Cinema and Media Major

The major consists of a minimum of 9 full courses (or the equivalent).

Note: Students must earn minimum grades of C- or P for all courses that apply toward the major.

View the catalog page for the cinema and media department.

The cinema and media major is not divided into separate tracks as the department believes that knowing about how movies are made enhances critical work while a knowledge of the history and theory of cinema supports filmmaking.

Summary of Requirements

CIME 290 - What is Cinema?
Three Full Critical Studies Courses
Two Full 300-Level Cinema and Media Elective Courses
Three Additional Full Cinema and Media Major Elective Courses

Note(s) on Requirements

At least five of the required nine courses must be cinema and media courses; up to four of the required courses may be taken in such other departments and programs as TIMARA, creative writing, theater, studio art, English, comparative literature, Africana studies, and East Asian studies.
At least two of the required critical studies courses must be taken at the 300-level or above.
Major elective courses should be chosen by the student in consultation with a major advisor; these courses may be taught by cinema and media faculty or by faculty in related departments.

Transfer of Credit Toward the Major

For approval of transfer credit toward the major, students should consult with the department chair, preferably with syllabi in hand.

No more than four full courses or the equivalent of transfer credit may be applied to the major.
No more than one 300-level course may be transferred for credit.

Study Away and Other Sponsored Off-Campus Programs

The Cinema and Media Department has consortial arrangements with the Prague Film School (PFS) and with the Film Program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. All film courses offered at PFS and Tisch, including those in film production, may count toward the cinema and media major.

Students may earn up to 16 credits during a semester at either program, which will count toward the major elective requirement.
In addition, students may substitute these credits for one 300-level production course for the major.

Students interested in transferring credit from these or other off-campus programs should consult with the department chair. Both CIME 290 and CIME 298 should be taken before studying away.

Course of Study

Each student in the cinema and media major shapes their own program with the help of their advisor.

Students begin critical studies in cinema with 100- and 200-level courses which are open without prerequisites; students interested in majoring in cinema and media should plan to take CIME 290 by the end of their sophomore year.

While the department offers a general introductory course in film production (CIME 291 ), we also think students can begin learning to make movies by choosing the kind of filmmaking that most interests them from among the 300-level cinema workshops (CIME 313 , CIME 320 , CIME 324 , CIME 326 ). These small-enrollment courses have special tutorial sessions for students with little or no experience in filmmaking. Each of these courses may be repeated for full credit.

Senior Project

All students graduating with a major in cinema and media may submit senior projects in production or critical studies to be considered for award recognition at the end of their senior year.

Detailed Major Requirements

Cinema and Media Major Course Lists

Critical Studies Courses

Return to the summary of requirements.

Note: At least two of the required critical studies courses must be taken at the 300-level or above.

300-Level Cinema and Media Elective Courses

Return to the summary of requirements.

Cinema and Media Major Elective Courses

Return to the summary of requirements.