The Major in Film Studies will provide students with a firm understanding of the historical, aesthetic, cultural, and political contexts of cinema and moving image media. It will give students the tools they need to: analyze films closely; think critically and write persuasively about film and media; understand cinematic forms and genres; understand the history of film and media in a global context; place film and media in the contexts of social and political movements, larger discursive networks, and other forms of art and cultural production, especially literature; understand the aesthetics and politics of diverse traditions and practices in film; and use the vocabulary and research methodologies of film studies.

The program will have unlimited enrolment, and students will be able to select the Major after completing 4.0 credits. In A- and B-level courses, students receive a broad introduction to the critical study of film, the global history of cinema, and the larger cultural contexts of cinematic and literary production. In courses at the B- and C-level, students learn about various genres, traditions, and methodologies in film studies. Finally, D-level courses offer a more in-depth approach to specific topics, including a focus on directors, regions, particular practices, and specific theoretical approaches to film. This program is primarily delivered in-person, with some online delivery options for required and selected courses. Methods of assessment at the A-level and B-level include exams, short writing assignments, and collaborative projects. Assessments at the C- and D-level include research-based essays, oral presentations, collaborative projects, and, in some cases, creative/visual media assignments.