Centered on the nature of storytelling in all its forms, the Film and Media Studies major is focused on production with an integrated curriculum including media literacy, theory, and business. Students gain technical expertise in video and audio production, graphic and motion design, and writing about media forms, while also learning the business skills necessary to promote, market, sell, brand, and/or distribute content. Additionally, English and Media Studies courses teach how media texts operate at the creative, cultural and industrial levels. New majors can join graduates whose careers span the many areas of media production, post-production, and distribution, as well as media marketing and advertising, media finance, entertainment law, media management, and publishing. Students have screened their original short films at the Cannes Film Festival, interned at such companies as Disney+, Netflix, WGBH, NBC, Sony Music Entertainment, Dick Clark Productions, Allen & Gerritsen, Arnold Worldwide, and Marvel Comics, and landed full-time jobs with prominent media firms or film studios in Boston, New York and Los Angeles.
Students are encouraged to complete either a media internship or capstone project and will have the flexibility to study abroad. The Media and Culture Labs and Studio boasts professional software for screenwriting, film editing, sound mixing, animation and graphic design. Our state-of-the-art Labs and Studio give students hands-on experience in all forms of media production and provides opportunities for them to develop their creative abilities.
In addition to the specific major requirements described below, students must also complete all designated requirements in Foundations for Success, Contexts & Perspectives in the Arts & Sciences, Business Dynamics, Communication Intensive coursework, and the additional degree requirements for Arts & Sciences majors (including the Modern Language requirement). Details can be found in the Degree Requirements section of the catalogue, including the Overview and the Arts & Sciences Majors tabs.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| EMS 200 | Introduction to Film, Literature and Media | 3 |
| EMS 240 | Introduction to Media Production | 3 |
| Select one of the following media theory courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Cinema Studies | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Studies | ||
| Introduction to Media Theory | ||
| Horror/Sci-Fi in Film and Television | ||
| Film and Television Genres | ||
| Jane Austen in Fiction and Film | ||
| Great Directors | ||
| American Landscapes | ||
| American Cities in Film | ||
| Sitcom Nation: The American Family in Fiction and Film | ||
| Black Cinema | ||
| Women and Film | ||
| Wonder Women | ||
| The Male Image in American Film | ||
| International Cinema | ||
| Youth Cultures in International Cinema | ||
| Hollywood Rebels: A History of American Independent Film | ||
| Hollywood Genres: Classical Forms and Contemporary Re-Inventions | ||
| Films, Franchises, and Fandom: Superheroes in Popular Culture | ||
| Selected Topics in English and Media Studies | ||
| Select one of the following media production courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Video Production | ||
| Introduction to Photography | ||
| Audio Production | ||
| Documentary Production | ||
| Animation Production | ||
| Film Directing | ||
| Film Producing | ||
| Podcasting | ||
| The Art of Editing | ||
| Selected Topics in English and Media Studies | ||
| Directed Study in English and Media Studies | ||
| Capstone Project in English and Media Studies | ||
| Four Electives | ||
| Select four additional courses from the English and Media Studies department. | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |