Film Studies at the Five Colleges : The Five College Major in Film Studies

The Five College Major in Film Studies

The Five College Film Studies major is in film studies as opposed to film production. While the film faculty believes that all students should be familiar with film and video production, the major is not designed to train students to enter the film industry without further training. As with all liberal arts majors, film is studied in relation to all the arts, humanities, and social sciences and can lead to careers in teaching, arts administration, web design, or freelance work in non-industry venues. The major is comprised of ten courses, one of which may be a component course. (A core course is one in which film is the primary object of study; a component course is one in which film is significant but not the focus of the course). Of these ten courses, at least two (but no more than five) must be taken outside the home institution. In addition, each student must have an advisor on the home campus and the requirements for the major may vary slightly from campus to campus.

Program of Study

One introduction to film course (normally taken on the home campus)

One film history course (either a general, one-semester survey or a course covering approximately fifty years of international film history)

One film theory course

One film genre course or film authorship (generally a single director or group of directors) course

One national or transnational cinema course

One special topics course (may be a component course)

One advanced seminar in a special topic

One film, video, digital production or screenwriting course, but no more than two courses may be used toward the major.

Two electives from any category

A thesis is optional.

In the course of fulfilling the program of study, at least one course must focus on non-narrative film (documentary or experimental) and at least four courses should be at the advanced level. Courses can fit into more than one category, but a single course may not be used to satisfy two of the numbered requirements.

Five College Film Studies Majors, please view the Film Council's list of FILMS TO KNOW.

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About the Film Major Faculty Advisors	The Five College Major in Film Studies The Five College Film Studies major is in film studies as opposed to film production. While the film faculty believes that all students should be familiar with film and video production, the major is not designed to train students to enter the film industry without further training. As with all liberal arts majors, film is studied in relation to all the arts, humanities, and social sciences and can lead to careers in teaching, arts administration, web design, or freelance work in non-industry venues. The major is comprised of ten courses, one of which may be a component course. (A core course is one in which film is the primary object of study; a component course is one in which film is significant but not the focus of the course). Of these ten courses, at least two (but no more than five) must be taken outside the home institution. In addition, each student must have an advisor on the home campus and the requirements for the major may vary slightly from campus to campus. Program of Study One introduction to film course (normally taken on the home campus) One film history course (either a general, one-semester survey or a course covering approximately fifty years of international film history) One film theory course One film genre course or film authorship (generally a single director or group of directors) course One national or transnational cinema course One special topics course (may be a component course) One advanced seminar in a special topic One film, video, digital production or screenwriting course, but no more than two courses may be used toward the major. Two electives from any category A thesis is optional. In the course of fulfilling the program of study, at least one course must focus on non-narrative film (documentary or experimental) and at least four courses should be at the advanced level. Courses can fit into more than one category, but a single course may not be used to satisfy two of the numbered requirements. Five College Film Studies Majors, please view the Film Council's list of FILMS TO KNOW.