Film and Media Studies (BA)

Study and analysis of the elements basic to a critical understanding of film: story elements; visual design; cinematography and color; editing and special effects; functions of sound and music; styles of acting and directing; and functions of genre and social beliefs.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

Nature, functions, responsibilities and effects of the media in contemporary society.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Study and analysis of the techniques, thematic conventions, and cultural and historical contexts of major film genres including the western, the musical, crime, melodrama, science fiction, and gangster. Films will include a mix of classic and contemporary examples.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

The course is designed to give students a foundation in film history. The course focuses on major directors, genres, and periods in film history with an emphasis on social, technological and critical contexts in order to provide an analytical framework that will support subsequent work.

Prerequisites: none

Trends in film theory and criticism. Practice in critical analysis. Pre-req: 329 or permission of instructor.

Prerequisites: FILM 329 or permission of instructor

Basic techniques of gathering information and writing readable and accurate media stories.

Prerequisites: ENG 101, MASS 110 

Study, analysis and criticism of the mass media, their ethics and performance.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Survey of the social, cultural, intellectual and technological development of advertising, public relations and print, broadcast and electronic journalism in the United States. Open to non-major/minors.

Prerequisites: none

On-site field experience, the nature of which is determined by the specific needs of the student's program option. May be repeated with change in topic. Pre: Consent of Instructor

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor

Extensive reading, research, writing and/or film production in an area for which the student has had basic preparation. May be repeated with change in topic. Pre: Consent of instructor

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor

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Prerequisites: MASS 221W, MASS 312, and MASS 411, plus two additional 300/400 level MASS courses, one of which must be MASS 325, MASS 330, MASS 334, MASS 431, MASS 434 or MASS 436

Directed research on a mass media topic chosen by the student.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Principles of the First Amendment, libel, fair trial, privacy, access to news, pornography and regulation of radio and television.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Discussion of and practice in reporting about public affairs and social issues, plus examination of copy editing and headline writing for traditional and new media.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Reporting, writing and packaging news for online audiences with an emphasis on multimedia platforms; includes evaluation of news sites and critical consideration of best practices, and economic, ethical and legal issues.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Planning, writing and delivering of broadcast news.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Techniques and practicum in writing of features, reviews, editorials, opinion columns and other specialized fields for print and electronic media.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Introduction to writing for the screen. May be repeated with new content. This course serves as a practicum course for the BA and BFA majors in Creative Writing and will serve as a pre-requisite for ENG 447 Creative Writing Capstone.

Prerequisites: Writing course or consent: Choose from either FILM 114, ENG 342, ENG 343, or ENG 344.

Studies analytical film language in several different film writing forms, including short and long-form reviews, collaborative analysis, and formal critical essays. Emphasizes social and critical contexts needed for film analysis and practice of writing in these film forms.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

Introduces fundamentals of film production: writing, producing, directing, lighting, shooting, and editing, through lecture, critiquing the work of other filmmakers, and hands on production. By the end of this course students will be ready to puruse their own film projects.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-11

Designed for students who have prior experience and want to make an experimental, narrative and/or documentary film. Students will move from screenplay/proposal to production and post production of short films. Pre-req: ENG 217 or permission of instructor. May be repeated.

Prerequisites: FILM 217 or permission of instructor

Survey of current practices and problems in the field of public relations. Emphasizes successful case histories and planning techniques.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Exploration of the basic principles of visual media design, stressing the significance of images in a mass media society. Special focus on contextualizing historial and technological changes affecting image production for mass media.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-07

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Instruction in the fundamental concepts, terminology, techniques and applications of digital imaging in mass media. Development of the basic skills necessary to design, create, manage and distribute photographic and video digital images in mass media communication. Students must provide own camera equipment.

Prerequisites: Select either MASS 221W or MASS 260

Practicum in typography, design, layout and production processes, including job budgeting and estimating, for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, brochures, posters, annual reports, direct mail and related print materials used public relations and journalism. Emphasis on graphic design software.

Prerequisites: Select either MASS 221W or MASS 260

Practical skill in the development of public relations writing including news releases, brochures, public service announcements, pitch letters, annual reports.

Prerequisites: MASS 233 

Course will explore specialized topics in film; may be repeated under a different topic.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

Introduces students to film from a variety of world cultures. Designed to increase knowledge of world cultures and appreciation and understanding of cultural differences in representation. Emphasizes history of national cinemas, film analysis, and writing.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-08

Diverse Cultures: Purple

This course introduces students to the close study of performance in the cinema. Through close analysis, we will challenge ourselves to think carefully about the creative contributions of actors to film narratives. Students will be taught how to closely describe, read, and interpret film performances, and will be introduced to critical frameworks for analyzing film acting in its various historical, aesthetic, and socio-cultural contexts. The focus in the course will be primarily on performance in U.S. cinema, although some case studies will also look at performance in international film.

Prerequisites: none

Topic-oriented course in film studies. May be repeated with change of topic.

Prerequisites: none

The course explores 20th and 21st century German film in historical, social, cultural contexts and events. Topics may be a survey, or concentration on Weimar Cinema, New German Cinema, East German Cinema, transnational cinema. Topics vary. Course may be repeated.

Prerequisites: none

This course investigates some of the central philosophical issues in our thinking about film, including questions about narrative, ontology, ethical criticism of film, the role of artistic intentions in interpretation, artistic medium, and the art/entertainment distinction.

Prerequisites: none