Undergraduate Extended Accelerator Pathway (3-Term) - Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Cultural Studies

at Shorelight Group - University of Central Florida USA

The B.A. in Film offers courses in film theory, history and criticism. The aim of the program is to give students a broad and in-depth knowledge of these areas. The emphasis is on the aesthetics, styles and forms of film. The first two years of the program provide students with a general background and introduction. In the second two years, the program concentrates on the analysis of specific film practices such as editing, color, sound, staging, cinematography, narrative form and theoretical and historical perspectives.

In the advanced courses, student learning will be verbal and visual, written and practical. Students are expected to have access to a digital video camera and an editing suite. Courses are sequenced and coordinated over the period of the degree enabling students to build on their learning in a progressive and coherent manner. An Honors Dissertation is an option in the final year.

Students of Film have the advantage of stimulus and interaction with faculty and students in other disciplines and the opportunity to take elective courses in these areas. The emphasis on film form and the integration of theoretical/historical and practical studies in the UCF program makes it unique and innovative.

The Marine and Aquatic Biology Track provides students with the opportunity to focus on the study of living organisms in freshwater, coastal, and oceanic environments. This track is designed to give students a strong foundation in basic biological principles with a special focus on organisms that live in aquatic environments.  Students who successfully complete the Marine and Aquatic Biology Track will be well-versed in the issues of marine and/or aquatic ecosystems with an emphasis on conservation, restoration, and biological diversity. The track also allows opportunities for study abroad and independent research working with professors and their graduate students in both laboratory and field settings. Rigorous coursework and research experiences gained through this track will provide students with a competitive advantage in their graduate school applications.  This track can also help students seeking immediate employment with local, state and federal agencies or private companies and non-profit organizations specializing in resource management, fisheries, marine conservation, coastal restoration and aquarium husbandry.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts track in Design and Technology is offered for students who, upon graduation, plan to pursue a specialized career in professional theatre. It provides the student with a thorough foundation in theatre complemented by very structured and intensive career preparation in all areas of design and technology. Students can expect to work along side faculty as design or technical assistants in their first two years and will be given the opportunity for technical leadership opportunities including, prop master, master electrician, first hand, draper, scenic artist, master carpenter, technical director, etc. Those who qualify and wish to pursue design areas can be offered design positions within the production season. The curriculum requires students to become proficient in design and technology related to scenery, costumes, lighting and sound through specified coursework. Students then select one or two areas of specialization where their production assignments will focus in their junior and senior years, thus giving each student practical experience as they build their professional portfolios. The program culminates with a professional internship where students are able to apply their education in a real world work environment. While most students choose to enter the workforce following graduation, the BFA is an excellent degree for students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in theatre. Work within the BFA program requires energy and dedication; therefore, other part-time study or outside employment is very challenging. BFA standards are high, both for admission and for continuation in the program. Production assignments are regulated to serve the artistic growth of students thus coordinating production experience with class room exploration.

The BFA degree prepares students for professional practices and is recommended for students who plan to attend graduate school. The BFA degree provides a solid foundation in techniques and theory in focused areas of competence. The School affirms that a theoretical and working understanding of the historical meanings and studio applications of the human image are critical in the education of Visual Art and Art History students.

Students interested in majoring in marketing have two options: the marketing management track or the professional selling track. The marketing management track provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in entry-level positions in marketing management, product/brand management, or positions in retail, sales, market research, or promotion. The professional selling track prepares students for positions in B-B selling, with the potential to advance into either sales management or marketing management. Not eligible for a double degree with another College of Business Administration major.

The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree at UCF provides you with a convivial, supportive atmosphere of mutual respect, high standards academically and ethically, and faculty that are devoted to your learning and success. The program’s liberal arts emphasis also provides a flexible curriculum, allowing you to explore a diverse range of interests through elective courses. Some electives focus on music, while others are non-music courses that complement your area of study courses, such as history, business, communications, humanities and much more.

While this degree track is not focused on performance, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to perform — whether it’s as part of a musical ensemble or our 350-person marching band, in recitals, operas, in student organizations or as part of our resident symphony orchestra. A capstone project at the end of your studies allows you to show what you’ve learned and perform or present it — applying the knowledge and skills you’ve learned during previous courses while designing something catered to your learning goals.

Composition students will take theoretical and practical courses in music composition as well music history, theory, film and video game composition, piano, conducting and more. They perform in major and minor ensembles, and hear their own compositions played at composition studio recitals.

The composition studio at UCF is small and competitive. Student composers receive an extraordinary amount of personalized instruction and are able to access resources set aside exclusively for their use, including UCF’s state-of-the-art Media Composition Lab.

The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – Diversity Studies Track is a broadly based interdisciplinary curriculum. The degree's interdisciplinary nature provides students with tools that can be applied across a spectrum of science, social behavior, and humanities, while foregrounding the importance of analyses with a focus on diversity and inclusion in such categories as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and ability. Students pursuing a career in social justice or advocacy work, involvement in international nonprofit organizations or diverse research and journalistic careers, as well as those seeking preparation for graduate study in related areas will enjoy the flexibility of this program. This track requires students to take two unique IDS Core courses, 30 credit hours of courses related to theory and representations/experiences of diversity, and select from a number of related minors such as the Women's and Gender Studies or Diversity and Social Inequality.

Interdisciplinary Studies is a university-wide program leading to either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, depending on the concentration of work selected in consultation with an Interdisciplinary Studies advisor. The program is administered through the Interdisciplinary Studies Department and is designed for academic flexibility. It recognizes that there are many combinations of courses that meet the needs of individual students.