Which Program is Right for Me?
Whether you are beginning to pursue a career in cinematic arts, or are looking to continue your visual and performing arts education, Azusa Pacific’s cinematic arts programs prepare students to lead the way in creating innovative and outstanding work.
View the programs and their details below, and see which one is right for you.
The Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Visual Effects will help prepare you to make a difference in an influential industry, and hone your artistic ability. Being located in the greater Los Angeles community provides access to internship and future employment opportunities.
- Access APU’s state-of-the-art animation and gaming lab as well as other campus facilities, like a green screen and soundstage, to bring your ideas to life.
- Participate in the annual Animation Expo in Burbank, where more than 6,000 professional animators, animation studio executives, recruiters, and art students gather for presentations, workshops, demonstrations, and networking.
- Produce a short 2D or 3D animated work as your capstone project in addition to your professional portfolio.
The Bachelor of Arts in Cinematic Arts develops spiritual awareness alongside critical and creative outlooks and prepares students in writing, production, post-production, criticism, animation, and entertainment management/marketing. In addition, students will have access to a supply of professional-level technical gear totaling over one million dollars.
The program offers three concentrations:
- Production and Post: Focuses on developing basic skills in film production (writing, directing, and producing) with a greater emphasis on mastery of post-production (editing and sound).
- Entertainment Executive: Geared for those more interested in the business suite rather than the film set. This business-focused degree appeals to those with a high attention to detail (budgeting, scheduling, and permitting) while at the same time engaging the creative producing processes (packaging stars with stories, collecting capital to produce the programming, and marketing).
- Screen Studies: Prepares you for graduate school, or a career as a professor, critic/blogger, or agent for social change. These discerning graduates use interactions of traditional and social media to mobilize communities, motivate political movements and even inspire faith organizations.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinematic Arts Production teaches the art and business of film and television production from a story-centered point of view. Students are immersed in hands-on filmmaking with state-of-the-art equipment and expert instruction.
- Engage in increasingly complex productions
- Learn to collaborate as a team, with each team member assuming a specialty role, such as production management, cinematography, sound design, editing, production design, and directing
- Utilize beginner and professional industry-quality equipment such as: DSLR’s, RAW codec with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras, and more
- Access to a supply of professional-level technical gear totaling over one million dollars
The Bachelor of Arts in Games and Interactive Media will teach students to build games on a AAA engine and benefit from a well-rounded curriculum integrating storytelling, game mechanics, art, sound, and more in this game design degree program. Benefit from the department’s connections with video game companies like Blizzard, EA, and Square Enix, and APU’s proximity to the multimedia industry hub of Los Angeles.
- Gain understanding about the development process, from preproduction to production and postproduction, and beyond.
- Develop proficiency in an industry-leading game engine, with programming support for distribution on multiple platforms.
- Expand your knowledge of gaming-related topics including game technologies, AI for games, games and learning, games and health, augmented and mixed reality games, and virtual worlds.
The Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting is designed to equip students for professional writing careers in the entertainment industry all while developing students’ knowledge in entrepreneurial and business perspectives.
- Opportunity to have personal script green-lit for production
- Allows students to pitch original screenplays or pilots to be produced by APU’s nationally recognized, award-winning production teams
Note: This information is current for the 2024-25 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.