This degree presents opportunities for students to create production house and film projects, including screenplays, as well as engaging in the critical analysis of a variety of media.
At the heart of the BS in Creative Media and Filmmaking (CMF) is storytelling. Whether through scriptwriting or production, you will examine and apply the traditions of cinema to tell your own visual and audio stories with documentary projects, fiction narrative shorts, and client-based commercial and promotional work. Through the production classes, you'll also be provided the skills and foundation to enter a variety of media industries or to start your own production house business.
In the CMF major you'll develop a critical understanding of the social, cultural, and political functions of media production, developing a strong foundation to either pursue a career in media or to go on to graduate school to earn a master's or Master of Fine Arts in filmmaking, documentary, or cinema, media, or cultural studies.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Optional |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
| Emphasis Required | An emphasis is required for this major. |
Purpose Statement
Creative Media & Film (CMF) teaches students to create and critique stories made with moving images and audio. Students will engage in a shared core that will teach them the fundamentals of production and criticism. This program blends analytical thinking, creative expression, and professional experience to develop students’ skills in all aspects of digital filmmaking and critique.
CMF’s foundation rests on the critical view that our students should be empowered to tell their own distinctive, idiosyncratic, and regional stories, rather than have those stories told for them. Our program focuses on narrative and storytelling theories, skills, and application. As moving image/audio storytellers, our students learn about and are trained within the domains of both cultural and aesthetic values.
The program begins with an exploration of the theoretical, social, historical, and industry standards within which all media are grounded. Through this foundation, students develop strong aesthetic sensibilities, storytelling skills, and a deep appreciation of the impact of audience, culture, time and place upon stylistic choices made during the creative process.
Intensive, hands-on experience drives student learning as they write, plan, produce, cast, budget, finance, shoot, edit, and promote their own work. Specific attention is paid to developing critical skills to formulate original ideas, persuasively articulate these ideas, and then combine film tools with storytelling skills to transform their ideas into engaging media. Developing students’ skills in visual storytelling, audio production, and effective editing is accomplished by creating a variety of professional-quality projects.
The CMF major prepares students to work in the industry whether at a production house, working their way up in the Hollywood system, start their own client-based business, or developing their own personal projects after they graduate. At the very least, students will develop creative and critical thinking skills, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving traits needed to be successful in nearly every career. Furthermore, this major provides a strong foundation for graduate school in filmmaking, digital storytelling, cinema studies, and media studies.
Documentary Storytelling emphasis. This emphasis is for students interested in producing documentary projects and nonfiction stories with a variety of media, including audio, photography, and digital filmmaking.
Independent Filmmaking emphasis: This emphasis is for students who want to make fiction films from an independent filmmaking approach. Students will become versed in all aspects of production and postproduction.
Media Studies emphasis: This emphasis is for students who want to observe, think about, and write about media from a strong intellectual standpoint. Students not only learn about media criticism, but they also engage in some aspects of media production from a critical standpoint, including advocacy, cultural work, and professional applications.
Student Learning Outcomes
Core Creative Media & Film Outcomes
This major requires 48 units distributed as follows:
Creative Media and Film Common Courses (24 units):
Emphasis Requirements (Select One):
Students enrolled in this emphasis may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:
A minor is not required for the Creative Media and Film degree. However, we strongly encourage you to consult with your advisor or CMF faculty member about a minor that is appropriate for your career aspirations and educational needs. Such minors could include anthropology, business, cinema studies, English, ethnic studies, political science, women’s and gender studies, sociology, or theatre.
Note: CMF 408 Field Experience is highly recommended for all students but not required.
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
While completing the Bachelor of Science in Creative Media and Film - Media Studies Emphasis students can start a Master of Arts in Communication - Communication Coursework emphasis at NAU or while completing the Bachelor of Science in Creative Media and Film - Documentary Storytelling Emphasis students can start a Master of Arts in Communication - Documentary Studies Emphasis at NAU.
Students accepted into the Accelerated Program should complete the following requirements:
Major Requirements
This major requires 48 units distributed as follows:
Creative Media and Film Common Courses (24 units):
A minor is not required for the Creative Media and Film degree. However, we strongly encourage you to consult with your advisor or CMF faculty member about a minor that is appropriate for your career aspirations and educational needs. Such minors could include anthropology, business, cinema studies, English, ethnic studies, political science, women’s and gender studies, sociology, or theatre.
Note: CMF 408 Field Experience is highly recommended for all students but not required.
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
All majors must earn a Grade of "C" or better in their freshman composition required course, and their foundation mathematics course.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.