Bachelor of Arts in Film & Digital Media

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Bring Stories to Life

The BA in Film and Digital Media gives you the skills to craft compelling stories and analyze media in a rapidly evolving industry. This 80-credit program combines practical and theoretical learning.

You’ll gain experience in cinematography, editing, acting for directors and writers, short-film writing, and adaptation while also exploring media theory, history, and digital trends. Access to state-of-the-art studios, production labs, and local film projects allows you to apply your knowledge in real-world settings.

Graduates are well-prepared for careers in film and TV production, digital content creation, advertising, broadcasting, social media, gaming, streaming platforms, corporate media, and more.

Whether you want to tell stories on screen, innovate in digital media, or work across various platforms, the Film and Digital Media degree provides the tools, experience, and mentorship to turn your dreams into reality.

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Why Study Film & Digital Media at EWU?

Get a hands-on education, real-world experience, and personalized support from faculty so you can launch your career with confidence.

Hands-On Learning

Gain real-world experience on set and in the studio through projects, internships, and local productions—all while collaborating with your cohort in EWU’s cutting-edge facilities.

Vibrant Community

Get involved in the regional arts scene through EWU Film's partnerships with the Spokane International Film Festival and The Garland Theater.

Affordable Education

Benefit from competitive tuition rates that help you graduate debt-free. The Film department offers scholarships and funding to support student submission fees for festivals.

Small Class Sizes

With a student-to-faculty ratio under 20:1, you’ll receive personalized mentorship and support from professors who know your goals and help you reach them.

Industry-Experienced Faculty

Learn from faculty who bring real-world insight and strong community ties, connecting you with local partners, film organizations, and opportunities to grow your network.

Getting Started With EWU Film

You’ll need to declare your major in Film and Digital Media before the fall quarter you intend to start the program. You’ll be assigned a film faculty advisor who will guide you through the program, help you choose your classes, and ensure you stay on track. 

Declare Now

The EWU Film program follows a cohort model that begins in the fall.

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Film and Digital Media Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

World Language Requirement: Two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Required Courses
FILM 110
& 110L		INTRODUCTION TO FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION
and INTRODUCTION TO FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION LAB		5
FILM 214
& 214L		FILM AND THE HUMANITIES
and FILM AND THE HUMANITIES SCREENING/LAB		5
FILM 221
& 221L		SCREENPLAY ANALYSIS
and SCREENPLAY ANALYSIS SCREENING/LAB		5
FILM 305ACTING FOR DIRECTORS AND WRITERS3
FILM 311
& 311L		FILM PRODUCTION
and FILM PRODUCTION LAB		5
FILM 312
& 312L		FILM DIRECTING AND PRODUCING
and FILM DIRECTING AND PRODUCING LAB		5
FILM 321
& 321L		WRITING THE SHORT FILM
and WRITING THE SHORT FILM LAB		5
FILM 322
& 322L		ADAPTATION
and ADAPTATION LAB		5
FILM 365
& 365L		FILM HISTORY I
and FILM HISTORY I SCREENING/LAB		5
FILM 366
& 366L		FILM HISTORY II
and FILM HISTORY II SCREENING/LAB		5
FILM 410ADVANCED FILM PRODUCTION I5
FILM 417
& 417L		ADVANCED SCREENWRITING I
and ADVANCED SCREENWRITING I LAB		4
Concentrations–complete at least two of the following series18
Criticism
SEMINAR IN FILM STUDIES
and SEMINAR IN FILM STUDIES SCREENING/LAB (must be repeated with topics 1 and 2)
ORAL EXAMINATION: FILM STUDIES
Production
ADVANCED FILM PRODUCTION II
ADVANCED FILM PRODUCTION III
ORAL EXAMINATION: PRODUCTION
Screenwriting
ADVANCED SCREENWRITING II
and ADVANCED SCREENWRITING II LAB
ADVANCED SCREENWRITING III
and ADVANCED SCREENWRITING III LAB
ORAL EXAMINATION: SCREENWRITING
Required Senior Capstone
FILM 490
& 490L		FILM SENIOR CAPSTONE
and FILM SENIOR CAPSTONE SCREENING/LAB		5
Total Credits80

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1075
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Social Science BACR 215Diversity - graduation requirement15
Social Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 215
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5Elective - minor or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
FILM 110
& 110L		5FILM 311
& 311L		5FILM 3053
FILM 214
& 214L (Humanities & Arts BACR 2)		5FILM 321
& 321L		5FILM 312
& 312L		5
FILM 221
& 221L		5FILM 365
& 365L (Global Studies - graduation requirement)		5FILM 322
& 322L		5
  FILM 366
& 366L		5
 15 15 18
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
FILM 4105Film and Digital Media Concentration Elective24Film and Digital Media Concentration Elective24
FILM 417
& 417L		4Film and Digital Media Concentration Elective24Film and Digital Media Concentration Elective24
FILM 490
& 490L (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)		5Elective - minor or general elective5Film and Digital Media Concentration Elective21
  Film and Digital Media Concentration Elective21
  Elective - minor or general elective5
 14 13 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Concentrations–complete at least two concentrations in Criticism, Production or Screenwriting. 

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List

Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Film from EWU should be able to:

  • direct a senior-level motion picture from a short script;
  • orally support one’s creative or scholarly choices;
  • write a short script suitable for a senior-level production;
  • write an essay informed by film theories;
  • write an essay to support the historical significance of a film.

In addition, all students should be able to do two of the following three:

  • write a critical film analysis that is suitable for submission to an undergraduate scholarly conference or publication;
  • direct a motion picture suitable for entry in a film festival;
  • write an industry-standard screenplay suitable for entry in a college-level screenwriting competition.

Applied Learning Opportunities

You’ll turn your classroom knowledge into action by:

  • Writing a critical film analysis that is suitable for submission to an undergraduate scholarly conference or publication.
  • Directing a motion picture suitable for entry in a film festival.
  • Writing an industry-standard screenplay suitable for entry in a college-level screenwriting competition.
Filming the EWU holiday video on campus

Career Possibilities

  • Film Director
  • Producer
  • Screenwriter
  • Cinematographer
  • Film Editor
  • Production Assistant
  • Script Supervisor
  • Camera Operator
  • Gaffer (Lighting Technician)
  • Grip (Rigging Technician)
  • Sound Designer
  • Foley Artist
  • Casting Director
  • Post-Production Supervisor
  • Visual Effects (VFX) Artist

  • Video Producer
  • Multimedia Content Creator
  • Social Media Video Editor
  • YouTube Content Creator
  • Podcast Producer
  • Influencer Marketing Manager
  • Virtual Reality (VR) Content Creator
  • Augmented Reality (AR) Developer

  • Video Marketing Specialist
  • Digital Content Strategist
  • Brand Storyteller
  • Advertising Producer
  • Creative Director
  • Copywriter for Visual Media

  • Video Journalist
  • Broadcast Producer
  • News Editor
  • Documentary Filmmaker
  • On-Air Reporter
  • Media Correspondent
  • Investigative Journalist

  • Game Cinematic Director
  • Motion Capture Technician
  • Narrative Designer
  • Video Game Producer
  • 3D Animator

  • Corporate Video Producer
  • Instructional Media Designer
  • Training Video Developer
  • E-Learning Content Creator

  • Event Videographer
  • Stage & Production Manager
  • Media Coordinator for Events

  • Streaming Media Manager
  • Content Acquisition Specialist
  • Platform Programmer (for Netflix, Hulu, etc.)

  • Independent Filmmaker
  • Freelance Videographer
  • Content Consultant
  • Media Business Owner

As a Film and Digital Media major, you’ll build hands-on skills in cinematography, editing, screenwriting, and digital production. You’ll learn how to analyze films, craft powerful visual stories, and work with the same tools used by industry pros.

Beyond the camera, you’ll explore how media shapes the world. You’ll study media history, theory, and how digital technology is changing the way we connect and communicate.

Upon graduation, you’ll be ready for in-demand careers across various industries, including film and TV production, advertising, social media, video game design, digital marketing, and multimedia journalism. You can even explore careers in streaming platforms, corporate media, and virtual reality.

Explore careers for Film and Digital Media majors:

 

Getting Started With EWU FILM

Declare your major in Film and Digital Media before the fall quarter that you intend to start the program. Once you declare, you’ll be assigned a film faculty advisor who will help you understand the program, pick your classes, and stay on track. 

The Film and Digital Media program follows a set course sequence that begins every fall. Because of this cohort model, taking classes out of order can delay your graduation. Be sure to meet with the program director early so we can plan your path.

It’s helpful—but not required—to finish most of your EWU general education classes before starting the program. You can still take BACR courses after you begin or during summer quarters, but the Film and Digital Media program only starts in the fall.

We are here to help! Contact pporter@ewu.edu with any questions that you might have about the program.

Declare a Major in Film and Digital Media

 

Transfer Student Requirements for Film

Plan to begin the program in the fall quarter. You should apply for major status prior to the fall quarter that you intend to begin your major in Film and consult with the program director on transferability of courses. Transfer students, including students with AA degrees, must complete FILM 214 no later than their first fall quarter in the program.

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EWU Film & Digital Media Studies

104 RTV Building
Cheney, WA 99004

Contact Us

For questions about EWU Film and Digital Media, please contact:

Dr. Pete Porter
P: 509.359.6390
E: pporter@ewu.edu