Film and Media Studies
Undergraduate Programs
Description
The Film and Media Studies Major is an undergraduate liberal arts program in the College of Arts and Humanities that teaches students to look at all aspects of film and media. Students in the program will explore these disciplines through aesthetic, creative, cultural, historical, technical, and theoretical perspectives. The program prepares students for careers as communicators, innovative creators of film and other media texts, and competent professionals in such fields as broadcast news, digital media, film production, or other media-related fields. The degree also prepares students for graduate work in film and media studies.
Majors |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film and Media Studies BA | BA - Bachelor of Arts |
|
120 |
Minors |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film Studies Minor |
|
20 |
Policies & Faculty
Policies
Admission to the Major is granted by the Program Directors. Please see one of the directors for information on admission procedures.
GPA Policy. Majors must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better in their major, in addition to the 2.0 overall GPA required by the University for graduation. A student must earn a “C” or better for a course to apply to their major; this includes the required general electives.
P/N Grading Policy. A course leading to a Film and Media Studies major may not be taken on a P/N basis, unless it is an Internship or an Independent Study not connected to the student’s Capstone Project.
Transfer Credit. The program accepts no more than 16 credits from other colleges and universities as transfer credits to be applied toward the major. They must be taken in courses that match or are the equivalent of courses that are offered in the program. Please consult the Program Directors on any transfer issues.
Internships. In addition to the two-credit Internship Option for the Capstone Project, students may take additional internship credits up to a total of six internship credits. Opportunities for film and media studies internships exist on and off campus for majors who want to work in a professional setting.
Additional Requirement. Students may not use any course in this major to meet the requirements of any other degree in the Mass Media or English departments.
Student Advising. Students are encouraged to consult the Program Directors on a regular basis for advice about course selection and career planning. Please see the Program Director in the area that matches your career interests: Film or Media Studies.
Contact Information
Department of English
College of Arts and Humanities
230 Armstrong Hall
Faculty
Program Director (Film Studies)
- Steven Rybin
Program Director (Media Studies)
- Rachael Hanel
Faculty
100 Level
Credits: 4
Promotes appreciation and understanding of cinema through the study of film style, film history, film genres, and the cultural impact of films.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06
Credits: 4
Nature, functions, responsibilities and effects of the media in contemporary society.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-09
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
Study and analysis of the elements basic to a critical understanding of film: story elements; visual design; cinematography and color; editing and special effects; functions of sound and music; styles of acting and directing; and functions of genre and social beliefs.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06
200 Level
Credits: 4
Study and analysis of the techniques, thematic conventions, and cultural and historical contexts of major film genres including the western, the musical, crime, melodrama, science fiction, and gangster. Films will include a mix of classic and contemporary examples.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06
Credits: 1-4
Course will explore specialized topics in film; may be repeated under a different topic.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06
Credits: 4
Studies analytical film language in several different film writing forms, including short and long-form reviews, collaborative analysis, and formal critical essays. Emphasizes social and critical contexts needed for film analysis and practice of writing in these film forms.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06
Credits: 4
Introduces fundamentals of film production: writing, producing, directing, lighting, shooting, and editing, through lecture, critiquing the work of other filmmakers, and hands on production. By the end of this course students will be ready to puruse their own film projects.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-11
Credits: 4
Basic techniques of gathering information and writing readable and accurate media stories.Prerequisites: ENG 101, MASS 110
Credits: 4
Survey of current practices and problems in the field of public relations. Emphasizes successful case histories and planning techniques.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
Introduction to advocacy through communication and mass media, including principles, theories, practices, and ethics.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Exploration of the basic principles of visual media design, stressing the significance of images in a mass media society. Special focus on contextualizing historial and technological changes affecting image production for mass media.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
Explores social media and their impacts on society through consideration of technologies, social networks, markets, communities, politics and social movements, and major companies. Special focus on individuals' roles as users, producers, consumers, and laborers toward becoming responsible online citizens.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-09
Credits: 1-4
Selected topics in mass media.Prerequisites: MASS 221W or consent
300 Level
Credits: 4
Principles of the First Amendment, libel, fair trial, privacy, access to news, pornography and regulation of radio and television.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
Designed for students who have prior experience and want to make an experimental, narrative and/or documentary film. Students will move from screenplay/proposal to production and post production of short films. Pre-req: ENG 217 or permission of instructor. May be repeated.Prerequisites: FILM 217 or permission of instructor
Credits: 4
This class uses a critical and cultural approach to explore the intersections of gender, race, and media across multiple media platforms, including film, television, news, social media, and other emerging media.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Discussion of and practice in reporting about public affairs and social issues, plus examination of copy editing and headline writing for traditional and new media.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
The course is designed to give students a foundation in film history. The course focuses on major directors, genres, and periods in film history with an emphasis on social, technological and critical contexts in order to provide an analytical framework that will support subsequent work.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Creation of photo, audio, video, and written content for multi-platform distribution. Includes critical consideration and application of content creation tools, social media management tools, and legal and ethical issues.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
Introduces students to film from a variety of world cultures. Designed to increase knowledge of world cultures and appreciation and understanding of cultural differences in representation. Emphasizes history of national cinemas, film analysis, and writing.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-08
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
Planning, writing and delivering of broadcast news.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
This course introduces students to the concepts, approaches and tools for gathering and analyzing information in mass media research. Students will become acquainted with and effectively use the terminology and concepts used in mass media research.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course introduces students to the close study of performance in the cinema. Through close analysis, we will challenge ourselves to think carefully about the creative contributions of actors to film narratives. Students will be taught how to closely describe, read, and interpret film performances, and will be introduced to critical frameworks for analyzing film acting in its various historical, aesthetic, and socio-cultural contexts. The focus in the course will be primarily on performance in U.S. cinema, although some case studies will also look at performance in international film.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Instruction in the fundamental concepts, terminology, techniques and applications of digital imaging in mass media. Development of the basic skills necessary to design, create, manage and distribute photographic and video digital images in mass media communication. Students must provide own camera equipment.Prerequisites: Select either MASS 221W or MASS 260
Credits: 4
Practicum in typography, design, layout and production processes, including job budgeting and estimating, for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, brochures, posters, annual reports, direct mail and related print materials used public relations and journalism. Emphasis on graphic design software.Prerequisites: Select either MASS 221W or MASS 260
Credits: 0
Curricular Practical Training: Co-Operative Experience is a zero-credit full-time practical training experience for one summer and an adjacent fall or spring term. Special rules apply to preserve full-time student status. Please contact an advisor in your program for complete information.Prerequisites: MASS 221W. At least 60 credits earned; in good standing; instructor permission; co-op contract; other prerequisites may also apply.
400 Level
Credits: 4
Study, analysis and criticism of the mass media, their ethics and performance.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
Survey of the social, cultural, intellectual and technological development of advertising, public relations and print, broadcast and electronic journalism in the United States. Open to non-major/minors.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Trends in film theory and criticism. Practice in critical analysis. Pre-req: 329 or permission of instructor.Prerequisites: FILM 329 or permission of instructor
Credits: 2-4
This course provides a framework for students to learn about professional media practice off-campus. Students will travel off-site to explore, find, and report original stories across multiple media platforms.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Marketing and writing of non-fiction articles for contemporary print and electronic magazines.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
Practical skill in the development of public relations writing including news releases, brochures, public service announcements, pitch letters, annual reports.Prerequisites: MASS 233
Credits: 4
Techniques and practicum in writing of features, reviews, editorials, opinion columns and other specialized fields for print and electronic media.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 4
Exploration of historic and contemporary examples of strategic public relations successes and failures. Analysis of public relations practices related to these cases, including planning, communication, evaluation exercises and management responsibilities.Prerequisites: MASS 233
Credits: 4
This course focuses on the theory and criticism of mass communication in global contexts. It trains students to analyze and evaluate global media in cultural contexts toward becoming media literate consumers and producers. Course is taught in English.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Hands-on production of interactive documentary content for online audiences. Special focus may include web series, docu games, interactive documentary, and virtual and augmented reality.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Hands-on development, implementation, analysis, and evaluation of a digital advocacy campaign. Special focus on brandraising, network analysis, and social media analytics toward creating messages and determining campaign effectiveness.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 1-4
Topic-oriented course in film studies. May be repeated with change of topic.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-4
Discussion and hands-on experience involving mass media activities. Topic varies.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
Credits: 1-6
On-site field experience, the nature of which is determined by the specific needs of the student's program option. May be repeated with change in topic. Pre: Consent of InstructorPrerequisites: Consent of instructor
Credits: 2-4
.Prerequisites: MASS 221W, MASS 312, and MASS 411, plus two additional 300/400 level MASS courses, one of which must be MASS 325, MASS 330, MASS 334, MASS 431, MASS 434 or MASS 436
Credits: 1-4
Extensive reading, research, writing and/or film production in an area for which the student has had basic preparation. May be repeated with change in topic. Pre: Consent of instructorPrerequisites: Consent of instructor
Credits: 1-2
Directed research on a mass media topic chosen by the student.Prerequisites: MASS 221W
