Film & Media Studies

The Interdisciplinary Minor in Film and Media Studies allows students to focus on the history and criticism of film and media. Student take courses in multiple disciplines, including anthropology, English, history, philosophy, and psychology, making the minor complementary to many majors. The interdisciplinary minor in Film and Media Studies allows students to learn about the cinema cultures of many countries and language groups, and it offers the freedom to explore such questions as the role of media in historical and social change, issues of media preservation, the relationship between technology and artistic expression, media's relationship to cognition, and the study of media as a means of appreciating cultural diversity. Most of the courses focus on film, but courses in other media such as television, radio, photography, sound recording, video games, digital art, or the study of media industries, can also apply to the Minor.

Students should consult with the director, Dr. Allison Whitney, concerning course selection and progress toward the minor.

Requirements

The Minor requires 18 hours of coursework, and courses must be selected from at least 3 different departments. The College of Arts and Sciences requires that at least 6 hours be from upper division (Junior or Senior level) courses.

When courses not listed include substantial film and media content, students may petition to have those courses count toward the Minor. For example, many departments offer occasional “topics” courses that may include a film and media focus. Students should discuss such cases with the director as early as possible in the semester.