The Cinema & Media Studies (CAMS) major combines the critical study of film and media with digital media production, reflecting a liberal arts philosophy in which critical thinking and creative making are mutually informing.  Curricular emphasis is on cinema studies (film history, theory and production) with some reaching out towards visual studies (digital photography, projection installations and graphic design) and sound studies (audio history, theory and production).

CAMS MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Seventy-two credits are required for the major; forty-eight credits in core courses and twenty-four credits in elective courses.

I. CORE COURSES:

a) Two 100-level Introductory Courses (12 credits):

CAMS 110. Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies

CAMS 111. Digital Foundations

b) One 200-level Studio Production Course (6 credits):

CAMS 265. Sound Design

CAMS 270. Nonfiction

CAMS 271. Fiction

CAMS 275. Audio Workshop

CAMS 277. Television Studio Production

CAMS 281. Digital Photography

CAMS 282. Graphic Design

CAMS 283. Site-Specific Media

CAMS 284. Digital Photography Workshop

CAMS 286. Animation

CAMS 289. New Media Seminar in Europe Program: Digital Workshop

c) Two History Courses (12 credits).  One of these courses must be a film history course (either CAMS 210, 211 or 214).

CAMS 210. Film History I

CAMS 211. Film History II

CAMS 214. Film History III

CAMS 243. Film Sound Studies

ARTH 171. History of Photography

ARTH 172. Modern Art: 1890-1945

ARTH 240. Art Since 1945

d) Two 300-level Topics Seminars (12 credits).  These courses may be taken multiple times as the topics rotate.

CAMS 320. Sound Studies Topics Seminar

CAMS 330. Cinema Studies Topics Seminar

CAMS 350. Visual Studies Topics Seminar

e) Integrative Exercise CAMS 400 (6 credits)

Students considering a MAJOR IN CINEMA AND MEDIA STUDIES are strongly encouraged to take CAMS 110 Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies and CAMS 111 Digital Foundations by the end of their sophomore year and the two required core history courses (CAMS 210 Film History I, CAMS 211 Film History II, CAMS 214 Film History III or Art History 171, 172, 240) and at least one of two required 300-level topics seminar courses (CAMS 320 Sound Studies Topics Seminar, 330 Cinema Studies Topics Seminar,  CAMS 350 Visual Studies Topics Seminar) by the end of their junior year.  Two 300-level seminar courses are offered every year.

Students interested in CINEMA STUDIES should consider enrolling in the three-term film history sequence (CAMS 210 Film History I, CAMS 211 Film History II and CAMS 214 Film History III).  At least two of these courses are offered every year and it is not necessary to take them in any particular order.  CAMS 330 Cinema Studies Topics Seminar is typically offered every year.  Additional courses focus on film genres and modes (CAMS 186 Film Genres, CAMS 224 Classical American Film Comedy, CAMS 225 Film Noir, CAMS 226 The Melodramatic Imagination, CAMS 228 Avant-Garde Film and Video) and national, transnational and global cinemas (CAMS 212 Contemporary Spanish Cinema, CAMS 213 Italian Neorealism and Global Cinema, CAMS 216 American Cinema of the 1970s, CAMS 217 Border Crossings: Perspectives on French and German Cinema, and CAMS 218 Contemporary Global Cinemas).  CAMS majors are also encouraged to choose courses from a rich array of extra-departmental offerings in film studies.

Students interested in DIGITAL FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION should start with CAMS 111 Digital Foundations, proceed to 200-level production genre courses such as CAMS 270 Nonfiction, CAMS 271 Fiction, CAMS 277 Television Studio Production, and CAMS 286 Animation, and expect to execute advanced projects in digital film production in CAMS 370 Advanced Production Workshop, which is offered every spring term and can be taken multiple times.

Students interested in VISUAL STUDIES, including new media, digital photography and graphic design, are encouraged to enroll courses such as CAMS 281 Digital Photography, CAMS 282 Graphic Design, CAMS 283 Site-Specific Media, CAMS 284 Digital Photography Workshop and CAMS 350 Visual Studies Topics Seminar.  Students pursuing work in these media may also consider enrolling in ARTH 171 History of Photography, ARTS 238 Photography I, and ARTS 339 Advanced Photo: Digital Imaging as well as related courses in film (CAMS 228 Avant-Garde Film and Video) and contemporary art history (ARTH 172 Modern Art 1890-1945 and ARTH 240 Art Since 1945).  Advanced projects in new media, digital photography and graphic design may be produced in CAMS 370 Advanced Production Workshop, which is offered every spring term and can be taken multiple times.

Students interested in SOUND STUDIES, including sound design and audio production, can explore sound-image relationships and produce audio projects in courses such as MUSC 115 Music and Film, CAMS 188 Rock 'n' Roll Cinema, CAMS 242 Sound and Music in New Media, CAMS 243 Film Sound Studies, CAMS 265 Sound Design, CAMS 275 Audio Workshop and 320 Sound Studies Topics Seminar.  Advanced projects in audio may be produced in CAMS 370 Advanced Production Workshop, which is offered every spring term and can be taken multiple times.

II. ELECTIVE COURSES

Twenty-four credits in elective courses are required for the Cinema and Media Studies major. Credit may be obtained by enrolling in departmental and approved extra-departmental courses with the following stipulations:

a) Any CAMS course not fulfilling a core requirement can serve as an elective course for the CAMS major.

b) A maximum of eighteen credits in elective CAMS production courses count toward the major.

CAMS 242. Sound & Music in New Media

CAMS 265. Sound Design

CAMS 270. Nonfiction

CAMS 271. Fiction

CAMS 275. Audio Workshop

CAMS 277. Television Studio Production

CAMS 278. Studio Production

CAMS 279. Screenwriting

CAMS 280. We Media

CAMS 281. Digital Photography

CAMS 282. Graphic Design

CAMS 283. Site-Specific Media

CAMS 284. Digital Photography Workshop

CAMS 286. Animation

CAMS 289. New Media Seminar in Europe Program: Digital Workshop

CAMS 370. Advanced Production Workshop

c) A maximum of twelve credits in extra-departmental elective courses count toward the major. Extra-departmental elective courses approved for the CAMS major are listed below and on the Registrar’s Website (Schedule of Classes/Enroll page) each term.

AMST 226. Latinas in Hollywood

ARTH 171. History of Photography

ARTH 240: Art Since 1945

ARTS 140. The Digital Landscape (no pre-req)

ARTS 141. Experimental Photography (no pre-req)

ARTS 238. Photography I

ARTS 240. Intro to Film and Digital Photo (pre-req Arts 110 or 113)

ARTS 340. Advanced Film and Digital Photo (Arts 110 or 113, Arts 240) 

ARTS 286. Legacies of the Avant-Garde

ARTS 339. Advanced Photo: Digital Imaging

CHIN 240. Chinese Cinema

ENGL 100. Shakespeare on Film

ENGL 243. Text and Film

ENGL 245. Bollywood Nation

ENGL 247. The American West

ENGL 248. Visions of California

ENGL 362. Narrative Theory

FREN 233. French Cinema

FREN 250. Film and Society in Mali

GERM 219. German Film after World War II

HIST 285.  Finding History:  Museum, Monuments, and Memory

JAPN 231. Japanese Cinema

LCST 245. Introduction to Critical Methods: Structure, Gender, Culture

MUSC 115. Music and Film

PHIL 229. Philosophy of Film and Emotion

POSC 203. Political Communication: Election Campaign Advertising and Public Opinion

POSC 204. Media and American Politics: Special Election Edition

POSC 220. Politics and Political History in Film

POSC 303. Political Communication: Election Campaign Advertising and Public Opinion

SPAN 250. Spanish Cinema

THEA 320. Live Performance and Digital Media

 

Cinema and Media Studies Courses

CAMS 110. Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies

CAMS 111. Digital Foundations

CAMS 186. Film Genres

CAMS 188. Rock 'n' Roll in Cinema

CAMS 210. Film History I

CAMS 211. Film History II

CAMS 213. Italian Neorealism and Global Cinema

CAMS 214. Film History III

CAMS 216. American Cinema of the 1970s

CAMS 217. Border Crossings: Postmodern Perspectives on French and German Cinema

CAMS 218. Contemporary Global Cinemas

CAMS 225. Film Noir: The Dark Side of the American Dream

CAMS 226. The Melodramatic Imagination: Visual Storytelling in Popular Film and Media

CAMS 228. Avant-Garde Film & Video

CAMS 231. Cinema Directors

CAMS 232. Cinema Directors: Tarkovsky

CAMS 233. The French Cinema

CAMS 234. Cinema Directors: Sokurov

CAMS 237. Cinemas & Contexts: Russian Film

CAMS 239: Cinemas & Contexts: East European Film

CAMS 242. Sound and Music in New Media

CAMS 243. Film Sound Studies: History, Technology and Aesthetics

CAMS 265. Sound Design

CAMS 269. Understanding New Media

CAMS 270. Nonfiction Film

CAMS 271. Fiction Film

CAMS 272. Advanced Editing Techniques

CAMS 274. Special Projects Workshop

CAMS 275. Audio Workshop

CAMS 277. Television Studio Production

CAMS 278. Writing for Television

CAMS 279. Screenwriting

CAMS 281. Digital Photography

CAMS 282. Graphic Design

CAMS 283. Site-Specific Media

CAMS 284. Digital Photography Workshop

CAMS 286. Animation

CAMS 289. New Media in Europe Seminar: Digital Workshop

CAMS 290. Community Video

CAMS 291. New Media in Europe Seminar: Directed Readings

CAMS 310. Moviegoing and Film Exhibition in America

CAMS 320. Sound Studies Topics Seminar

CAMS 330. Cinema Studies Topics Seminar

CAMS 350. Visual Studies Topics Seminar

CAMS 370. Advanced Production Workshop

CAMS 400. Integrative Exercise