Cinema Studies BA Handbook (Tisch)

A minimum of 44 points, to be distributed as follows:

1.    Writing: a minimum of 8 points in expository writing. TThe Tisch School of the Arts writing requirement consists of two courses - Writing as Inquiry: Art and Meaning EXPOS-UA 5 (fall semester) and Advanced Writing and Research in the Arts ASPP-UT 2 (spring semester). Passing the fall course is a prerequisite for enrolling in the spring course.International students have the same writing requirement as domestic native speakers of English. Transfer students are only required one course and may be able to substitute equivalent course work taken at your previous university.

2.    Foreign Language: a minimum of 8 points of a foreign language or confirmed proficiency at an intermediate level.

3.    Foundations of Contemporary Culture: a minimum of 12 points in the Humanities & Social Sciences. Students are required to take the following College Core Curriculum (CORE-UA) courses:

• Texts and Ideas
• Cultures and Contexts
• An approved Social Sciences course  (Many options can be found in the following CAS departments: Animal Studies, Anthropology, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies(CAMS), Computer Science, Data Science, Economics, Journalism (except reporting courses), Linguistics, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, some courses in Social and Cultural Analysis, and Sociology. )

4.    Foundations of Scientific Inquiry: a minimum of 8 points. Students are required to take the following College Core Curriculum (CORE-UA) courses:

• Quantitative Reasoning (CORE-UA) or approved Math course
• Life or Physical Science (CORE-UA) or an approved Natural Science course (Options can be found in the following CAS departments: Anthropology (only ANTH-UA 2 Human Evolution), Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, and Physics.)
  

The remaining 8 points must be Humanities or Sciences and can be taken in the College of Arts & Science, with the exception of Creative Writing and Journalism reporting courses which count as elective credit only. There are exceptions found in Tisch, Gallatin, Stern, and Steinhardt. See the Tisch Course Allocations spreadsheet for reference.  (Note: These General Education requirements pertain only to Tisch Cinema Studies students)

A minimum of 40 points in the major.

The Cinema Studies major is divided into four areas of study:

Tier 1 consists of a core curriculum for cinema studies majors that is comprised of five courses (20 points) taken in sequence:

• CINE-UT 10 Introduction to Cinema Studies
• CINE-UT 15 Film History
  
• CINE-UT 16 Film Theory
  
• CINE-UT 21 TV History & Culture
  
• CINE-UT 7*** Advanced Seminar of choice

Tier 2 consists of small lecture classes in the areas of film auteurs, genres, movements, national cinemas, television studies, and special topics.

Tier 3 consists of large lecture classes in American and International Cinema.

Tier 4 consists of small theory and practice courses open only to Cinema Studies majors in writing, film criticism, and forms of filmmaking.

Cinema studies majors must complete a three-course distribution requirement in film history from either the Tier 2 or Tier 3 area: one course in U.S. cinema, two courses in a non-US cinema.

Cinema Studies majors are required to complete one course in the Tier 2 area (4 points) and an additional course in either the Tier 2 area or Tier 4 area (4 points).  The Tier 2 courses may overlap with the film history distribution requirement listed above.

Students may also take Independent Study or Internship through Cinema Studies (see Independent Study/Internship) to not exceed 8 total points combined.

A minimum of 16 points in a related area (e.g., social sciences, humanities or arts). Note: This requirement only pertains to Tisch Cinema Studies students

A minimum of 28 points.  These points can be fulfilled by  Cinema Studies courses that exceed the required 40 points,  General Education points that exceed the required 44 points, or anything that would be considered elective credit (such as Film Production/Producing, Photography, Journalism reporting courses, Creative Writing, or most courses from Stern, Steinhardt, Gallatin).

Please note that courses taken in the School of Professional Studies will not count towards your degree at all, so do not register for these courses!

Students may combine their minor and elective points to complete a second major in humanities, social sciences or arts. Once officially admitted into the Department of Cinema Studies, students should contact the department in which they wish to double major.

Advanced undergraduate cinema studies majors are permitted, with faculty approval, to take certain graduate courses listed in the graduate course descriptions section.

Any undergraduate cinema studies majors who are planning to pursue graduate work are encouraged to study two (2) years in a foreign language.

In addition to College of Arts and Science liberal arts offerings, certain courses in the Tisch School of the Arts can be taken for general education credit. Check with your advisor regarding these courses.

All students are assessed a fee for all CINE-UT or CINE-GT courses. The fee is based on the number of points for which the student registers and is subject to a yearly increase. At the time of printing this handbook, the fee for 2025/2026 is $29 per point.

A student wishing to conduct independent research for credit must obtain approval from a full-time faculty member in the Department of Cinema Studies who will supervise an independent study for up to 4 credits. This semester-long study is a project of special interest to the student who, with the supervising faculty member, agrees on a course of study and requirements. The proposed topic for an Independent Study project should not duplicate topics taught in departmental courses. This is an opportunity to develop or work on a thesis project.

To register, you must submit an Independent Study Form. Once the information from your form is verified by your faculty supervisor, you will receive a permission code.

Many students in the department receive up to 4 points (per internship) for working at various film libraries, archives, museums, journals, production companies, and film research labs.

Looking For Internships
Students looking for internships should seek information from the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development, Tisch Office of Career Development, or emails sent from the department with internship opportunities. New internship postings usually coincide with registration for each term. Students are highly encouraged to initiate their own internships, as this may be the best method of matching specific student interests with particular companies or organizations. If there is an organization a student is interested in they should approach the organization and inquire about internship positions.

Registering For Internships
Once an internship has been secured, students must fill out an Internship Learning Contract with internship registration information, contact information, responsibilities, expectations, and goals. The form is available online and from Administrative Aide Gordon Leary (gordon.leary@nyu.edu.) The Internship Learning Contract will be reviewed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies to verify that the internship is relevant to the student’s coursework and/or academic interests. Once approved, students will receive a permission code to register for the internship.

Grading
Students and internship supervisors will be asked to complete both midterm and final reports. Students will also be required to submit two papers reflecting on their experiences in the internship as it relates to the goals outlined in the Internship Learning Contract. Grades will be assigned by the Director of Undergraduate Studies based upon these reports and papers. Internships will be graded on a pass/fail basis.

Grades are assigned the following "weights":

A   = 4.000
A-  = 3.667
B+ = 3.333
B   = 3.000
B-  = 2.667
C+ = 2.333
C   = 2.000
C-  = 1.667
D+ = 1.300
D   = 1.000
F    = 0.000

Except for W and P, all grades for courses taken for credit at any division of NYU are computed in your average, beginning with those earned during your first term of registration at New York University. Therefore, for students who transfer from another division of NYU into TSOA, the grade point average will carry over to the record as a Tisch student. If, while registered in another division of NYU, students completed SPS courses, those grades will not be computed in the TSOA grade point average or count toward a student’s degree unless they transferred from an SPS undergraduate degree program. Grades for courses taken at other colleges and universities are not computed in the NYU grade point average. If a student repeats a non-repeatable course, both grades will be computed in the grade point average. However, the student will only receive credit towards the overall credits once. Please note that a notation will appear on the transcript indicating that the course was repeated. 

Grades below C will not count towards the Cinema Studies Major. If you receive a grade below a C for a Cinema Studies CORE requirement, you must retake the course.

Students are expected to complete all coursework by the end of each semester. If, for compelling reasons, such as illness or a family emergency, a student is unable to complete coursework by the end of the semester, they may request a grade of Incomplete. To do so,the student must fill out an Incomplete Request Form, which can be obtained online at https://tisch.nyu.edu/student-affairs/forms and obtain instructor approval before the last day of classes. The awarding of a grade of Incomplete is at the discretion of the instructor and is not guaranteed. If the instructor agrees that a grade of Incomplete is warranted, they will specify the deadline by which outstanding work must be completed, not to exceed the end of the semester following the course, as well as the final grade the student will receive if the outstanding work is not completed by the deadline.

If the incomplete work is not completed within the designated period, the grade will lapse to the final grade indicated by the instructor. If no lapse grade has been noted by the professor, the grade will automatically lapse to an F after one semester. Final grades cannot be changed except in cases of faculty or administrative error.

If a student has good reason for not being able to complete the outstanding work in the specified period, they may apply for an extension by the instructor. In order to receive an extension, the student must fill out an Extension on Completion of Work Outstanding form, available online at https://tisch.nyu.edu/student-affairs/forms after obtaining approval from the instructor to grant the extension. Requests for further extensions must receive the approval of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Please remember that it is the student’s responsibility to request the grade of Incomplete and that instructors are not obliged to grant an Incomplete. Note that outstanding grades of Incomplete do not count as earned credit hours and therefore may affect registration time and/or eligibility for financial aid. Students with more than one grade of Incomplete in a semester may be placed on academic probation.

The letter W represents official withdrawal from the course. A grade of "W" will be issued beginning the 1st calendar day of the start of the 3rd week of classes.  Any tuition refund will be in accordance with the refund schedule for that semester. Check with the Bursar’s website for tuition refund deadlines. 

Withdrawal schedules differ for January and Summer sessions.

A change of grade is only granted to students who have either made up previous coursework or successfully appealed a permanent grade.  The student must make arrangements for the instructor to submit a Change of Grade online.

If the Change of Grade is approved by both the Chair of the department and the Dean of Student Affairs, it is then electronically sent to the University Registrar for final approval.  The grade is typically posted within 1-2 business days from departmental approval.

Undergraduate students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and achieve a GPA of 2.0 in each semester in order to remain in good academic standing. In addition, students must earn at least half of their attempted credit hours in a given semester - that is, receive final, passing grades excluding grades of I or W. Students must also register for at least 12 credits each semester, unless it is their final semester OR they have received permission from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to study part-time. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation with a bachelor’s degree. Student records are reviewed following the fall and spring semesters. Any student whose record falls below the academic standards enumerated above may be placed on academic concern.

Undergraduate students on academic concern must receive a semester GPA of 2.0 or better, achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better, and successfully complete at least half of their registered courses (that is, receive final grades, not including grades of I or W) in order to be restored to good academic standing. Students who fail to meet these standards are subject to dismissal. In some cases, undergraduate students who show improvement in their records, but still do not meet the School’s academic standards (such as the cumulative GPA of 2.0), may be continued on academic concern for an additional semester. Except in the most extenuating circumstances (such as students returning on probation from an academic dismissal), students are not eligible for more than two semesters of academic concern during their undergraduate career.

NOTE: A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation with a bachelor’s degree. No undergraduate student can graduate with a GPA below 2.0. Grades below C will not count towards the Cinema Studies Major, second majors, or minors. Grades below D will not count towards the General Education area. These courses will count as elective credit only, or in the case of an F – no credit.

Students who wish to be out of attendance from the Tisch School of the Arts for one semester or one academic year may apply for an official leave of absence. Because a leave interrupts progress toward the degree and may interrupt professional training, it is granted only for a good cause. A leave of absence maintains a student’s status as accepted and matriculated toward the degree. There are two kinds of leaves: medical leave of absence, and leave of absence for personal or financial reasons.

For more information, see Tisch Student Affairs' site here: https://tisch.nyu.edu/student-affairs/leave-of-absence-faq and the Tisch Policies and Procedures handbook here: https://tisch.nyu.edu/student-affairs/important-resources/tisch-policies-and-handbooks

If you wish to change majors within TSOA, you will need to submit an Internal Transfer Application. You must also review the departmental website for portfolio submission details. The transfer is official when you receive an acceptance letter into the new department. TSOA requires that you complete one year of course work in your department before becoming eligible to change majors. Acceptance into one TSOA department does not guarantee your acceptance into any other. Criteria vary from department to department. You should begin the process well in advance of when you want to transfer. Some departments require an audition, a portfolio, or other creative materials as part of the admission decision. Please note that most departments do not allow mid-year transfers. Additionally, in planning a second major or minor, you should take into consideration the impact on your financial aid. If completing the second major or minor requires you to continue in school beyond eight semesters, you may not be eligible to receive aid beyond the eighth term. You should seek advisement from the TSOA financial aid advisors in the Student Affairs Office. If you wish to change to an undergraduate major outside of TSOA, you should consult with the admissions office of the appropriate division at NYU.

As a Cinema Studies student, you are required to obtain a minor or double major. The minor or second major may be in another division of NYU or within TSOA, assuming both that the department allows such study and also acceptance into the major.  Your “primary” department is always Cinema Studies.

There are three minors of note that are very popular with students in Cinema Studies in order to gain practical experience. The first is the Minor in Producing offered within TSOA. The minor in Producing is an interdisciplinary opportunity that enhances a student’s firm knowledge of craft, production fundraising, copyright law, cash-flow hierarchies, and ethics. The second is the Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology (BEMT) minor created jointly with the Stern School of Business, Steinhardt, and Tisch. It provides a foundation in the business aspects of media and entertainment and how technology impacts these industries.  The third is the Film Production minor offered within TSOA. This minor allows the Cinema Studies student to gain experience in digital filmmaking and screenwriting.

To declare the double major outside the Tisch School of the Arts, please fill out the Double Major Form found on the Tisch Forms site. You must list an advisor from the second department and Melanie Daly-Castilla on the form. Tisch students are unable to declare a second major with Gallatin, Steinhardt, or Stern School of Business.

Note: All minors can be declared/undeclared on ALBERT.

Students who wish to complete a double major in another department within the Tisch School of the Arts must complete a double major application. Approval of your current department chair is needed. After you have obtained their approval, the form must be submitted to the Director of Recruitment in Tisch Student Affairs. You must also review the departmental website for portfolio submission details.  The double major is official when you receive an acceptance letter from the new department. The number of double majors within the Tisch School of the Arts is limited.

PLEASE NOTE: For Cinema Studies BA students, a double major in Undergraduate Film and TV requires a minimum of 12 points beyond the usual 128 total.

Tisch School of the Arts and New York University offers a wide range of study abroad options. The Tisch Office of Special Programs administers Tisch professional training and general education courses in many international locations over the course of the Fall, Spring, January and Summer semesters. Tisch has programs based in Amsterdam, Australia, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Prague.

There are many additional international study and exchange programs sponsored by NYU’s College of Arts and Science Study Abroad Office. Tisch students can take advantage of programs in Abu Dhabi, Accra, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Shanghai, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, CA and Washington, D.C. All of the above programs are offered as NYU credit and students register, after receiving advisor and program approval, in the normal manner for the designated NYU course numbers.

Generally speaking, once you have chosen to obtain your degree at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, you are expected to complete all of your coursework at this institution. Classes in professional training, general education (liberal arts) and electives are seen as complementing each other and requisite courses in all areas are expected to be completed within the curriculum at New York University. Students interested in study abroad, for example, are encouraged to look at NYU-sponsored programs first before turning to any outside curriculum.

There are occasions when students will wish to seek permission to take non-NYU courses either abroad or off-campus at another university. If a student feels they have a sound educational reason for doing so, they are encouraged to apply for permission to be granted a leave of absence in order to pursue the study and have points apply to their degree here.

There are two essential criteria governing this permission:

1. Permission to register at another university, whether during the summer or during the academic year, whether inside the U.S. or abroad, will be granted only for compelling educational reasons. An example of a compelling educational reason might be a film student interested in bringing knowledge of Native American studies to her work in documentary film. A semester-long specialized program in Native American studies at another university would complement the student’s program here and would be grounds for granting permission to register off-campus and have the points applied to the Tisch degree.

2. Students may also be permitted to pursue 8 additional points at any accredited college or university in either liberal arts or electives. In general, students must take their primay major requirements at Tisch School of the Arts.

To obtain permission, you should begin by speaking with Melanie Daly-Castilla in the department. If you then wish to pursue permission, fill out the Request for a Leave of Absence with Permission to Register Off-campus Form with the supporting documentation and submit it to your department chair for approval. After your department approves it, the form is forwarded to the Dean’s Office for consideration. Final approval is granted by the Dean’s Office.

Please be aware that permission is granted only after a careful review of both your educational rationale and the details of your intended plan of study. A number of additional conditions govern off-campus registration. To be eligible for permission:

1. A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the time of application

2. The proposed off-campus coursework must be at a properly accredited institution.

3. The proposed off-campus credit cannot cause the student to exceed the maximum number of transfer credits allowed by the student’s department.

For the coursework to be credited to the Tisch degree:

1. Credit will be given only for coursework that has been approved on the Permit to Register Off-Campus form. If you plan on registering for a different course, you must obtain approval before the off-campus class begins.

2. A grade of “C” or better must be obtained for credit to be granted. Courses cannot be taken on a Pass/Fail basis.

3. After completion of your study, you must, at the earliest date possible, have an official transcript of completed work sent to the Tisch Office of Student Affairs. No credit can be granted without receipt of an official transcript. The transcript should be sent to:

Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
Office of Student Affairs
726 Broadway, Second Floor
New York, NY 10003
ATTN: Anita Gupta, Director of Academic Services

The normal conditions applying to a regular leave of absence also apply to a leave with permission to register off-campus. Please note that NYU operates on a semester system. If permission is granted to attend a university on the quarter system, credit will be granted according to the following formula: each quarter hour is equivalent to two thirds of a semester hour. A four point quarter-hour course, therefore, will usually translate to two semester points at NYU. (NYU does not grant fractions of points.)

Transfer credit is evaluated by the Cinema Studies Department Coordinator in conjunction with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Points are evaluated in both the major and non-major areas. Courses taken in Cinema Studies may require syllabi for evaluation by the department’s Chair or Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students should be aware that in all departments, there are a specific maximum number of transfer points allowed, due to departmental residency requirements.

When granting advanced standing, the following are considered: the content, complexity, and grading standards of courses taken elsewhere; individual grades and grade point averages attained by the applicant; the suitability of courses taken elsewhere for the program of study chosen here; and the degree of preparation that completed courses provide for more advanced study here.

Note: NYU operates on a semester system. If you attend a school that is on a quarter system, you will receive credit according to the following formula: 2/3 semester hour = 1 quarter hour. Thus, if you successfully complete a 4-quarter-hour course, you will receive 2 semester points here. (NYU does not grant fractions of points.)

As a transfer student, a tentative evaluation of credit will appear on ALBERT; the final evaluation is completed upon receipt of your final transcript from all previous institutions.

You must submit final official transcripts from all your former colleges to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (22 Washington Square North, New York, N.Y. 10003) so your transfer points can be finalized by the end of your first semester. Until your transfer credit is finalized, you are not considered fully matriculated in TSOA. You should make this a priority.

If you think your transfer evaluation does not accurately reflect a proper distribution of your previous college work, you may appeal to your department. All adjustments to the transfer evaluation must be made within the first year at TSOA. After such time no amendments to the statement of transfer credit will be considered.  Only courses in which you earned a grade of C or above are eligible for transfer credit. There are no exceptions.

Credit is accepted only from colleges or universities that have been accredited by the regional Association of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. An exception may be made when a school is in the trial period of “Candidacy” for accreditation.

The maximum number of points that will be counted toward the degree from standardized tests (Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate) is 32. Up to 8 points may be applied toward the general education requirement; the remainder will be applied only to the elective requirement. For entering first year students, the total number of AP/IB points and transfer points from college courses taken while in high school cannot exceed 32. Credit will only be granted if the tests have been taken prior to enrollment at NYU. Once a student has enrolled, all points toward the degree must be taken as course work. First year students will not be able to submit a petition to add AP/IB credit to their degree until they have completed their second semester at NYU. 

Students in Cinema Studies may receive credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams with a score of 4 or 5.  No credit is given for the English Language, Human Geography, Music History or Studio Art exams. Higher level International Baccalaureate (IB) exams will be given credit for scores of 6 or 7.  No credit will be given for standard level IB examinations.

Credit from AP and IB exams will be added to student records in Sophomore year.  In order to have AP or IB credit applied to your record, official exam reports must be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for review.   Students will then need to petition to get these credits on to their record.  Instructions for sending AP scores to NYU can be found on the College Board website: www.apcentral.collegeboard.com.

Under no circumstances may the Advanced Placement English exam be used to exempt a student from the Expository Writing requirement.  

If a Tisch Cinema Studies student receives AP credit in a foreign language, they may only be required to take one (1) semester of a foreign language at NYU. If you have taken a course elsewhere or have presented Advanced Placement credit in a course area, do not retake the equivalent of the course at New York University. You will not receive credit for taking the same course twice.

Remember: A maximum of 8 AP and/or IB points may be applied toward General Education points.  The balance of these points will fall to electives.

The time limit for completing all requirements for the BA is 8 years from the date of matriculation. For students granted official leaves of absence the length of time will be extended by the length of the leave granted. No undergraduate student may continue beyond 8 years from the initial date of matriculation.

Registrar Services at StudentLink, 383 Lafayette Street, issues official transcripts and records address or name changes.

Students should always notify both the Cinema Studies department and Registrar Services of any change in your mailing address and telephone number. A student should also update their address and telephone number on ALBERT; yet, in this case, still should contact the department with this change.

Official copies of the transcript can be requested on ALBERT.  While there is no charge for paper transcripts, there is a fee for eTranscripts.

Students can check on ALBERT for final grades at the conclusion of each semester. Due to University procedure, final grades are usually posted within 3 days from the conclusion of the semester.

Students are not automatically graduated upon completion of degree requirements.  At the beginning of the semester in which they plan to graduate, it is their responsibility to log onto ALBERT to apply for graduation.  Application periods are listed on the University Registrar’s website. If a student does not apply within the scheduled period, they can apply for the next semester’s graduation list.

Students who have applied for graduation must check their degree progress to ensure all coursework will be completed. Graduation Services may contact students if any degree requirements are listed as “not satisfied.” If there’s a discrepancy between your records and the degree progress report, contact Melanie Daly-Castilla immediately. If you still haven’t met all requirements after resolving the issue, you must register for the next semester’s graduation list.

In March of each academic year, information will be sent regarding TSOA Salute, NYU Commencement, and University-wide graduation festivities to: A) students who have had their degrees conferred the previous August and January and B) students who have applied for May graduation.  These ceremonies take place at the conclusion of each Spring semester throughout the University.

PLEASE NOTE: All require the strict application of deadlines for tickets, academic attire and other graduation materials.  It is the student’s responsibility to meet these deadlines because extensions are rarely given.

All materials are sent to the student’s local address on file with the Registrar.  Students who have not received this information may not have: A) changed their address with Student Services; or B) applied for graduation within the application period. These students should contact Melanie Daly-Castilla for more information as soon as possible.

Students who have applied for May graduation, yet cannot complete all degree requirements until the August date, may still have the opportunity to take part in May graduation exercises.  These students should contact Melanie Daly-Castilla for more information.

If the Registrar finds that you have not met all criteria for graduation, you will be sent an email stating that you have been deleted from graduation and the reason for your deletion.  The email is sent after the actual day of graduation because of the strict schedule that the registrar must adhere to; grades are submitted only days before graduation, and the final evaluation of the completion of all degree requirements occurs at the same time as graduation.  All correspondence regarding your degree requirements are sent to your NYU Email address. If you are deleted from graduation, you must reapply for the next graduation cycle. You must also contact the Registrar if you change your address at any point during the graduation process.

Students should contact Melanie Daly-Castilla regarding all questions/problems concerning graduation.

Students are responsible for contacting the Registrar of any change of address during the graduation process.