Learning Goals

Students completing a major in FMS will demonstrate an understanding of the histories, technologies, and social and cultural contexts of a range of media.

Specifically, FMS pursues a broader, liberal arts approach to film and media studies so that students will:

• Be exposed to a broad range of media across historical eras and international borders so they will be familiar with major trends in media within specific historical and national contexts.
• Learn research skills and methods, disciplinary vocabulary, and an array of theoretical perspectives and be able to apply them so as to convincingly write and speak about media from a range of academic approaches.
• Understand the relationship between varying media and its creators, audiences, representations, and industrial and cultural contexts and be able to write essays or participate in discussions connecting media texts to these concepts.
• Acquire the skills necessary to take part in creative, effective, technically competent, and insightful media production. Have the knowledge to write intellectually grounded essays or engage in informed discussions about the role of media in contemporary global culture.