Application Process
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Admission to the Department of Media Study B.A. in Media Study and B.A. in Film Studies

Students may apply to Media Study once they have completed 50 hours at the University and 3 courses in Media Study. Once requirements have been met and, if applicable, a portfolio submitted and accepted, students can bring an updated DARS report and fill out an application with the department advisor in 231 CFA. Admission to the department of Media Study for the B.A. in Media Study and for the B.A. in Film Studies is based on the following criteria:

Acceptance is strictly limited and available only as space permits.
Students must have 50 credit hours at U.B., a 2.0 overall G.P.A., and a 2.5 G.P.A. in three or more courses in Media Study. (These are minimum G.P.A. requirements; we are a competitive department and tend to recruit students with higher G.P.A.s).

Students who elect to pursue the Production concentration must submit a portfolio by their sophomore year. Transfer students with 50 or more credit hours who have media production experience in their chosen field are also required to submit a portfolio for acceptance into the Production concentration.

We suggest the following as appropriate Media Study courses for pre-majors. Students should be aware that acceptance into the Production concentration of the Media Study Major requires that they submit a portfolio of their media work. If you are interested in this concentration, you should choose at least one appropriate production course that will enable you to develop your portfolio. Students can only submit to portfolio review twice.

    Production

  • DMS 101 Basic Filmmaking
  • DMS 103 Basic Video
  • DMS 105 Basic Documentary
  • DMS 121 Basic Digital Arts
  • DMS 155 New Media
    Critical Studies

  • DMS 107/108 History of Film I & II
  • DMS 109 Intro to Film Interpretation
  • DMS 259 Media Analysis
  • DMS 225 Digital Literature

Undergraduate Portfolio Requirements

A portfolio is required for the Production concentration. Each year, portfolios are due around October 1 (for spring registration) and around March 1 (for fall registration). Specific dates will be posted to the listserv, on the DMS website, and in the department. THE NEXT SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS February 27, 2012. Students can only submit to portfolio review twice.

Undergraduate Portfolio Requirements PDF

A) REQUIREMENTS:
There is a change beginning this semester (Spring 2012) in how portfolios are submitted. Please click on this link: http://flywheel.caset.buffalo.edu/portfolio. It will take you to the “Submit DMS Portfolio” form. This form must be submitted no later than Monday, February 27th at 5:00 p.m. Please try not to wait till the last minute to avoid “glitches”.

  1. You must:
    • Fill out the requested information on this form, including the title and description of the work samples you are submitting.
    • Attach a copy of your Academic Advising Report to the form.
    • Type your personal statement into the statement box at the bottom of the form.
  2. A personal statement is not a biography or resume. Attendance at the Portfolio Statement Workshop is mandatory. If you do not attend a workshop, your work will not be reviewed. Announcements with the workshop date(s) will be posted to the listserv, on the DMS website, and in the department.
  3. Work samples must include complete credits, either on the work itself or in the work sample description box of the on-line Submit DMS Portfolio form. If it is a group project, identify everyone involved and their exact role in the production. If we do not know what you did on a particular project, we cannot evaluate it. Also include in the description box the original medium, length, date of creation, and what class it was made for (if from a class).
  4. Work samples submitted may be of any length, but it is better to select the highlights of projects that are longer than 10 minutes as the committee is unlikely to view more than 10 minutes of work. There is no minimum length requirement. One to three work samples are required. Submission of more than one work sample is recommended.
  5. Any work samples you have on-line may be submitted on the form. Each work sample listing on the form includes a “medium or URL” box. The URL (web address) of any on-line work may be typed into this box for review, but be sure to follow the guidelines for URL submission included on the right hand side of the form. If you are able to submit your portfolio materials (as URLs) on the form, this completes your portfolio submission.
  6. If you do not have your portfolio materials on-line, you must submit all your physical work (DVDs, etc) to CFA 231 in one 10 X 13 envelope with your name, person number, and “Portfolio Review, Spring 2012” written on the outside of the envelope. Also, each work sample enclosed should have your name and the title of the work written on it. This is due no later than Monday, February 27th at 5:00 p.m. No attachments are required. Your Descriptions, Academic Advising Report, and your Personal Statement must be submitted by the on-line “Submit DMS Portfolio” form at http://flywheel.caset.buffalo.edu/portfolio as noted in the instructions above.

B) TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Film, Video, and Documentary:

Work will be accepted on DV CAM / Mini DV (NTSC or PAL), DVD (region code 0 or 1, NTSC), VHS (SP speed, NTSC), or 16mm film. Do not submit videos as Quicktime or AVI files on DVD-ROM; submit on any of the accepted formats. If DVD, all works can be submitted on one disc; otherwise, submit each on a separate tape or film reel. Every tape, disc, film, and container must be labeled with your full name, and the title, length, and date of the work.

CUE tapes to the section which you wish the committee to see. Films may be cued by inserting a small slip of paper in the reel, with a note of instruction to pre-cue the film to that point. Any special instructions for projection, such as when or how to run a separate, cued audiocassette, must be included.

Digital:

Work will be accepted on CD-ROM or DVD, or as URLs. We normally use Macs (OSX) to review materials; Windows or Linux PCs are also available; if a work is platform-specific, specify which platform. When a work involves multiple files (e.g. a Flash animation), clearly specify which file is the starting point. Every disc must be labeled with your full name, and the title, length, and date of the work. Multiple works may be submitted on a single disc.

Available media players are Quicktime, WMV, Realplayer, and Flash. Browsers used are Firefox and Safari. Programmed works may be Python scripts or compiled executables (identify any important system requirements).

Other Media:

Any work which does not conform to the above may be accepted for review, but consult with the Department Advisor or Director of Undergraduate Studies first. Video or other visual documentation (photos, diagrams, etc) is recommended.

What are the criteria for portfolio review?

  • Innovation, imagination, and critical thinking
  • Use of media arts technical mastery
  • Originality
  • Social awareness or diversity
  • Visual and/or literary strength
  • Breadth and depth of concept and experience
  • Ethics and authenticity

Work should be strong in at least three of these categories. Note that professional quality of production will count less than the concept of the work and the originality and care that you show in execution.

C) RECOMMENDATIONS:

  • Please show your portfolio to one or two instructors before submitting, and give yourself enough time to incorporate their suggestions.
  • Submit more than one work sample. If you hand in a group project, make sure your second piece of work is an individual project. Two to three works usually suffice, but you will be contacted by the committee if they need more in order to make a decision.
  • Do not submit your only copy of a work.