Bachelor of Arts: Film and Media Arts
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/
Constitution Course
Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Create media productions that demonstrate advanced film making craft
- Apply professional best practices for set etiquette, production logistics and creative collaboration
- Describe key periods, formal developments, genres, and themes in film history
- Analyze global cinematic texts and the social, political and cultural meanings they produce
Program Requirements
The Film and Media Arts B.A. offers undergraduate students a rigorous course of study in film and video production, with supporting courses in film studies and art. Students in the program practice all aspects of filmmaking: screenwriting, pre-production planning, cinematography, lighting, audio recording, editing, and sound design. The program emphasizes individual creative development, with each student building their own portfolio of original film and media work. Professional preparation for careers in film and media arts is also a strong component of the degree. In our production classes, we teach a small-crew, independent-artist approach to filmmaking. Students gain experience in all phases of film production, including idea development, writing, pre-production planning, producing, directing, cinematography, sound design and editing.
UMKC Essentials
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE) | 3 | |
| Written Communication: | ||
| ENGLISH 110 | Introduction to Academic Prose | 3 |
| ENGLISH 225 | English II: Intermediate Academic Prose | 3 |
| Oral Communication (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening | ||
| Introduction to Communication | ||
| Argumentation And Debate (offered via dual credit only) | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Math Pathway (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Mathematics For Liberal Arts | ||
| Statistical Reasoning | ||
| Precalculus Algebra | ||
| Precalculus (5 credit hours) | ||
Any 200-level MATH or STAT course | ||
ACT Math Subscore of 28 or higher; or SAT Math Subscore of 660 or higher | ||
| Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS) | 3 | |
| Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV) | 3 | |
| Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Constitution Course Requirement
Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.”
Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 | ||
| Honors American Government | ||
| American Government | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:
- Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
- Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
- Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
- Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Intensive Course (300-level or above): | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Major Requirements
Students must successfully complete the major requirements below with at least 12 hours of the noted upper division (300+) course requirements completed at UMKC.
The B.A. in Film and Media Arts requires 45 credit hours of coursework. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in their major courses. Only major courses with a grade of C- or higher will be accepted for credit in the major, and counted toward the major GPA.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Coursework | ||
| ART 114 | Foundation Digital Design | 3 |
| ART 206 | Photography I | 3 |
| FILM 230 | Introduction to Film Studies | 3 |
| FILM 250 | Introduction to Film and Video Production | 3 |
| FILM 339 | Introduction to Film Theory | 3 |
| FILM 346 | Art of the Short Film | 3 |
| FILM 354 | Introduction to Screenwriting | 3 |
| FILM 373 | Intermediate Media Production | 3 |
| FILM 471 | Advanced Media Production | 3 |
| FILM 498 | Internship | 3 |
| Film Production Electives - Choose 3 of the following: 1 | 9 | |
| Digital Video and Motion Design | ||
| Podcast and Audio Production | ||
| Editing with Adobe Premiere | ||
| Narrative Production | ||
| Documentary Production | ||
| Animation | ||
| Special Studies in Film Production | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting | ||
| Client-Based Media Production | ||
| Directing Actors and Scenes | ||
| World Cinema Elective - Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Concepts of the Hero in Ancient Literature and World Cinema | ||
| German Film | ||
| Topics in World Cinema | ||
| Media in the Americas | ||
| Second Year Spanish I | ||
| Second Year French I | ||
| Additional Film Studies Elective - Choose 1 of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Ancient World in Cinema | ||
| Concepts of the Hero in Ancient Literature and World Cinema (if not taken above) | ||
| Film Adaptation | ||
| German Film (if not taken above) | ||
| Topics in Film Genre | ||
| History Of The Film Industry | ||
| African American Images in Film | ||
| Documentary Film History | ||
| Topics in World Cinema (if not taken above) | ||
| Topics in Sound & Cinema | ||
| Topics in Gender and Cinema | ||
| Special Studies in Film Studies | ||
| Media in the Americas (if not taken above) | ||
| Total Credits | 45 | |
| 1 | Elective courses may be offered on a rotation basis. Please consult with advisor for current availability. |
General Electives
Students must take elective credit hours to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for their degree, including at least 36 credit hours of coursework at the 300-level or above. The minimum required by the university is 120 credit hours, of which at least 30 credit hours must be taken at UMKC, but some degree programs require more.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Electives | 39 | |
Minimum GPA: 2.0
* MOTR PERF 107: Introduction to Filmmaking is a non-majors course and contributes to Core 42 General Education Requirements and general electives toward degree completion.
Total Credit Hours: 120
Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements
UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years. Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”. In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.
UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).
