About the Department
The Department of Theater, Film, and Television is a learning community dedicated to the study and practice of theatrical and cinematic arts. Department faculty train and mentor students in writing, directing, producing, acting, and criticism, combining mastery of craft with scholarship. The program encourages the artistic and spiritual growth of students and the exploration of their calling from a thoughtful and culturally engaged Christian worldview.
Students studying theatrical and cinematic arts at Azusa Pacific University are exposed to a world of opportunity. Whether it’s being trained and mentored by industry professionals, being saturated with practical, hands-on experience, or gaining access to Southern California’s vibrant theater and cinema community, Azusa Pacific University has what students need to springboard their careers in the arts and entertainment industry.
Program Overview
The Department of Theater, Film, and Television offers two distinct majors: Bachelor of Arts in Cinematic Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts. The cinematic arts program offers majors and minors in the tracks of screenwriting, cinema/television production, and critical studies. The students construct a list of courses with the help of their academic advisor from the areas of performance, theory and criticism, and applied theater. This enables the students to tailor their coursework to a specific career in theater, such as directing, technical theater, dramaturgy, acting, or musical theater.
Additionally, students from other majors can earn a minor in Theater Arts, which offers an overview of performance, production, and literary courses. Minors in Cinema/Television Production, Critical Studies, or Screenwriting are also offered.
To graduate, students must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade-point average in their major courses.
Productions
The department produces six faculty-directed main stage theater productions annually (as well as student directed productions) which are performed in APU’s Mary Hill Theater. In addition, several off-campus performance opportunities are available, including the Azusa Pacific Players, a traveling drama ministry team; the Azusa Renaissance Project, a community outreach program that brings theater to the city of Azusa; and the Senior Hollywood Showcase, which introduces selected members of the graduating class to Hollywood.
The department hosts two major film events each year: the APU Film Premiere Night and the Alumni Awards Night, where industry professionals are invited to screen and observe the accomplishments of Cinematic Arts alumni.
The department also produces the interdisciplinary Sitcom Workshop, a television program that utilizes writers, actors, and technicians in a television broadcast environment. In addition, the student-run Azusa Film Society hosts the popular annual 48 Hour Film Festival. APU student films have repeatedly received awards at the Broadcast Education Association’s national convention. Additionally, APU has won top honors at competitions such as the Reel Spirituality/Los Angeles Film Studies Center Film Festival, the Damah Film Festival, and the Imago Film Festival.
