Objectives

Film, Television, and Media Studies is an academic interdisciplinary program that provides students the opportunity to understand the many ways that filmmakers have used the media as a means of personal expression as well as a tool for understanding the  world. Through their Film and TV courses, students gain the tools that allow them to critically examine the ways in which their own perceptions have been shaped and influenced by media texts. FTVS classes are academically rigorous, depending on analytic as  well as critical tools that are informed by reading in media and cultural history. The program is an integral part of the School of Film and Television, providing the theoretical, historical, and cultural frameworks within which SFTV students apply their practical skills,  whether they are directing, producing, filming, editing, writing, and/or recording sound for movies.

Film, Television, and Media Studies students gain an appreciation of the basic elements of film and/or television language and acquire the tools that will enable them to be more thoughtful consumers as well as producers of media texts. Through a careful study  of film history, students will understand and appreciate the development of cinematic and televisual media within their historical and cultural contexts. Courses focusing on national cinemas open up and deepen their understanding of other cultures, national  histories, and religious viewpoints. Courses that focus on ethical and political issues encourage students to think about the ways that media can be used to create a more just world. In all FTVS classes, students explore the many ways that media texts reflect,  shape and question cultural values, attitudes, and beliefs, including but not limited to representations of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, and nationality.

Film, Television, and Media Studies Student Learning Outcomes

Students minoring in Film, Television, and Media Studies will:

• Know and demonstrate an understanding of the narrative and stylistic elements of film or TV language
• Apply an understanding of film/TV language through a critical analysis of specific texts
• Know and demonstrate knowledge of film history, including key movements and important filmmakers
• Know and demonstrate understanding of at least one film/TV genre or auteur and one national cinema or international TV
• Value diverse approaches to film and TV production