Program Overview

Established in 2013 and integrated into the Department of Fine Arts of the School of Film Art in 2022, the Theater and Film Art Design is grounded in the critical exploration of cinematic visual form and the articulation of image-based expression. Leveraging the dual strengths of the China Academy of Art's traditional formative disciplines and its innovative integration of art and technology, the program pioneers new visual languages for film and television imagery. Guided by the dual principles of "poetic humanities" and "industrial standards," and committed to the pedagogical philosophy of "balancing theory and practice, integrating tradition and modernity," the program upholds academic rigor and artistic refinement at its core. Rooted in both international perspectives and local cultural heritage, it is dedicated to cultivating industry-leading innovators and practitioners equipped with multidisciplinary competencies—in the humanities, artistic theory, and contemporary technical craft—capable of serving the global film and television industry.

The program is oriented toward art direction for film, television, advertising, and other image-based media, with a focus on cinematic visual design. It offers two specialized tracks—Spatial Design and Character Design—and has established a complete educational pathway spanning undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels.

The program has six full-time faculty members—two professors, one associate professor, two lecturers, and one teaching assistant—along with two visiting faculty members: one professor and one associate professor. (Full-time faculty includes Liu Zhihai and Fu Fan, who also serve in leadership roles in Department of Fine Arts.)

Curriculum Structure

The program follows a four-year progressive logic—Foundational Studies, Professional Foundations, and Specialized Tracks—building a continuous chain of competencies from formal training to professional practice.

Year One: Foundational Studies

Organized around the thread of "image narrative," the curriculum integrates traditional fine arts with contemporary visual experience to establish a foundational training method grounded in time-based media, with an emphasis on form, space, and media as core competencies. Teaching is delivered through thematic, modular, and hands-on approaches, connecting courses across the curriculum and exploring new pathways for foundational education in the context of digital media.

Year Two: Professional Foundations

Delivered through progressive, module-based courses with faculty demonstrations covering core knowledge areas, the curriculum builds a linked course system characterized by the integration of image and form, sound and image. Aligned with the demands of the film and television industry, it balances academic research with professional practice.

Years Three and Four: Specialized Tracks

Students choose between two specialized tracks—Film and Television Spatial Design, and Film and Television Character Design—through project-based teaching that emphasizes hands-on practice, creative thinking, and collaboration. The program leverages both on-campus and off-campus practical platforms, while integrating social practice and career guidance to strengthen the foundation for graduation projects and professional development.