A strong hands-on emphasis characterizes the film and video production major at Grand Valley State University. Courses of study include animation, documentary, fiction, film studies, new media, nonfiction, scriptwriting, and sound design. The curriculum integrates production experience with insights offered by media history, theory, and criticism. The film and video production program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Through the integration of liberal and professional education, the Film and Video Production  (FVP) major incorporates theoretical, historical, analytical, and practical media production  centered in social responsibility and critical thinking.  Our mission is to assure that FVP graduates  will be creative, self-reflective, and critical media production professionals and artists whose  insights and aptitudes serve the profession and community.

We will enhance our reputation as the pre-eminent media production program in the region based  on our student-centered, hands-on program with its culture of critical analysis and innovative  pedagogical practices.  We will encourage students to learn independently and to appreciate the  significance of a liberal education to the creation of responsible and meaningful media production.   
To this end we will provide students with a common foundation of courses relevant to all modes of media production. Our students will be guided by highly qualified, full-time faculty and trained in state-of-the-art facilities.
 
Our students and faculty will contribute to the broader community through research, creative activity, and community service.

• We assert that the study of media is essential to a contemporary liberal education.  
• We value individual attention to students and offer various ways of learning.  Small class size is key to effective learning.
• We value a commitment to teaching by highly qualified, full-time, permanent faculty to assure quality and consistency of our program.
• We recognize the essential value of students having ready access to state-of-the art production facilities.
• We value high standards of evaluation and assessment as a means to improve teaching and learning and to assure quality and consistency of our program.
• We value service to the Unit, the College, and the University.
• The FVP major embraces the diversity informed by one’s life experience.
• We believe in fostering civic and social responsibility, and we encourage students to reflect on the roots of their own identity, values, and belief systems.  We encourage students to do this within a framework of self-awareness and an increased capacity for reflective judgment.
• We value participation in student and professional organizations including co-curricular activities such as GVTV (the student television organization), the Scientists of Sound, and other student and professional organizations.
• We value collaborative learning including student participation in faculty research and creative activity.
• We value the process of experiential learning and projects that extend beyond the classroom.