The Department of Cinema Studies offers programs in the scholarly study of the history, theory, aesthetics, and criticism of film, as well as in techniques and genres. The focus is on understanding film in its multiple cultural and interdisciplinary contexts, not on production. All cinema studies students have access to the department’s George Amberg Film Study Center, which contains a film collection, a reference library, and viewing facilities, as well as to special collections throughout the city, such as those at the Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Students are given the opportunity to create a unique concentration of study depending on experience.
Level I 4 points
Students without a basic background in film theory are advised to begin their study with The Language of Film. This course provides an overview of the historical development of cinema as an artistic and social force, while acquainting students with aesthetic elements of the cinema, the terminology of film production, and the lines of critical inquiry that have been developed for the medium. The course prepares students to view films as trained and informed viewers by raising their awareness of the development and complexities of the cinema.
Level II 4 points
Students who already have a grasp of basic film principles may choose from a variety of other cinema studies courses. Offerings in previous years have included Documentary Traditions, Women in American Film, Hollywood and Its Alternatives, Images of the 1930s, Issues and Images of Black Cinema, and Language of Television.
Elective Credits 8-14 points
Upon acceptance to the program, students are sent a directory of courses available during the spring semester.
