Bachelor of Arts in Cinema Roadmap
120 Total Units Required
Minimum Number of Units in the Major: 45
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.
| First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 114 | Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 | 3 |
| GE Area A 2 | 3 | |
| GE Area C - Take Two | 6 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| GE Area A | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 3 | 3 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| GE Area E | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| Major Core - Take Two 4 | 6-7 | |
| GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 5 | 3-4 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 6 | 6 | |
| Units | 15-17 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| Major Core - Take Two 4 | 6-7 | |
| GE Area B: Life Science (B2) and Laboratory Science (B3) 5 | 3-4 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective – Take Two 6 | 6 | |
| Units | 15-17 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| CINE 340 & CINE 341 |
Critical Studies and Critical Studies Discussion Group (Major Foundation) |
4 |
| GWAR Course – Select One 7 | 3 | |
| GE Area F ± | 3 | |
| GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences | 3 | |
| U.S. and California Government | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| Upper-Division Cinema Studies Courses (9 Units Total) 8 | 3 | |
| Major Electives (16 Units Total) – Take Two 9 | 6 | |
| GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 6 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| Upper-Division Cinema Studies Courses (9 Units Total) 8 | 3 | |
| Major Electives (16 Units Total) – Take Two 9 | 6 | |
| GE Area UD-C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective 6 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| Upper-Division Cinema Studies Courses (9 Units Total) 8 | 3 | |
| Capstone Experience 10 | 3 | |
| Major Electives (16 Units Total) 9 | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 6 | 5 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| Total Units | 120-124 | |
- 1
ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses.
- 2
To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major.
- 3
To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 4
Major Core (13 units)
CINE 200 Introduction to Cinema Studies (3 units)
CINE 202 Introduction to Filmmaking (3 units)
& CINE 204 Introduction to Filmmaking Laboratory (1 unit)
CINE 211 Film History I (3 units)
CINE 212 Film History II (3 units)- 5
Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill B3 if not already satisfied.
- 6
Complementary Studies
Bachelor of Arts students must complete at least 12 units of Complementary Studies outside of the primary prefix for the major. (Note: Students may not use an alternate prefix that is cross-listed with the primary prefix for the major.)
Students who complete two majors or a major and a minor automatically complete the Complementary Studies requirement.
Cinema majors will be offered several pathways toward completing this requirement, each of which is designed to facilitate graduation in a timely manner. Majors may, with the approval of a Cinema advisor, elect to apply 12 units in a single foreign language of their choosing, courses taken in an approved study abroad program (e.g., CSU Study Abroad), courses taken as part of a second major, a minor, or a certificate, or courses in related disciplines. Related disciplines typically include: anthropology, art, business, creative writing, design, journalism, literature, music, philosophy, television, and theater. The School of Cinema allows up to 12 upper-division units from cinema-related disciplines to count toward the major. Where upper-division Complementary Studies courses are related to cinema, they may, with the approval of a School advisor, also be counted as Cinema electives in fulfillment of major requirements.
Students who have earned AA-T or AS-T degrees and are pursuing a similar B.A. degree at SF State are required to fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement as defined by the major department. Students should consult with a major advisor about how transfer units and/or SF State units can best be applied to this requirement to ensure degree completion within 60 units.
- 7
GWAR Course – Select One
CINE 303GW Writing About Cinema - GWAR (3 units)
CINE 318GW Art and Film - GWAR (3 units)
CINE 343GW Perspectives on Documentary Film - GWAR (3 units)
CINE 350GW The Art of Short Film - GWAR (3 units)
- 8
Upper-Division Cinema Studies Courses (9 units)
Select 9 units from 300 or 500-level CINE courses, not including the courses used to fulfill the Foundation and GWAR requirements listed above. Additional GWAR courses may be applied to the Upper-Division Cinema Studies Courses requirement. A 500-level CINE course satisfies the Capstone Experience.
- 9
Major Electives (16 units)
Select additional upper-division Cinema courses to complete a total of 45 units required for the major. A 500-level or 600-level CINE course satisfies the Capstone Experience:
- With prior approval of an advisor, up to 12 units of Cinema-related upper-division courses outside the School of Cinema may count toward the major.
- No more than seven units of advanced production courses may be taken in any one term unless special permission is granted by the instructor.
- If the minimum residence requirement of 12 units in the major is satisfied, credit for upper-division courses in the major from another four-year university is possible if syllabi are comparable.
- A maximum of 18 units of online coursework may be counted toward the major.
- A maximum of 12 units of independent study and internship courses may be counted toward the major.
- A maximum of nine CR/NC units may be counted toward the major, which may include up to a maximum of four units of different CINE 325, CINE 326, or CINE 650 courses.
- GWAR courses in addition to the first GWAR course may be counted towards Upper-Division Cinema Studies Courses or Electives.
- 10
Capstone Experience (3 units)
Any three units at the 500 or 600-level apply, with the exception of CINE 685, CINE 690, CINE 692, CINE 695, and CINE 699. This course may contribute to the Upper-Division Cinema Studies Requirement or the Electives Requirement.
- ±
Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.