Utah; this is exciting because it means that all of the students in that major will leave SUU with a discernible skill connected to the film industry,” said HSS Dean Dr. Jean Boreen. “Further, the combination of courses our students can choose from will guarantee that they can appreciate the history of and theory around film even as they learn the techniques they will need to be successful in the field.”
Built on the HSS film and screen studies minor and multiple programs within CPVA, this new filmmaking degree will emphasize theory, storytelling skills, aesthetic concepts, visual organization, and strong production skills to create successful filmmakers. By earning a BFA, students have the opportunity to focus on a professional degree that will prepare them for a career in film.
“This program will allow students to understand all aspects of the film making process and prepare students for multiple career options in the film industry,” said HSS Associate Dean Dr. Grant Corser. “Multiple faculty and deans from across our two colleges worked tirelessly to develop a strong curriculum and a practical path to graduation. The pathway to graduation will afford students many hands-on learning experiences that will allow them to develop and hone their skills as filmmakers while still receiving traditional aspects of becoming educated.”
In addition to including several established SUU courses such as Screen Aesthetics, Film Theory, and World Cinema, the program will include courses in art, communication, English, and theatre with a specific emphasis on film production. The program will also introduce new courses like Film Production, Cinematography, Cinesound in Music, Advanced Editing, Directing for the Screen, and Producing for the Screen.
The filmmaking program will have film studios, a digital lab, recording studio, and classrooms housed in the SUU’s new general classroom building, which will be open for classes in spring of 2023. Students interested should reach out to their advisor for more information.
Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). More information about the BFA program for filmmaking will be made available closer to the official launch in fall of 2022.
Tags: College of Humanities and Social Sciences Filmmaking College of Performing and Visual Arts