Overview

The School of Theater, Film and Media Arts is part of the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple University.

History

The School of Theater, Film and Media Arts, comprised of the Department of Theater and the Department of Film and Media Arts, was initially formed as the Division of Theater, Film and Media Arts (DTFMA) during the summer of 2012 as part of a university-wide academic realignment initiative. All of Temple's distinguished fine and performing arts schools and programs were aligned under a new administrative consortium, the Center for the Arts, linking DTFMA with the distinguished Boyer College of Music and Dance and the renowned Tyler School of Art.

Theater was initially organized as an extracurricular activity at Temple until 1931, when formal courses in the discipline were developed and offered, gaining full status as the Department of Theater in 1967.

Radio-Television became an instructional division in 1947, and extensive film offerings were added in 1967. That year, both Radio-Television-Film and Theater became part of a new School of Communications and Theater which also included Journalism, Advertising and Strategic Communication. The school was restructured in 1995 and Radio-Television-Film became two departments: the Department of Broadcast, Television and Mass Media (BTMM) and the Department of Film and Media Arts.

On July 1, 2012, as a part of the realignment, the School of Communications and Theater was renamed the School of Media and Communication and the Division of Theater, Film and Media Arts was created.

In October 2015, the Center for the Arts was renamed the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts and DTFMA was renamed the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts.

The School of Theater, Film and Media Arts houses two outstanding departments with professional and undergraduate degree programs historically ranked in the top tier nationally and internationally.

Department Information

The Department of Film and Media Arts is located in Annenberg Hall, which includes television and film production areas (studios and editing, graphics, and film labs) as well as extensive video and film editing areas, a 75-seat multimedia screening room, photographic labs, two news writing labs and smart classrooms. The Film and Media Arts department offers both the BFA and BA degrees, as well as a minor in Screen Studies. FMA faculty have received the Oscar, Emmy, Guggenheim, Rockefeller, NEA, Fulbright, Sundance and international film awards and are authors of some of the important texts in the field. The department also brings in guest media makers and visiting professors from diverse backgrounds for special lectures and workshops. Students may select elective courses from throughout the university, including in such areas as creative writing, theater and fine arts. A highly-recognized graduate program offers undergraduates numerous opportunities to work on advanced productions and participate in advanced research, exhibition and creative work in the field

The Department of Theater is located in Tomlinson Hall, which features two theaters, as well as rehearsal rooms, costume, and scene shops. With both graduate and undergraduate programs, the Department of Theater offers countless opportunities for creative and academic collaboration between all levels. These include the BA in Theater which features optional strong professional concentrations in Acting, Directing, and Design and Production, the BFA in Musical Theater, the BFA in Technical Production and Management, and an accelerated +1 program in Theater Education that culminates in a BA in Theater and a MEd in Secondary Education. In addition, Master of Fine Arts degrees are offered in Acting, Design, Directing, Playwriting, and Musical Theater Collaboration. The graduate program has distinguished itself as one of the foremost theater training and performance institutions in the nation, and as an important contributor to the Philadelphia theater landscape.

Special Programs

Internship Program

Although the requirements may vary, internships are available to junior and senior students. Internships are for academic credit and must involve professional activity related to the student's course of study. The internships must be approved by the administrator or faculty member charged with supervising internships.

Los Angeles Internship & Study Program

Offered by the Film and Media Arts Department, the Los Angeles Internship and Study Program is open to students from any major on both the upper-level undergraduate (63 credit hours completed) and graduate levels who have an interest in working within the Hollywood entertainment industry. This program is offered as an 8-credit summer program that runs from May through the end of July. It includes an on-site internship and ten weeks of concurrent coursework. Additionally, the program is offered in the fall and spring semesters as a full-time program of study combined with an internship component. For more information, please contact Alison Crouse at 215-204-5910.

Administration

Robert T. Stroker, Dean and Vice Provost for the Arts at Temple University
1301 W. Norris Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
https://tfma.temple.edu/

Student Contact Information

Douglas C. Wager, Associate Dean
215-204-6127
dwager@temple.edu

Chet Pancake, Film and Media Arts Department Chair
215-204-5910
tue89498@temple.edu

FMA Office - Help Desk
215-204-3859

Alison Crouse, FMA Office Manager and Director of Los Angeles Study Away
215-204-5910
crousea@temple.edu

Fred Duer, Theater Department Chair
215-204-8413
fmduer@temple.edu

Karen Austin, Theater Office Manager
215-204-8414
karen.austin@temple.edu

Undergraduate Programs

Academic Policies and Regulations

Please see the Undergraduate Academic Policies section of this Bulletin. Students are responsible for complying with all university-wide academic policies as well as those of the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts in the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts that appear below.

Academic Standing

A matriculated undergraduate student in the university is in Academic Good Standing if enrolled in a baccalaureate degree-seeking program.

Please see the University's policy on Academic Standing for detailed information about Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Academic Dismissal.

Credits Not Applied Toward the Degree

Credits earned in the following courses are not applied toward a degree in the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts' School of Theater, Film & Media Arts: lower-level courses in Military Science, Topical Studies, RCC, ELECT, and Mathematics 0015.

Dean's List

Each fall and spring semester, those undergraduates who have met the credit hour and academic criteria for their school or college are placed on the Dean's List. See the Dean's List policy for specific GPA and credit-hour requirements.

Re-enrollment

Students returning to Temple University after an absence of one semester (unless an approved Leave of Absence application was filed prior to the leave) must use the Undergraduate Bulletin in effect at the time of readmission or any subsequent Undergraduate Bulletin. Credits more than 10 years old may not be applied toward a degree. For the re-enrollment form, please visit: https://admissions.temple.edu/apply/request-re-enroll.

Transfer Students

Refer to the Undergraduate Admissions section of this Bulletin for general information on transferring courses to Temple. In addition to these criteria, each department will evaluate any credit to be transferred into a major. This evaluation generally is done at the first meeting with a faculty advisor during the first semester. The maximum number of credit hours allowed to transfer in the major are: 21 hours in Film and Media Arts and 20 hours in Theater.

Requirements for Graduation

The School of Theater, Film and Media Arts requires 124 credits to graduate; completion of the university General Education (GenEd) requirements; and completion of departmental requirements, including two writing-intensive courses in the major.

Minimum and maximum credit requirements within each major are listed with the departmental requirements.

Students who are planning to graduate must schedule an official graduation review with an academic advisor and complete the application for graduation one semester prior to the anticipated graduation date. Appointments may be made in the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts Academic Advising Office, Mitten Hall, Suite 200 W.

Program Descriptions

1. The total number of credit hours at graduation may be greater for some students based on initial placement exams, transfer evaluations, individual curricular choices, and academic progress.
2. Students must fulfill the necessary prerequisites for any given course or course sequence. See the Prerequisites and Co-requisites Policy in the university-wide Academic Policies section of this Bulletin.

Advising

Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts Academic Advising
Mitten Hall, Suite 200 W
1913 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-204-2227

Students can schedule appointments through the "Appointment System" box in Student Tools on TUPortal.

Academic advisors attempt to avoid errors when advising students about their program requirements, but schools and colleges cannot assume liability for errors in advising. Therefore, students must assume primary responsibility for knowing the requirements for their degree and for acquiring current information about their academic status.

Most students will be eligible to register for classes online via Self Service Banner through the TUportal. All students should meet with an advisor prior to their eligible registration period.

Students preparing to graduate must confer with an academic advisor to ensure degree completion. It is strongly recommended that students meet with an advisor in their junior year to complete a graduation review.

Faculty Advising and Mentoring

Students in Theater and Film and Media Arts are advised by professional academic advisors and faculty advisors. Students make advising appointments in the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts Academic Advising Office located on the second floor of Mitten Hall, Suite 200 W. Consult the Directors of Undergraduate Affairs in Film and Media Arts or Theater for assignment to the appropriate advisor.

Faculty