USC: Academic Bulletins

Overview

The Film and Media Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program in the College of Arts and Sciences devoted to the critical study of moving image culture--its history, theory, and criticism. The major offers crucial knowledge and analytical skills in our increasingly media-saturated culture, as well as the core strengths of a liberal arts education. Courses in the program may apply to the fine arts, humanities, cultural awareness, and cognate requirements, as well as to the film and media studies major and minor.

FILM 180 is an introductory course designed for nonmajors. Students who might want to major or minor in film and media studies, or who would like to develop film analysis skills, are encouraged to begin their course work with FILM 240. FILM 566, 597, and 598 are topics courses open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

In addition to our core faculty listed above, additional faculty offer film and media studies courses in departments throughout the college. For current topics and course descriptions of FILM courses, as well as the full menu of film and media studies courses being offered in a range of departments, students should consult the "Current Courses" link on the Fillm and Media Studies Program Web site, www.cas.sc.edu/film.

Degree Requirements

(120 hours)

1. General Education Requirements (53-62)

For a general outline, see "College of Arts and Sciences."

2. Major Requirements

Prerequisite: FILM 240 Introduction to Film and Media Studies (3 hours)

Major Courses (30 hours)

A. FILM 300 Film and Media History (3 hours) B. Three additional film and/or media history courses, from FILM 365 {=ARTH 365, ENGL 474, and THEA 480}, FILM 366 {=ARTH 366, ENGL 475, and THEA 481}, FILM 510, FILM 555 {=MART 555}, MART 569, and/or other upper-level film and media history courses approved by the student’s advisor, at least one of which must be from outside the United States (9 hours) C. FILM 473 {=ENGL 473, PHIL 473} Film and Media Theory and Criticism (3 hours) D. One film and/or media production or performance course, from MART 210, MART 371, THEA 575, THEA 581, THEA 587, or other appropriate course approved by the student’s advisor (3 hours) E. Four additional courses from the list below or other appropriate courses (special topics, Honors College, etc.) approved by the student’s advisor (12 hours): ANTH 300 Comparing Cultures Through Film ANTH 516 Indonesian Culture Through Film ANTH 517 {=AFRO 517} Anthropological View of Blacks in Films ANTH 570 Ethnographic Film ARTH 569 Topics in Film History FILM 365 {=ARTH 365, ENGL 474, and THEA 480} History of Cinema I FILM 366 {=ARTH 366, ENGL 475, and THEA 481} History of Cinema II FILM 510 Topics in Film and Media History FILM 511 Topics in Film and Media FILM 555 {=ARTH 555} History of Documentary Film FILM 566 {=ENGL 566} Topics in American Film FILM 597 {=CPLT 597} Comparative Studies in Film FILM 598 {=FORL 598} Topics in World Film FREN 397 The French Film Experience GERM 580A {=FILM 598A} Topics in German Film HIST 492F Film and History ITAL 412 Post-World War II Italian Cinema JAPA 350 Japanese Culture and Society through Film MART 371 The Moving Image MART 490, 590 Special Topics in Media Arts MART 490V Vision, Visuality, and the Logics of Visual Media Culture PHIL 336 Philosophy and Film POLI 357 Film, Politics, and Social Change POLI 362 Politics and the Mass Media PORT 301 Cultural Manifestations of Modern Brazil RUSS 598F {=FILM 598F} Survey of Russian Film SPAN 380A Hispanic Film and Culture: Spain SPAN 380B Hispanic Film and Culture: Latin America THEA 575 Rehearsal and Performance THEA 581 Film as Performance THEA 587 Film and Television Acting

At least one of the courses from categories B, D, or E above should be in documentary and/or experimental media.

3. Cognate or Minor (12-18 hours)

See "College of Arts and Sciences."

4. Electives (7-22 hours)

For additional information, contact the Film Studies Program office at 803-777-2339.

Course Descriptions (FILM)

180 -- Film Culture. (3) How the film industry developed and the impact the movies have had on global popular culture. Does not count toward the film studies major.
240 -- Introduction to Film and Media Studies. (3) Introduction to the critical study of film and media. Students will closely analyze moving images and develop written arguments about film and media.
300 -- Film and Media History. (3) Surveys the development of cinema and related media from the 1820s to the present. Attention to the relations among key technological, cultural, and industrial changes, their causes, and consequences.
365 -- History of Cinema I. {=ARTH 365, ENGL 474, and THEA 480} (3) Survey of the international cinema from its inception until 1945.
366 -- History of Cinema II. {=ARTH 366, ENGL 475, and THEA 481} (3) Survey of the international cinema from 1945 to the present.
399 -- Independent Study. (3-9) (Prereq: consent of instructor) Contract approved by instructor, advisor, and program director is required.
473 -- Film and Media Theory and Criticism. {=ENGL 473, PHIL 473} (3) (Prereq: FILM 240 or consent of instructor) Theory and criticism of film and media from the 1910s to the present. Considers a range of critical approaches to analyzing what different forms of audio-visual media do to and for the audiences they address and the worlds they depict.
510 -- Topics in Film and Media Histories. (3) Intensive study of a specific topic in film and media history. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of courses by suffix and title. May be repeated as topics vary.
511 -- Topics in Film and Media. (3) Intensive study of a specific topic in film and media studies. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of courses by suffix and title. May be repeated as topics vary.
555 -- History of Documentary Film. {=ARTH 555} (3) History, theory, and practices of documentary film studied via screenings, readings, and lectures.
566 -- Topics in American Film. {=ENGL 566} (3) Intensive study of a specific topic concerning American film. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of courses by suffix and title.
597 -- Comparative Studies in Film. {=CPLT 597} (3) Topics in film from an international perspective. National cinematic traditions are compared and contrasted.
598 -- Topics in World Film. {=FORL 598} (3) Intensive study of a specific topic concerning films produced in a country other than the United States. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of courses by suffix and title.

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