The USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) is one of the nation’s preeminent centers for the creation, study, research and development of film, television and interactive media. With nearly 200,000 square feet of facilities, the school confers degrees ranging from the bachelor’s to the doctorate. SCA is composed of seven divisions and one stand-alone MFA program: the John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts; the Division of Cinema and Media Studies; Expanded Animation; Film and Television Production; Interactive Media and Games; Peter Stark Producing Program; the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen and Television; and Media Arts + Practice. The school also has two organized research units — the Institute for Multimedia Literacy and the Entertainment Technology Center.
Since its founding in 1929 as the first course of study in film at any college or university in the United States, USC’s cinema program has consistently set academic and professional standards for excellence. In addition, the school has a record-breaking number of endowed chairs in the discipline; production facilities that rival industry counterparts and extraordinary faculty and staff.
Thanks to SCA’s location in Los Angeles, students have access to the country’s leading film, television, animation and video game producers; world-class literary and talent agencies; libraries and archives brimming with research materials; and alumni that support the school and the men and women in its academic body. The school is also home to USC’s Trojan Vision television station.
The USC School of Cinematic Arts recognizes that a student can only truly excel in his or her chosen area of expertise after exposure to all elements of the art form. Consequently, there is an emphasis on cross-disciplinary course work that ensures writers get behind the camera; cinema and media studies scholars edit footage; and production majors examine the canon from a rigorous academic perspective.
Administration
Elizabeth M. Daley, PhD, Dean
Akira Mizuta Lippit, PhD, Vice Dean of Faculty
Michael Renov, PhD, Vice Dean, Academic Affairs
Andreas Kratky, PhD, Associate Dean, Research
Evan Hughes, MA, Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion
Office of Student Services
(213) 740-8358
Email: admissions@cinema.usc.edu; studentaffairs@cinema.usc.edu
cinema.usc.edu
The John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts
Teresa Cheng, Division Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCB 210
(213) 740-3986*
FAX: (213) 740-5869
The Division of Cinema and Media Studies
Priya Jaikumar, Division Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCA 320
(213) 740-3334*
Expanded Animation Research + Practice MFA Program
Everett Lewis, Co-Director
Sheila M. Sofian, Co-Director
School of Cinematic Arts - SCA 250
(213) 740-5889*
Film and Television Production
Gail Katz, Division Chair
Susan Arnold, Vice Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCA 434
(213) 740-3317*
Interactive Media and Games Division
Danny Bilson, Division Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCI 201M
(213) 821-4472*
FAX: (213) 821-2665
Media Arts + Practice
Holly Willis, Division Chair
Elizabeth Ramsey, Vice Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCI 101
(213) 821-5700*
The Peter Stark Producing Program
Ed Saxon, Division Chair
Nina Yang Bongiovi, Producer-in-Residence and Associate Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCA 366
(213) 740-3304*
The John Wells Division of Writing for Screen and Television
David Isaacs, Division Chair
School of Cinematic Arts - SCA 335
(213) 740-3303*
FAX: (213) 740-8035
Summer Program
David Weitzner, Director
School of Cinematic Arts - SCA 250
(213) 740-3327*
*For information regarding admission, call (213) 740-8358.
Faculty
Steven J. Ross/Time Warner Endowed Dean’s Chair in Cinema-Television: Elizabeth M. Daley, PhD
Dana and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli Endowed Chair in Producing: John Watson, MA
The Mark Burnett Summer Program Endowed Chair: David Weitzner, BA
The Joseph Campbell Endowed Chair in Cinematic Ethics: Theodore Braun, MFA
The Sergei Eisenstein Endowed Chair in Cinematic Design: Bruce A. Block, MFA
Electronic Arts Endowed Chair in Interactive Entertainment: Tracy Fullerton, MFA
Hugh M. Hefner Endowed Chair for the Study of American Film: Tara McPherson, PhD
The John C. Hench Endowed Division Chair: Teresa Cheng, BA
The Michael Kahn Endowed Chair in Editing: Nancy Forner, BA
The Mona and Bernard Kantor Endowed Chair in Production: Mark J. Harris, BA
The Kortschak Family Endowed Division Chair in Film and Television Production: Gail Katz, MBA
The George Méliès Endowed Chair in Visual Effects: Michael Fink, MFA
William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design: Alex McDowell, BFA
John H. Mitchell Endowed Chair in the Business of Entertainment: Bonnie Chi, BA
Stephen K. Nenno Endowed Chair in Television Studies: Ellen Seiter, PhD
Jack Oakie Chair in Comedy: Jack Epps Jr., BA
Mary Pickford Endowed Chair: Gail Katz, MBA
The Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race and Popular Culture: Todd Boyd, PhD
John Ricitiello Endowed Chair in Games and Interactive Media: Danny Bilson, BA
Kay Rose Endowed Chair in the Art of Sound and Dialogue Editing: Midge Costin, MA
The T.C. Wang Family Endowed Chair in Cinematic Arts: Akira Mizuta Lippit, PhD
The Haskell Wexler Endowed Chair in Documentary: Michael Renov, PhD
The Robin Williams Endowed Chair in Comedy: Barnet Kellman, PhD
Dino and Martha De Laurentiis Endowed Professorship: Mary Sweeney, MA
Presidential Professor of Cinematic Arts: George Lucas, BA
Judge Widney Professor: Robert Zemeckis, BFA
Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism, and Cinematic Arts: Henry Jenkins, PhD
The Mark Burnett Summer Program Endowed Chair: Kenneth Williams
Distinguished Professor: Mark J. Harris, BA
Professors: Tom Abrams, MFA; Danny Bilson, BA; Bruce Block, MFA; Don Bohlinger, MFA; Mark Bolas, MS; Todd Boyd, PhD; Ted Braun, MFA; Teresa Cheng, BA; Midge Costin, MA; Elizabeth M. Daley, PhD; Jack Epps Jr., BA; Michael Fink, MFA; Scott S. Fisher, MS; Tracy Fullerton, MFA; Mark J. Harris, BA; David Howard, MFA; Aniko Imre, PhD; David Isaacs, BA; Priya Jaikumar, PhD; Henry Jenkins, PhD; Jeremy Kagan, MFA; Gail Katz, MBA; Barnet Kellman, PhD; Scott Kroopf, BA; Lisa Leeman, BA; Akira Mizuta Lippit, PhD; Tara McPherson, PhD; Christine Panushka, MFA; Amanda Pope, BA; Jason Reisig, BFA; Michael Renov, PhD; Howard A. Rodman, BA; Ellen Seiter, PhD; Tom Sito, BFA; Kathy Smith, BA; Sheila M. Sofian, MFA; Mary Sweeney, MA; Michael Taylor, BA; Robert Townsend, DFA: John Watson, MA; Holly Willis, PhD
Associate Professors: Linda Brown, MFA; J. D. Connor, PhD; Pamela Douglas, MA; Lan Duong, PhD; Nitin Govil, PhD; Helaine Head, BA; Georgia Jeffries, BA; Andreas Kratky, PhD; Richard Lemarchand, BA; Everett Lewis, MFA; Andrew Nealen, PhD; Laura Isabel Serna, PhD; Peter Sollett, BFA; Stephanie Spray, PhD
Assistant Professor: Giancarlo Cornejo, PhD
Professors of Practice: David Balkan, BA; Irving Belateche, MA; Gordon Bellamy, BA; Peter Brinson, MFA; Vicki Callahan, PhD; Christopher Chomyn, MFA; Stephen Flick, BA; Nancy Forner, BA; Pablo Frasconi, BFA; Brenda Goodman, BS; Marientina Gotsis, MFA; Eric Hanson, BA; Virginia Kuhn, PhD; Elisabeth Mann, MFA; Alexander McDowell, BFA; Thomas Miller, MD, MFA; Maks Naporowski, BA; Michael Patterson, BFA; Candace Reckinger, MFA; John Rosenberg, MFA; Robert Schiler; Mark Shepherd, MFA; Ronald Taylor, BA; Sonja Warfield, BA; David Weber, MFA; William Yahraus, MA
Associate Professors of Practice: Steve Albrezzi, BA; Susan Arnold; Janet Batchler; Kiki Benzon, PhD; Michael Bodie, MFA; Richard Burton, BA; Reine-Claire Dousarkissian, MA; Dianne Farrington, MA; Evan Hughes, MA; DJ Johnson, MFA; Suhail Kafity; Margaret Moser, MFA; Angelo Pacifici, BArch; Michael Provart, MFA; Elizabeth Ramsey, PhD; Jesse Vigil, MFA; Jennifer Warren, BA; Shelly Wattenbarger, MFA; Tristan Whitman, MFA
Assistant Professors of Practice: George Carstocea, PhD; Jeremy Deneau, BA
Visiting Associate Professors: James Huntley, MS; Aisling Kelliher, PhD; Jennifer Wild, PhD
Visiting Professors: Kara Keeling, PhD; Edward Saxon, MFA
Part-time Faculty: Bayo Akinfemi; Albert Albaladejo; Jesse Albert; Ioan Allen; Kate Amend; Yvette Amirian; Kari Antholis; Jordan Ariel; Andrew Balis; David Baron; Deborah Baron; Craig Barron; Maurice Bastian; Diego Berdakin; Sandra Berg; Alan Berger; Fred Bernstein; Dick Block; Mitch Block; Skye Borgman; Sean Bouchard; John Bowman; Elizabeth Brauer; John Brennan; Paul Bricault; Musa Brooker; Michael Broukhim; Robert Brown; Bonnie Bruckheimer; Ed Callahan; Trey Callaway; Martzi Campos; John Carpenter; Will Carter; Susan Cartsonis; Phil Casnoff; Michael Cassutt; Julian Cautherly; Bonnie Chi; Peter Chung; Jacque Cofer-Edmonds; Simon Coke; Michael Connors; Akela Cooper; Ken Cosby; Sean Covel; Tim Curnen; Martin Daniel; Kristen W. Davis; Johanna Demetrakas; Dariush Derakhshani; Annie DeSalvo; Heather Desurvire; Jon Dudkowski; James Egan; David Fain; Siavash Farahani; Ben Fast; Ron Fernandez; Jason Figliozzi; Bruce Finn; Mike Fischer; Paul Foley; Eric Freiser; Joe Garlington; Bonnie Garvin; Paul Gerard; Larry Gertz; Jeffrey Glaser; Karl Gnass; David Goetsch; Eric Goldberg; Jane Goldenring; Jarrett Golding; Richard Goldsmith; Margie Goodspeed; Ian Goodwin; Janet Graham-Borba; Mimi Gramatky Stradling; Amanda Green; Sharon Greene; Jordan Halsey; Jeffrey Hammer; Suzanne Hargrove; Pete Hawkes; Chevon Hicks; Liz Hinlein; Joe Hoffman; Todd Hoffman; Alan Holzman; Sean Hood; Caroline Hu; Joan Hyler; Jason Inouye; Alex Jablonski; Brandon Jeffords; Yong Duk Jhun; Jeanne Jo; Toni Ann Johnson; Moses Journey; Juli Juteau; Aaron Kaplan; Roeban Katz; Collin Kelly; Thomas Kemper; Liz Keyishian; Tim Kirkman; Randal Kleiser; Michael Kontopoulos; Jeffrey Korchek; Paul Kowalski; Marianne Krawcyzk; Stu Krieger; Jon Kroll; Lucas Kuzma; Morgan Land; Sheldon Larry; Clifford Latimer; Ken LaZebnik; Domin Lee; Elizabeth Lee; Robert Levin; Adam Levine; Andrew Licht; Dan Lupovitz; John Mahoney; Abram Makowka; Laird Malamed; Leonard Maltin; Carolyn Manetti; David Maquiling; Peter Marx; Leslie Mathieson; Frank McAdams; Jim McGinn; Rebekah McKendry; Mary McNamara; Bill Mechanic; Dagen Merrill; Monica Mitchell; Chris Morocco; Tatiana Mulry; Robert Nashak; Rob Nederhorst; John Nee; Sahand Nikoukar; Joseph Nussbaum; Dave O’Brien; Jim O’Keeffe; Sev Ohanian; Bob Osher; Joel Parker; Rick Parks; Justin Parpan; Joe Peracchio; Rod Perth; Brian Peterson; Paul Petschek; Wendy Phillips; Mary Posatko; Anne Postman; Kate Powers; Wayne Powers; Bill Prady; Ross Putman; Robert Ramsey; Phil Ramuno; Gary Randall; Amy Reed; Sandy Reisenbach; Lyz Renshaw; Silvia Rigon; Vincent Robert; Sam Roberts; Peter Robinson; Jason Rosenfield; Roland Rosenkranz; Torrie Rosenzweig; Jeremy Royce; Nina Sadowsky; Leander Sales; Mike Saltzman; Henry Sanchez; Jimena Sarno; James Savoca; Julie Sayres; Nevin Schreiner; Phil Schwartz; Matthew Scott; Debby Seibel; Joselito Seldera; Bita Shafipour; Rick Shaine; Toi Juan Shannon; Bobby Smith, Jr.; Katie Smith; Jim Staahl; Josh Staub; Katherine Steinbach; Noah Stern; Scott Sturgeon; Danny Sussman; Neely Swanson; Beth Sweeney; Ella Taylor; Aaron Thomas; John Underkoffler; Marcel Valcarce; Pam Veasey; Ligiah Villalobos; Jeffrey Vlaming; Gary Wagner; Dahvi Waller; Gene Warren III; Miles Watkins; David Weitzner; Nicole West; David White; William Whittington; Tyger Williams; Chase Winton; Cynthia Woll; Russ Woody; Frank Wuliger; Chris Wyatt; Qianqian Ye; Ashley York; Gil Zimmerman; Ed Zobrist
University Professor Emerita: Marsha Kinder, PhD
Professor Emerita: Doe Mayer, MA
Professors Emeriti: Drew Casper, PhD; Ron Curfman, MFA; Trevor Greenwood, MA; Richard Harber, MA; David E. James, PhD; Richard Jewell, PhD; Edward Kaufman, PhD; Woody Omens, MA; Morton Zarcoff, MA
Associate Professors Emeriti: Robert Miller, PhD; Dennis Wixon, PhD
Research Professor Emeritus: Richard Weinberg, PhD
Professor Emeritus of the Practice of Cinematic Arts: Jason Squire, MFA
Degree Programs
The USC School of Cinematic Arts offers professional and academic degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.
Bachelor of Fine Arts — Animation and Digital Arts
This is a program designed for students who wish to receive intensive training in all aspects of pre-production and production to ideate, design and create animated works. The BFA in Animation and Digital Arts is granted through the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Arts, Cinema and Media Studies
This degree is granted through the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts and requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Arts, Cinematic Arts, Film and Television Production
This degree is a two-year program for transfer students. The BA is granted through the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts and requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Cinematic Arts, Film and Television Production
This degree is a four-year program only available to incoming freshmen. The BFA in Cinematic Arts, Film and Television Production is granted through the School of Cinematic Arts and requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Fine Arts — Game Art
Dedicated to creating beautiful art assets for interactive media and technologies, this program focuses on Games with concentrations that might include character animation, environmental design, visual effects, 3-D pipelines and interactive animation. Students study within the framework that combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in a profession. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art is granted through the the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Fine Arts — Game Development and Interactive Design
Dedicated to immersive experience design and core best practices from the games industry, this program is for students who are passionate about the games industry and driven to innovate the emerging future of entertainment. The BFA in Game Development and Interactive Design is granted through the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Arts — Interactive Entertainment
Dedicated to immersive experience design and emerging technologies, this program is for students who are driven to innovate at the intersection of traditional media, games, and whatever happens next. The Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Entertainment is granted through the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Arts — Media Arts and Practice
This program is for students who want to harness the power of digital storytelling and media design to communicate across diverse fields beyond the entertainment industry. This degree is granted through the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Fine Arts — Themed Entertainment
In this unique four-year program, students study within a framework that combines a broad liberal arts background with a specialization track within the Themed Entertainment Industry. The degree requires 128 units, including 62 units in the major. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Fine Arts — Writing for Screen and Television
This is a unique program designed for students who wish to receive intensive training for non-fiction and fiction writing for screen and television. The BFA in Writing for Screen and Television is granted through the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units. For more information, see here .
Bachelor of Science, Business of Cinematic Arts
The combined Bachelor of Science degree program in the Business of Cinematic Arts offers qualified students an opportunity to gain an educational foundation in both areas. For more information, see Business of Cinematic Arts (BS) .
Master of Arts, Cinema and Media Studies
This degree is granted by the USC Graduate School in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts. This program requires 36 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Arts, Cinematic Arts (Media Arts, Games and Health)
This program requires 36 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Cinematic Arts, Film and Television Production
This professional degree requires 52 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Writing for Screen and Television
This program requires 44 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Animation and Digital Arts
This program requires 50 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Expanded Animation Research and Practice
This program requires 50 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Interactive Media
This program requires 50 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Interactive Media (Games and Health)
This program requires 50 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Fine Arts, Producing for Film, Television, and New Media
The Peter Stark Producing Program requires 44 units. For more information, see here .
Master of Science, Game Design and Development
This program requires 38 units. For more information, see Game Design and Development (MS) .
Doctor of Philosophy, Cinema and Media Studies
The PhD is based on a program of study and research culminating in the completion of a dissertation in the major field of study. A minimum of 68 semester units (exclusive of dissertation registration) beyond the baccalaureate is required. Applicants who have completed a Bachelor of Arts or Master of Arts degree in Cinematic Arts, or a closely related field, may apply to the PhD program. The doctoral degree is granted by the Graduate School in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts. For more information, see here .
Doctor of Philosophy, Cinematic Arts (Media Arts and Practice)
The PhD in Media Arts and Practice program offers a rigorous and creative environment for scholarly innovation as students explore the intersection of design, media and critical thinking while defining new modes of research and scholarship for the 21st century. Core to the program is its transdisciplinary ethos; after completing foundational course work, students design their own curricula, drawing on expertise across all divisions and research labs within the School of Cinematic Arts. The doctoral degree is granted by the Graduate School in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts. For more information, see here .
Writing for Screen and Television Certificate
The Writing for Screen and Television Certificate provides an established writer, domestic or international, with a one-year program of study. It is meant to accommodate a writer who has already attained significant recognition and would like to learn the craft of screenwriting. Sixteen units are required. For more information, see here .
Graduate Certificate in the Business of Entertainment
This certificate program provides graduate-level education in various aspects of the business of film, television and new media. It requires 16 units. For more information, see here .
Graduate Certificate in Cinematic Arts Archiving and Preservation
This certificate program is designed specifically for students and practitioners who want to use their education and skills for advancing the knowledge of film, television and interactive media through the preservation and dissemination of the historical artifacts that form the underpinnings of scholarship in the performing arts. Through this program, students will gain the knowledge, tools and skills necessary to preserve the materials that make up the history of entertainment and to lead scholars through the research maze to the completion of books or media in their fields of study. This certificate requires 12 units. For more information, see here .
Graduate Certificate in Digital Media and Culture
This certificate program is for graduate students from across the USC campus who want to explore the shifting nature of scholarly expression, pedagogical practice and research in the 21st century. It combines seminars with hands-on, lab-based workshops devoted to basic image manipulation, video editing, social media and Web design to facilitate sophisticated critical thinking and practice in and through multimedia. The program requires 12 units. For more information, see here .
General Requirements
Acceptance of Transfer Units
The School of Cinematic Arts rarely accepts media production courses taken at other institutions to fulfill degree and minor requirements. Basic media history and theory courses can sometimes be accepted for transfer credit. Please check with the program administrator or a student affairs counselor for more detailed information.
No transfer credit will be accepted in lieu of CTPR 290 , CTPR 294 , CTPR 295 , CTPR 310 , CTPR 507 and CTPR 508 and any advanced film production courses.
No transfer credits are accepted for the Peter Stark producing track, the graduate programs in animation and digital arts, screenwriting and interactive media.
Transfer policies for PhD degrees require advisement and approval of the division chair.
Waiver of Course Requirements
Under special circumstances waivers and substitutions are granted; check with the Cinematic Arts Office of Student Affairs. All course waivers and substitutions are reviewed by committee and must be approved by the associate dean of academic affairs.
The following courses cannot be waived for students majoring in Film and Television Production: CTIN 584a , CTIN 584b , CTIN 584c , CTIN 584z , CTPR 290 , CTPR 294 , CTPR 295 , CTPR 310 , CTPR 480 , CTPR 507 , CTPR 508 , CTPR 546L , CTPR 547L , CTPR 581a , CTPR 581b , CTPR 581c , CTPR 581z , CTPR 582a , CTPR 582b , CTPR 582z , CTPR 583 , CTPR 587a , CTPR 587b , CTPR 587c , CTPR 587z .
The following courses cannot be waived for students majoring in the BA in Interactive Entertainment, the BFA in Game Art, and the MFA in Interactive Media: CTAN 280 , CTAN 480 , CTIN 190 ,CTIN 290 , CTIN 488 , CTIN 489L , CTIN 491L , CTIN 532L , CTIN 534L , CTIN 541 , CTIN 542 , CTIN 544 , CTIN 548 , CTIN 594a and CTIN 594b .
Student Advisement
Each program has its own advisement system. Check with the program administrator or with the Cinematic Arts Office of Student Affairs. Cinematic Arts student affairs counselors are available to answer questions about degree programs, grades, advisement and other matters.
Grade Point Average Requirements
A minimum grade of C, 2.0 (A = 4.0), must be earned in all required and prerequisite courses in order to progress to the next course level. Students may attempt to improve a grade lower than a C (2.0) only one time by registering and retaking the specific course. Departmental approval is required in order to retake a School of Cinematic Arts course.
In addition, a minimum grade point average must be achieved to earn all cinematic arts degrees (see the individual program descriptions). For example, undergraduates and graduates must earn a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all required cinematic arts courses. However, graduate students must also achieve a B (3.0) average in all courses required for the degree.
Undergraduate students in the film and television production program who achieve a grade lower than a C (2.0) in CTPR 290 (BFA only), CTPR 294 , CTPR 295 or CTPR 310 , and graduate students in the production program who earn a grade lower than a C (2.0) in CTPR 507 or CTPR 508 may petition to retake the required sequence only once. Permission to retake any prerequisite or core production courses requires prior departmental committee approval.
Undergraduate students in the media arts and practice program who achieve a grade lower than a C (2.0) in IML 201 may petition to retake the course only once.
Students who do not satisfy the degree requirement after repeating a class will be disqualified from the program.
Tuition and Fees (Estimated)
Students in the School of Cinematic Arts’ graduate programs pay differential tuition (see the Tuition and Fees section for current tuition rates). Undergraduate programs are assessed the university-wide tuition rate. In addition, some classes are charged lab fees, as noted in the Schedule of Classes, and insurance fees. The university reserves the right to assess new fees or charges. The rates listed are subject to change without notice by action of the Board of Trustees.
Attendance Policy
The School of Cinematic Arts curriculum relies heavily on in-class participation and interaction between faculty and students. Many of our courses are taught in a collaborative workshop environment and our theoretical lectures are driven through in-depth classroom discussion and analysis. We hold collaboration and constructive criticism as foundational to all of our learning environments and essential to the methodologies of our instruction. Student attendance is not only fundamental, but mandatory for the structure and success of our program for both the individual student and the educational experiences of other students within our community.
Minors, International Programs and Summer Program
Minor in Animation and Digital Arts
The minor in animation offers students an introduction to the theory and practice of animation, including its relationship to the history of art and cinema, creative writing, and basic film production. It provides students with an opportunity to create both personal and collaborative work in a wide range of genres, from traditional character to contemporary experimental and computer animation. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Cinematic Arts
A minor in cinematic arts is available to USC undergraduate students in all schools and departments. The minor provides the opportunity for students to become familiar with various aspects of media study. The program requires 20 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Comedy
The minor in comedy is designed to train students in the creation of comedic entertainment in film, television and new media. The program utilizes both analysis courses and creative workshops to train students in comedic theory and practice. Through elective choices students may focus their studies on a number of cinematic disciplines as they pertain to the creation of comedic content, including writing sit-coms, directing comedic actors and producing sketch comedy. The program requires 16 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Digital Studies
The minor in digital studies explores the rich potential of digital media for critical analysis and creative discovery. Learning the exciting and dynamic potential of a broad array of tools and technologies, students create innovative projects, from photo essays to web-based documentaries, from interactive videos to sophisticated Websites, and from typography in motion to 3-D visualizations. The program requires 20 units. For more information, see here . Minor students may also choose to earn an Honors designation by completing 6 additional units of course work, culminating in a capstone thesis during the student’s final year.
Minor in Documentary
The minor in documentary is designed to train students in the preparation and production of documentary media. Courses are designed to give students insight into the history of documentary as well as experience with both the traditional and emerging forms of the genre. For more information, see here .
Minor in Entertainment Industry
The minor in entertainment industry provides students interested in media content creation with a focused curriculum that will give them insight into the economic factors and professional practices that influence the creative process, and how they interact with social, historical, technical and aesthetic elements. For more information, see here .
Minor in Future Cinema
The minor in Future Cinema explores the frontier of audiovisual storytelling building on the cutting edge research within the School of Cinematic Arts. Students will explore the creative and technological transformations of an industry in transition as cinema becomes live, playable, immersive, mobile, virtual, crowdsourced and more. The program requires 20 units. For more information see here .
Minor in Game Animation
The skills of the modern animator, visual effects artist, motion capture professional and many others are of great value in the games industry when paired with an understanding of how these assets can be used in games and systems. The game animation minor provides an educational path that teaches both systems thinking and the skills and creativity of an animator. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Game Audio
Game audio professionals must not only be competent in one area (e.g., expressly in music composing or in audio recording), but also in other areas of audio and in theories of procedurality and interaction. This minor provides a grounding in game design and systems thinking, while providing a theoretical backing and skills in audio design and composition to prepare students to design successful audio for the games industry. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Game Design
Design for games is a young, exciting field applicable to media artists working all over the world, in different aspects of the industry and with many different tools. The game design minor teaches basic iterative design and prototyping skills while providing students the opportunity to explore design for new technologies and the skills of user assessment and usability testing. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Game Entrepreneurism
The modern media, technology and entertainment fields are built on the backs of new businesses and new ideas. To start a successful business, you need skills and knowledge of the processes for setting up a business, finding investment and turning your creative project from prototype to finished project. The game entrepreneurism minor provides an educational path that teaches hard business thinking for creative entrepreneurs. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Game Studies
Games are a major cultural form, with game sales now exceeding box office revenue in the United States. Attention to games and interactive media is growing, and it has become necessary to understand them as meaningful systems, reflect on their cultural influence, and to help guide their evolution with insightful criticism. The game studies minor prepares students with fundamental underpinnings in media criticism and games. For more information, see here .
Minor in Game User Research
Game and interaction design are deeply dependent upon human-computer interaction and the ability to use research methods to improve player experience. This minor is designed to give students an underpinning in game design, interface design and research methods, while teaching a full set of skills for playtesting and usability practice. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Immersive Media
The minor in immersive media is designed to train students to create projects in virtual reality, augmented reality, and other immersive media formats. The core program requirements provide the solid fundamentals needed to understand, conceive of, and create immersive work. Through elective choices students may focus their studies on theory, on specific fields of immersive, on creative expression, or on building technology. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Media and Social Change
The minor in media and social change provides the opportunity for students who are interested in media content creation and research to take classes in a focused curriculum on the various aspects of media for change. Students will gain insight into the professional practices of creating media content, analyzing existing content, and learning how they can influence the future by integrating social issues into the work they are doing in related fields. The program requires 20 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Science Visualization
The minor in science visualization offers an introduction to science visualization methodology and practice focused in an area of relevant research. The minor is structured to provide the skills and knowledge needed in science visualization, and will culminate in a capstone project under the close supervision of faculty in both animation and science. The program requires 16 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Screenwriting
The minor in screenwriting provides thorough training in the craft of writing for screen and television. Students learn the fundamentals of character, conflict and scene structure and build on their skills through each course as they write feature and television scripts in all genres and explore areas of their interest. Students may apply in the spring or fall semester. The program requires 16 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Themed Entertainment
From cruise ships to casinos to immersive educational retreats, themed entertainment design involves submerging a real, live human being into a story in a truly robust, physical way. As new tools for entertainment and education develop, they continually push toward enabling players to completely become the heroes and heroines of their own stories. The themed entertainment minor focuses on history, theory and skills of themed entertainment design. The program requires 24 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in 3-D Animation in Cinematic Arts
The minor in 3-D animation in cinematic arts offers an introduction to basic animation principles and history, as well as creative and skill-based instruction in 3-D computer animation. Through elective choices students may focus their studies on their specific area of interest, including visual effects, motion capture, virtual reality, modeling, or character animation. The program requires 16 units. For more information, see here .
Minor in Cinema-Television for the Health Professions
This 24-unit minor is designed for students who plan to enter careers or professional programs in medicine after graduation and are interested in working with film and television producers to disseminate accurate health information to the public. See the Keck School of Medicine of USC for course requirements.
Minor in Video Game Design and Management
The video game design minor integrates theoretical concepts and practical skills to prepare students for a career in interactive entertainment, specifically the video game industry. Through integration of two major disciplines (cinematic arts and information technology), students will be exposed to a variety of design concepts related to creating video games. See the Information Technology Program for course requirements. For specific information on admission and application procedures, contact the School of Cinematic Arts at (213) 821-2515 or the Information Technology Program at (213) 740-4542.
Minor in Performing Arts Studies
The minor in Performing Arts provides an interdisciplinary inquiry into the nature and aesthetics of the performing arts. It combines the disciplines of cinematic arts, dance, music and theatre. The minor is a unique course of study that looks at how the performing arts contribute to a culturally literate society. See USC School of Dramatic Arts for requirements.
International Programs
Global Exchange Workshop
“The Global Exchange Workshop” is an intensive, seven-week workshop in documentary filming that pairs graduate students from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the Communication University of China (CUC) to make short documentaries on Los Angeles and/or Beijing as global cities. Participating students enroll in CTPR 515 Global Exchange Workshop (2 units).
With faculty guidance from both universities, the students must negotiate cultural differences both in front of and behind the camera. In the process, both students and faculty directly experience the other culture and learn how it defines globalism in general, sees its own city in global terms, combines theory and practice, and processes a new set of perceptions and lived experience.
Interested students should contact Professor Pablo Frasconi of the division of Film and Video Production at pfrasconi@cinema.usc.edu.
Summer Program
The USC School of Cinematic Arts Summer Program is a six-week program that offers classes from different facets of the entertainment industry, all for college credit. Participants from around the world have an opportunity to attend intensive, creatively demanding and satisfying filmmaking courses. Please note: the SCA Summer Program consists of collegiate-level courses and is not a continuing education or certificate earning program.
Note: Instructor availability for a particular course or section cannot be guaranteed.
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