Department Handbook: Film

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Major Requirements

Honours Majors

Students must complete the requirements of the Honours BA (cinema and media studies), the Honours BFA – Screenwriting or the Honours BFA - Production degree.

Specialized Honours BFA Program – Screenwriting

Students must complete at least 51 credits in Film including:

Foundation Courses, 21 credits:

  • FA/FILM 1001 3.00 or FA/FILM 1020 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1120 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1400 9.00
  • FA/FILM 2120 6.00 or FA/FILM 2121 6.00
  • FA/FILM 2200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 2230 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3120 6.00
  • FA/FILM 3124 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3401 3.00
  • 12.0 credits selected from: FA/FILM 4120 6.00, FA/FILM 4124 6.00, FA/FILM 4126 6.00

9 focused electives from upper level courses within the Department of Film (including other courses in Screenwriting) or with the approval of the Screenwriting Committeee; courses taught within other units in Creative Writing, Literature, Humanities or in Fine Arts relevant to Screenwriting)

Specialized Honours BFA Program – Production

Students must complete at least 60 credits in film, including:

  • FA/FILM 1020 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1120 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1400 9.00
  • FA/FILM 2010 9.00
  • FA/FILM 2120 6.00
  • FA/FILM 2200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 2230 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3401 3.00
  • 21 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level, of which at least 18 credits must be from the studio (production or screenwriting) courses.

Specialized Honours BA Program – Cinema and Media Studies

Students must complete at least 48 credits in film, including:

  • FA/FILM 1001 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1120 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1400 9.00
  • FA/FILM 2200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 2230 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3401 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3230 3.00
  • 18 further credits in film at the 3000 or 4000 level, including at least six credits at the 4000 level.

Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary

Honours Minor

Students must complete at least 30 credits in film, including:

  • FA/FILM 1400 9.00
  • FA/FILM 2200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 2230 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3401 3.00
  • 12 further credits in Cinema and Media Studies

BA 90 Program – Cinema and Media Studies

Students must complete at least 42 credits in film, including:

  • FA/FILM 1001 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1120 3.00
  • FA/FILM 1400 9.00
  • FA/FILM2200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 2230 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3401 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3200 3.00
  • FA/FILM 3230 3.00
  • 12 additional credits in Film, including at least nine at the 3000 or 4000 level.

York/Sheridan Joint Program in Film and Media Arts

Film students concentrating in production may study towards an Honours BFA degree and a diploma in one of five areas of study in the Media Arts program at Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. The joint program allows a full-time student to complete an Honours BFA degree in film at York and a three-year diploma in Sheridan's Media Arts program, normally in five years of study.

Participants must successfully complete 90 credits (15 full course equivalents) at York University comprising Years 1, 2 and 3 of the film production stream before enrolling at Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. During Years 4 and 5, students take the equivalent of years two and three of Sheridan's Media Arts program. Sheridan Media Arts offers specialization in audio, multimedia, television and film. In addition, York students will participate in Sheridan's 12-week field placement program.

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Students who wish to enter the joint degree/diploma program must submit an application to both the York joint program coordinator and the Sheridan College joint program coordinator by February 15 of their third academic year at York. Minimum academic standing for applicants is a 6.00 (B) cumulative grade point average.

Applicants must have successfully completed:

  • 18.0 credits general education courses requirements*;
  • 12.0 fine arts elective credits outside film*;
  • 6.0 credits outside fine arts;
  • 39.0 foundation credits in film;
  • a minimum of 12.0 credits in film chosen from the 3000-level studio courses;
  • 3.0 credits free electives.

Six credits from the FA/1900 3.00 series of courses, outside the major, are required of all Faculty of Fine Arts degrees. These courses may be used to satisfy either the humanities general education requirement or a fine arts requirement (i.e. an In/Out requirement or a fine arts elective), but not both. For students admitted to the Faculty of Fine Arts with a minimum of 54 transfer credits, the 6 credits from the FA/1900 3.00 series of courses outside the major are optional.
Note: Six credits from the FA/FACS 1900 3.0 series of courses also applies to all students who have not completed FA/FACS 1900 6.0 prior to 2011/12.

Information and application materials may be obtained from 223 Centre for Film and Theatre, 416-736-5149. Applications must include two letters of reference to be sent directly to the York coordinator by the referees. Prospective candidates will be interviewed by the York and Sheridan Selection Committees. Programs will be tailored to each student through discussion with the coordinators.