St. Charles / St. Louis
Cinema Arts (BA, BFA)

Cinema arts is cutting edge communication. It is technology. It is pixels, bits, CCDs, algorithms, lasers, and light emitting diodes. But that’s just part of the picture.

At its core, cinema arts is imagination. It is vision and creativity. It is collaboration and synergy. It is drama, suspense, beauty, and meaning. Although we surround ourselves with the tools of our trade, and while they are an integral part of what we do, cinema arts at Lindenwood is fundamentally about the art of storytelling. The technology is important, but in the end it is merely a means to transmit the medium. The LEDs and software of today are no more constant than the vacuum tubes and typewriters that were part of our lives not so long ago. The ability to craft a compelling story, on the other hand, is timeless, enduring, and one of the most valuable power skills for any professional communicator.

Lindenwood University Cinema Arts Faculty

Each full-time faculty member in our St. Louis Cinema Arts bachelor's (BA or BFA) program has worked professionally in her or his field, and each has more than a decade of experience in higher education. They have won awards both nationally and internationally. Members of the faculty specialize in producing, directing, lighting, cinematography, editing, and screenwriting. Adjunct faculty members from the St. Louis film and television production community also bring a wide range of talent and experience to our program.

Earning a Degree in Cinema Arts at Lindenwood University

There are two cinema arts degrees at Lindenwood University: The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts. Both degrees are designed to give students a strong base of knowledge and hands-on experience that will serve as a starting point for their lifelong learning process as filmmakers.

The cinema arts program is experiential. It is a hands-on program, in which you get to write, produce, shoot, edit, and even work for a college newspaper; broadcast at a 50,000-watt FM radio station; and work at Mane Media Productions, our cable-distributed news program that airs on systems around the St. Louis metropolitan area. Part of being a communicator is knowing and understanding different communication mediums, and you have the opportunity to work with three of them.

The cinema arts BA degree requires 42 credit hours in a variety of filmmaking subjects. The core cinema curriculum includes location video production, studio television production, editing, screenwriting, producing, film history, and more.  In addition to the core, students also can select courses in different subject areas, including cinematography, sound design, directing, screenwriting, editing, motion graphics, documentary, and visual effects.  Students also produce one capstone film – a special culminating work showcasing the student’s filmmaking skill and talent.  

The cinema arts BFA degree requires 57 credit hours, including the core courses plus a total of six focused cinema electives in the areas listed above.  Students earning the BFA enroll in two semesters of the capstone course, allowing them to explore multiple types of work or produce a more intensive final project. Past capstone films have won awards at local and national festivals and have been honored with national Student Emmy Awards and Student Academy Awards.

In all of the degree programs, you can learn the principles key to everything from creating an entertaining movie to producing an effective informational video. As you progress through the program, you will forge your own career path. The opportunities that exist now might not be the opportunities that exist after you graduate. But whatever the opportunities may be, the abilities to meet challenges, engage audiences, provoke thought, and elicit emotions will always be at the top of the list of qualifications.

Earning a Minor in Cinema Arts at Lindenwood University

Lindenwood University offers a minor in cinema arts. A minor is simply a secondary academic subject to add to your knowledge, whether it is of professional or personal interest.

The Minor in Cinema Arts requires 21 credit hours. It offers a flexible curriculum, allowing coursework in most of the same areas as the undergraduate majors.

Of graduates surveyed, 100% are employed and/or continuing education.