Feb 22, 2025  
2025-2026 Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Catalog

Film, Media, and Digital Studies


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Core Faculty
Professors: Neil Lerner, Maggie McCarthy, Mark Sample (Chair)
Associate Professors: Joelle Dietrick, Jakub Kabala
Professor of the Practice: Owen Mundy
Visiting Assistant Professor: Jon Heggestad

The Film, Media, and Digital Studies department cultivates in students a deep understanding of the digital, screen, and media landscapes that are central to contemporary culture. The program is structured around three pillars: (1) creativity, encompassing art, digital storytelling, filmmaking and media production, and game design; (2) culture, which explores the expressive potential of the internet and media of all kinds; and (3) methodology, in which digital tools are used to quantitatively or qualitatively narrate, represent, analyze, map, and share text, audio, video, and data. 

Emphasizing both theory and practice as the foundation for analytic and creative endeavors, this major fosters the formation of sensitive critics and makers of film, computational media, and other forms of media. Students delve into visual rhetoric, media history, and ethical data and production practices. They explore entrepreneurial thinking and design, participatory culture, and the implications of digital citizenship. Situated at the intersection of the arts and the humanities, Film, Media, and Digital Studies challenges students to express themselves digitally while simultaneously questioning emerging technologies.

Major Requirements (A.B. Degree)


A major requires nine courses.
Honors requires one additional course.

 

Criticism, Theory, History Courses


Students must take at least two courses from this list.

Senior Capstone


All Film, Media, and Digital Studies majors will complete independent research, an experiential learning project, or a creative project to fulfill their senior capstone requirement.  Program faculty will assist students in the design and implementation of their capstone project.  All students will participate int he campus-wide spring celebration of student research and experiential learning.
 

Honors Requirements


Students who qualify during their junior year with a minimum GPA and an approved research proposal will be eligible to complete a year-long thesis.  The thesis will replace the capstone experience for students seeking honors.  To qualify for honors at graduation, a student must have a 3.5 in the major, a 3.2 overall, and at least an A- or above on the final thesis paper.

Notes


 

  • A maximum of two courses may count toward both the Film, Media and Digital Studies major and a second major or minor.
  • No more than two courses at the 100-level may count towards the major.

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