Film, BFA
Overview
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film immerses you in every aspect of the filmmaking process, giving you a deep understanding of how every role contributes to the whole. Our program emphasizes hands-on learning across all areas of film production—including cinematography, sound recording, editing, directing, producing, screenwriting, and idea development—so you graduate with a well-rounded skill set.
We explore all film genres—narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, and hybrid forms—encouraging you to push creative boundaries and expand your vision of what filmmaking can be. Through screenings, workshops, and exercises, you will be introduced to a world of cinematic forms and learn how to analyze and understand filmmaking techniques on a new level. Our goal is to develop your artistic voice while equipping you with the technical expertise needed to thrive in the film industry and other creative fields.
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Faculty and Staff
Our inspirational faculty and staff make sure students feel welcome and empowered to think outside the box and explore all possibilities of making art at UWM. Visit the Peck School of the Arts directory to meet these artists, explore their biographies and engage with recent work.
Scholarships and Aid
Financial constraints shouldn’t hinder your artistic dreams. Our comprehensive range of scholarships and aid programs is designed to empower and support artists like you.
Study Abroad
We believe that a complete education in the arts should take you beyond the classroom and the local community. By studying abroad, you’ll gain more than a change of scenery. You’ll embark on a transformative educational experience and bring a global perspective to your field of study. Explore upcoming trips offered in partnership with the Center for International Education.
Requirements
Credit Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 30 | |
| Arts Requirements | 12 | |
| Major Requirements | 72 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Preparatory Coursework
Based on individual placement results, some students may be required to complete preparatory coursework before enrolling in the courses listed here. This may include English language or composition preparation, developmental math, introductory chemistry, and/or student support courses for students participating in the First Year Bridge program.
General Education Requirements (GER)
UW-Milwaukee has General Education Requirements that must be met in order to earn a bachelor’s or associate degree. They include at minimum 30 credits (10 courses) in six categories that are designed to assure basic student competencies and provide a broad body of knowledge as a context for specialization.
Some degree requirements may fulfill GERs. Please review the requirements and consult with your academic advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Categories and Credits | ||
| Civics and Perspectives (CP) | 6 | |
| Communication and Literacy (CL) | 6 | |
| Humanities and Arts (HA) | 6 | |
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (MQR) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Wellness (NSW/NSWL) | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Science (SBS) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate applicants must meet general University admission requirements in addition to specific Peck School of the Arts requirements.
Credits and Courses
Arts Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Peck School of the Arts Credits | ||
| 12 credits must be taken in at least three of the four departments outside of the student's discipline: Art and Design, Dance, Music or Theatre. | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Department Foundation | ||
| FILM 110 | Foundation Topics: | 3 |
| FILM 111 | Cinema as Experiment | 3 |
| FILM 180 | Foundation Production: Fiction | 6 |
| FILM 181 | Foundation Production: Nonfiction | 6 |
| Post-Foundation Studios | ||
| FILM 222 | Digital Filmmaking | 3 |
| Choose one course (3 credits) from the following: | 3 | |
| 16mm Filmmaking | ||
| Writing for Film | ||
| Animation I | ||
| Introduction to the Screenplay | ||
| Introduction to Digital Arts | ||
| Contextual | ||
| FILM 303 | Current Topics in Media Arts Production | 3 |
| Choose two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Digital Cinema and the Computer | ||
| Theory/Practice Seminar: | ||
| Science Fiction in Animation | ||
| The Art of the Short Film | ||
| Film as a Modernist Art Form | ||
| Genre and the Horror Film | ||
| Indie Cinema | ||
| Philosophy and Film | ||
| Cartoons, Animation, and the Graphic Novel | ||
| Radical Cinema | ||
| Sociological Cinema | ||
| The Animated Short | ||
| Miyazaki Shorts and Features | ||
| Special Effects and Illusion in Cinema | ||
| Production | ||
| Choose five courses (15 credits) from the following: | 15 | |
| Storyboarding | ||
| Directing | ||
| Cinematography | ||
| Sound Design | ||
| Editing and Post-Production | ||
| Art Direction and Production Design | ||
| Zen and the Art of Filmmaking | ||
| Collaborative Filmmaking | ||
| Visual Effects | ||
| Film Score Studio | ||
| Introduction to 3D Animation | ||
| Character Design and Animation | ||
| Interactive Animation | ||
| Puppetry | ||
| Advanced Production Topics: | ||
| Advanced 16MM Film Production | ||
| Advanced Cinematography | ||
| Advanced Editing | ||
| Portfolio | ||
| Choose two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Animation Studio | ||
| Documenting Community | ||
| Mumblecore: Fundamental Cinema | ||
| Music Video Production | ||
| Experimental Sound Techniques | ||
| Personal Cinema | ||
| Dreams: Yours, Mine, Ours | ||
| Advanced Portfolio Topics: | ||
| Video Installation | ||
| Landscape Cinema | ||
| Humor and Filmmaking | ||
| Experimental Documentary | ||
| Observational Documentary | ||
| Experimental Narrative | ||
| Appropriated Media | ||
| Film and Performance | ||
| Professional Practice | ||
| Choose one course (3 credits) from the following: | 3 | |
| Milwaukee Underground Film Festival | ||
| The Producer's Role | ||
| The Screenwriting Business | ||
| Documentary Projects: doc/UWM | ||
| Advanced Internship/Professional Practice | ||
| Senior Capstone | ||
| FILM 509 | Senior Project I | 3 |
| FILM 510 | Senior Project II | 6 |
| Film Electives | ||
| Choose two courses (6 credits) from any category of FVANG courses. | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 72 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 6 credits from any department on campus (including Film) in consultation with your advisor. | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Undergraduate Advising
Academic advising is a collaborative process that empowers students to realize their maximum educational potential. Students are encouraged to visit the Peck School of the Arts Advising & Student Services page to meet with your advisor prior to each semester’s registration period. Advisors provide students with individualized appointments to assist with degree requirements, course selection, campus resources, college success strategies, graduation assessment, academic policies and more.
Sample Plan of Study
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| FILM 110 | Foundation Topics: 1 | 3 |
| FILM 180 | Foundation Production: Fiction 1 | 6 |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FILM 181 | Foundation Production: Nonfiction 1 | 6 |
| FILM 111 | Cinema as Experiment 1 | 3 |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FILM 222 | Digital Filmmaking 2 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: 2 | 3 | |
| 16mm Filmmaking | ||
| Writing for Film | ||
| Animation I | ||
| Introduction to the Screenplay | ||
| Introduction to Digital Arts | ||
| FILM 303 | Current Topics in Media Arts Production 3 | 3 |
| GER Elective 10 | 3 | |
| GER Elective 10 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FILM 325 | Indie Cinema 3 | 3 |
| FILM 391 | Cinematography 4 | 3 |
| FILM 393 | Sound Design 4 | 3 |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| PSOA Arts Distribution 9 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FILM 328 | Radical Cinema 3 | 3 |
| FILM 462 | Humor and Filmmaking 5 | 3 |
| FILM 390 | Directing 4 | 3 |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FILM 344 | The Producer's Role 6 | 3 |
| FILM 398 | Editing and Post-Production 4 | 3 |
| FILM 367 | Personal Cinema 5 | 3 |
| GER Course 10 | 3 | |
| PSOA Arts Distribution 9 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FILM 509 | Senior Project I 7 | 3 |
| FILM 498 | Advanced Editing 8 | 3 |
| FILM 396 | Video Installation 4 | 3 |
| PSOA Arts Distribution 9 | 3 | |
| General Elective 11 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FILM 510 | Senior Project II 7 | 6 |
| FILM 394 | Film Score Studio 8 | 3 |
| General Elective 11 | 3 | |
| PSOA Arts Distribution 9 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
Film Foundation courses: 15 cr. total, completion required before advancing in the major:
- 2
Post-Foundation Studio: 6 cr. total (two courses)
- 3
Contextual Electives: 9 cr. total (three courses)
- Required: FILM 303
- Select two additional Contextual electives from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres.
- 4
-
Production Electives: 15 cr. total (five courses)
- Select five Production electives from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres.
- 5
Portfolio Requirements: 6 cr. total (two courses)
- Select two Portfolio electives from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres.
- 6
Professional Practice Electives: 3 cr. total (one course)
- Select one Professional Practice/Internship electives from the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres.
- 7
Senior Capstone: 9 cr. total (two courses)
- 8
Department Electives: 6 cr. required (two courses)
- Select any two courses offered within the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres.
- 9
PSOA Arts Distribution Requirement for FVANG (four courses)
- 12 credits outside PSOA
- 12 credits within PSOA but outside of FVANG in at least 3 PSOA departments outside of discipline (Art and Design, Dance, Music, and Theater)
- 10
GER Requirements (UWM Core) - 30 cr. total (ten courses)
- (2) Communications and Literacy courses (total 6 cr.)
- (1) Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning course (total 3 cr.)
- (1) Social and Behavioral Science course (total 3 cr.)
- (2) Humanities and Art courses (total 6 cr.)
- (2) Natural Science and Wellness courses, one with lab (total 6 cr.)
- (2) Civics and Perspectives courses (total 6 cr.)
- 11
General Elective: 6 cr. required (two courses)
- Select two courses from anywhere in UWM, including the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres.
Film, BFA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with the BFA in Film will be able to:
- Create and produce original films, videos, and/or moving image works of art that demonstrate the effective application and knowledge of a diverse set of artistic principles, conventions, methods, and practices.
- Distinguish between discrete elements of the composition of films and critique their effectiveness with specific attention to creative concepts, aesthetic choices, and the technical requirements of film projects.
- Demonstrate media literacy and knowledge of core concepts, capabilities, and tools of filmmaking technologies across a range of independent creative and industry contexts.
- Implement high-quality production values in film projects by applying professional-level standards and/or creative approaches to skills including lighting, sound design, cinematography, and editing.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively, and to apply critical and creative thinking skills toward problem-solving within a wide range of professional and production scenarios.
- Apply technical and creative skillsets across fiction, non-fiction, and hybrid artist-practices with an emphasis on storytelling.
- Produce projects individually and collaboratively, engaging fully in planning the entire production process from concept to distribution, and across a variety of roles and responsibilities.
Policies and Regulations
Academic Regulations
For information on University-wide Academic Action Policy and honors for scholarship, see Academic Policies.
Auditing Courses
No studio or performance courses may be audited.
Grievance and Appeal Procedures
If you have concerns about a class or a grade, or if you’ve been dropped from a program and would like to appeal, follow the grievance procedures found under the resources section on the Peck School of the Arts Advising & Student Services page.
Independent Study
Under special conditions, juniors and seniors are permitted to take courses in independent study. For regulations on independent study, see the departmental advisor.
Program Changes
All program changes must be signed by the instructor and the Peck School of the Arts Office of Student Services. Certain other courses may also require this approval indicated in the semester's Schedule of Classes.
Second Bachelor's Degree Candidates
Students with good scholastic records who wish to earn a second bachelor's degree in the Peck School of the Arts must obtain the recommendation of the Peck School of the Arts department in which they wish to major before they can be accepted. Upon acceptance, students must earn in residence a minimum of 30 credits beyond the studies for the first degree and must satisfy all curriculum requirements.
Semester Credit Load
A full-time Peck School of the Arts student is one who takes a minimum of 12 credits per semester. Typically, Peck School of the Arts students are not permitted to carry more than 18 credits per semester. Students who have a 3.0+ cumulative GPA may, with the permission of the Peck School of the Arts Office of Student Services, carry up to 21 credits per semester.
Transfer Students
Transfer students from other universities and colleges or UWM units are accepted by the Peck School of the Arts provided they meet the UWM admissions criteria and have a 2.0+ cumulative GPA.
Honors in the Major
- Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a GPA of 3.500 or greater in the major and the academic department's recommendation.
- High Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or greater and the academic department's recommendation.
- Departmental Honors are granted to students recommended by their academic department for Honors excellence in performance not reflected in the GPA.
- Dean's Honors are granted to students with major achievements in one or more of the arts.
College of the Arts and Architecture Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.