ABOUT US

Film Studies adopts a critical, theoretical and historical approach to the analysis of individual films and to the study of cinema as an institution. Both the major and minor programs assess film as a medium that employs specific fonnal strategies in the process of producing meanings, and they interrogate critical and theoretical debates about the significance of film as a cultural form and of cinema as an industrial and institutional practice. The program also investigates various national cinemas, extending the question of film and meaning to the historical developments and cultural contexts associated with the role of cinema in different countries. Film Studies may be usefully combined with a range of other majors; and students are encouraged to integrate production-oriented courses and programs with Film Studies.

MAJOR

A major in Film Studies requires the successful completion of ten Film Studies courses, seven of which should be at the 3000 level or above. All students working toward the major will be required to take Communication 3150 (Film Analysis) and Communication 4860 (Film Theory) as well as an upper-level capstone course during the senior year selected from designated special topics courses. Electives may be selected from the list following. In the case of special topics courses, (indicated with an asterisk), only film topics will be considered and approval of the Film Studies Director is required. Students should consult the Director regarding appropriate courses for the capstone seminar and should obtain approval from the Director for additional film courses not listed.

MINOR

A minor in Film Studies requires the successful completion of six Film Studies courses, four of which should be at the 3000 level or above. All students working toward the minor will be required to take Communication 3150 (Film Analysis) and Communication 4860 (Film Theory). The four additional Film Studies electives may be selected from the list following. In the case of special topics courses, (indicated with an asterisk), only film topics will be considered and approval of the Film Studies Director is required. Additional film courses not listed may be included with approval of Director.


COMM 1150 Introduction to Cinema
COMM 2400 Topics in International Film Movements and National Cinemas
COMM 2500 Film and Society
COMM 3150 Film Analysis
COMM 3270 Topics: Authors and Genres
COMM 3550 Third World Cinema
COMM 3600 Documentary Cinema
COMM 3800 Cinema Reception and Cultural Memory
COMM 4170 U.S. Film History
COMM 4180 African Cinema
COMM 4190 Introduction to Latin American Film
COMM 4300 Culture, Dominance, and Resistance in Cinema
COMM 4350 Gender and the Cinema
COMM 4610 National Cinemas in Latin America
COMM 4810, 4820 Special Topics in Communication*
COMM 4850 Cinema, Technology, Modernity
COMM 4860 Film Theory
COMM 6210, 6220 Seminar in Communication Studies*

ENLS 3640 Screen writing
ENLS 4100 Literature and Film

FREN 3110 The French Cinema
FREN 4810, 4820 Special Topics in French*
FREN 6920 Special Problems in French Literature*

GER 3710 Introduction to German Cinema

ITAL 3330 Italian Literature in Translation*
ITAL 4040 Topics in 19th and 20th Century Italian Literature*

SOCI 2450 Society Through Cinema

SPAN 4170 Spanish Film
SPAN 4190 Introduction to Latin American Film
SPAN 6910, 6920 Special Topics in Spanish*

THEA 3610 Video Production I
THEA 3620 Video Production II

Note: for descriptions of course content see appropriate department listings. For courses followed by an asterisk, film topics only are included.