Media and the Performing Arts, BFA

Mass Communications, Creative & Performing Arts & Speech (MCCPAS) Department

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Program Overview

Take Center Stage

Are you ready to jump into the fast-paced world of digital media, film, and performance? The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Media and The Performing Arts is a four-year, 120-credit degree designed to turn your creative passion into professional skill. This program is hands-on and career-focused, preparing you to be an artist, creator, and technologist across various media, from TV production and digital choreography to radio and theater arts. You’ll need to maintain a 2.0 GPA and pass all major courses with a minimum grade of ‘C’.

Credits Required
At least 78 credits
GPA Required
2.0 or higher
Degree Designation
Bachelor of Fine Arts

Major

Description

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a professional, intensive, four-year degree designed for students who want to be creators, artists, and producers from day one!

Unlike a traditional BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree, which is broader, the BFA demands a deep, hands-on focus on your art. Your studies will be split between essential general education classes and a huge amount of studio work, performance, and technical training in your chosen area.

What Makes the BFA Different?
This degree is all about making and doing. You won’t just read about media or performance; you’ll be actively producing, directing, editing, designing, and performing. You’ll gain mastery in:

  • Production Skills: Learn the technical side of film, video, sound, and digital media.
  • Performance: Hone your skills in acting, dance, and stagecraft.
  • Design and Theory: Understand the history, theory, and design elements that make art powerful.

If you have a passion for media and performance and are ready to dedicate yourself to becoming a working artist, the BFA is the perfect choice for you!

Program and Degree

Requirements

The B.F.A. in Media and the Performing Arts requires a total of at least 120 credits with a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.

1. B.F.A Degree Requirements

  • Total Credits: Earn at least 120 credits.
  • Residency: Earn at least 30 credits in Residence at Medgar Evers College.
  • GPA: Earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences: Earn at least 60 credits of Liberal Arts and Sciences Content Courses.

2. General Education Requirements (CUNY Common Core & College Option)

These requirements align with the CUNY Common Core and College Option structure:

  • Required Core (12 Credits):
    • English Composition: ENGL 112 and ENGL 150.
    • Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning: 1 course (e.g., MTH 115).
    • Life and Physical Sciences: 1 course (e.g., BIO 101 or PHS 101).
  • Flexible Core (18 Credits – 6 Courses): Complete one course in each of the five areas, plus an additional Flexible Core course in any area. No more than two courses from any one discipline are permitted.
    • World Cultures and Global Issues
    • U.S. Experience in its Diversity
    • Creative Expressions
    • Individual and Society (e.g., ECON 212 or ECON 213)
    • Scientific World (e.g., CIS 101).
    • Complete at least 1 Flexible Core course
  • College Option (9 Credits – 3 Courses):
    • Socio-Cultural and Diversity Cluster III: 1 course (e.g., SOC 202).
    • Integrative Knowledge Cluster IV:
    • Social & Behavorial Sciences
    • Natural Sciences & Mathematics

3. Major Requirements

The major requires a minimum of 78 credits and a minimum grade of C in all courses within the major.

Required Core Courses (19 Courses)

Complete all of the following courses

  • Lower Level Core: ART 108 (Visual Comm.), SPCH 102 (Speech), DNCE 150 (Dance History), MED 150 (Mass Comm.), MASS 200 (Intro to Digital Tech.)
  • Upper Level Core: MED 301 (Adv. Broadcasting), SPTH 325 (African-American Theater) OR MUS 401 (African Diaspora Music), MASS 400 (Adv. Digital Tech.), MPA 420 (Senior Seminar), MPA 425 (Internship)
  • Departmental Electives: Earn at least 12 credits from approved courses (e.g., MUS 300, SPTH 339, ART 403, MED 442).

Concentration

  • Media & Performing Arts Concentration (24 Credits):
    • Required Courses: ART 301 (Computer Graphics), PERF 301 (Digital Choreography), PERF 307 (Media Acting), PERF 310 (Digital Composition), PERF 340 (Digital Music for Dance), MED 341 (Radio Prod. I), ART 410 (Digital Photography), MED 497 (TV Prod. I)

Degree Map

This Degree Map is your step-by-step game plan for earning your Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Media and Performing Arts. Think of it as a personalized itinerary that lays out exactly which classes you should take each semester to make sure you graduate on time.

4-Year Degree Map