Cinema
Studies Major Requirements
& Honors Program
Cinema is both the primary art form of modern culture and the central
component of the media industries that structure contemporary society. We
cannot understand fully how music, painting, and literature, or other artistic
practices have developed without seeing them in relation to cinema, and we
cannot begin to comprehend the full significance of the media in our lives
without first studying cinema. The major in Cinema Studies is designed to teach
students to examine the meanings of cinema in the broadest, most
interdisciplinary ways, considering movies as works of art, as cultural forms,
and as industrial practices.
Cinema Studies offers the following types of courses: The Introductory Cinema Studies
Core Course is Cinema Studies 101, Form, Style, and Meaning
in Cinema. The Introductory Cinema Studies Production Course is Cinema
Studies 201, Sound and Image Workshop. Cinematic Traditions Courses
include all 200-level courses taught by the Cinema Studies faculty, as well as
cross-referenced film courses from many College and Conservatory
Departments/Programs. Cinema Studies 299, Persistence of Vision: Approaches to
Cinema Studies, is the Intermediate Cinema Studies Core Course. Cinema
Studies 101, one Cinematic
Traditions course, and Cinema Studies 299 are required for the major;. Advanced Cinema
Studies Courses are 300- and 400-level courses taught by core faculty or
cross-referenced by the Cinema Studies Program. Unless otherwise indicated, these courses require as prerequisites CINE 101 and one Cinematic Traditions
course or Cinema Studies 299; or CINE 101 and consent of the instructor. Beyond any
400-level course taken to fulfill the Advanced Cinema Studies Course
requirement, majors must successfully complete a Senior Experience: a Senior
Tutorial, a 400-level Seminar, or an Honors Project. This Senior Experience
course is enrolled by application; Honors is by invitation only. Successful
work in the Honors Program will render a student eligible for consideration for
Honors at graduation, but it does not guarantee such Honors.
Major
The Cinema Studies Major requires 30 hours in Cinema Studies courses,
including:
* Cinema Studies 101, Style, Form, and Meaning in Cinema.
* At least one “Cinematic
Traditions” courses taught by the Cinema Studies faculty or cross-referenced as such by
the Cinema Studies Program. The Cinematic Traditions requirement must be met by a full semester course or the equivalent (two one-module courses).
* Cinema Studies 299, Persistence of Vision: Approaches to Cinema Studies.
* At least three 300- or 400-level courses taught by the Cinema Studies faculty
or cross-referenced as such by the Cinema Studies Program.
* A senior experience: this requirement may be met by completing a Senior
Tutorial, a 400-level seminar, or the Honors Program.
* Electives chosen in consultation with advisor.
Courses in which a student has earned a letter grade lower than a C-/CR or P
cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.
Film Production
The Cinema Studies Major does not at this time offer a separate production
track for the major. However, courses in Film Production do count toward the
major.
Fall Semester at PCFE Film School, Prague, Czech Republic
The Cinema Studies major has a consortial arrangement with the PCFE Film School. Students interested in the fall semester at PCFE should consult with the Director of the Cinema Studies Program. All film courses, including those in film production, offered at PCFE count toward the Cinema Studies major at Oberlin.
Spring Semester at NYU’s Tisch School of the
Arts
The Cinema Studies major has a consortial arrangement with the Film Program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Students interested in the spring semester at Tisch should consult with the Director of the Cinema Studies Program.
All film courses, including those in film production, offered at Tisch count
toward the Cinema Studies major at Oberlin.
Transfer of Credit
No more than 14 hours of transfer credit in Cinema Studies may be applied to
the Oberlin Cinema Studies major. At least 12 hours in advanced courses (300-
and 400-level courses, including the senior tutorial) must be taken within the
program. To have transfer credit approval toward the major and/or toward
meeting prerequisites for upper-level courses, students should consult the Director of the Cinema Studies Program
(or his designate), preferably with syllabi in hand.
Winter Term
Winter Term projects sponsored by Cinema Studies faculty will be according to
the interests and availability of staff. Students also are encouraged to
propose group projects which, with an approved sponsor, they will direct.
Honors
Honors in Cinema Studies is a year-long program taken for up to four hours of
credit each semester. Students accepted into the program will work closely with
a faculty advisor. Admission to the Cinema Studies Honors Program is highly
selective. In the second semester of their junior year, the program will invite
qualified students to submit an application. Successful work in the Honors
Program will render a student eligible for consideration for Honors at
graduation, but it does not guarantee such Honors.
First-Year
Seminar Program
First-year seminars do not count toward the Cinema Studies major, but are recommended
as an introduction to deeper-level skills in reading, viewing, analysis,
writing and discussion. The successful completion of a first-year seminar will
serve as one of the ways to satisfy the prerequisite for Cinematic Traditions
courses.
FYSP 128 - Media and Memory Credits: 4 hours (First Semester)
FYSP 157 - The Sense of Time and Place Credits: 4 hours (First Semester)
Introductory Cinema Studies Core Course
Cinema Studies majors are required to take Cinema Studies 101 (Form, Style, and
Meaning in Cinema), which is the foundation for future study in the discipline.
Prerequisites: Cinema Studies 101 has no prerequisites. Some spaces
are reserved for first- and second-year students.
CINE 101 - Form, Style, and Meaning in Cinema Credits: 4 hours
Introductory Cinema Studies Production Course
This is the preferred gateway to advanced production courses, which are listed
below in Advaced Cinema Studies Courses.
Prerequisite: Cinema Studies 101.
CINE 201 - Sound and Image Workshop Credits: 3 hours (First & Second Semester)
Cinematic Traditions Courses
Cinema Studies majors are required to take at least one
Cinematic Traditions course taught by Cinema Studies faculty or
cross-referenced as such by the Cinema Studies Program. The Cinematic Traditions requirement must be met by a full semester course or the equivalent (two one-module courses).
Prerequisites: Cinema Studies 101 is strongly recommended as
preparation for Cinematic Traditions Courses. Unless otherwise noted,
Cinematic Traditions courses are open to students who have completed any
Writing Intensive (WRi) course, or have gained Writing Certification (WR) in
any course in the Humanities. They are also open to those who have achieved a 5
on the AP exam in English Language/Composition or English
Literature/Composition, or a score of 710 or better on the SAT II writing test.
Other students may be admitted by consent of the instructor, with the
understanding that students should be able to demonstrate the ability to handle
writing, discussion, and analysis in ways typically taught in Writing Intensive
classes.
CINE 244 - Masters Of World Cinema: Focus On Fellini Credits: 2 hours (Second Semester, First Module)
CINE 243 - Masters Of World Cinema: Focus On Kieslowski Credits: 2 hours (Second Semester, Second Module)
CINE 260 - The Musical and American Film Culture Credits: 3 hours (First Semester)
CINE 270 - Comics, Animation and American Film Culture Credit: 4 hours (Second Semester)
Intermediate Cinema Studies Core Course
Cinema Studies majors are required to take CINE 299 (Persistence of Vision: Approaches to Cinema Studies). Majors
will receive priority at registration.
Prerequisites: Cinema Studies 101,
or consent of instructor.
CINE 299 - Persistence of Vision: Approaches to Cinema Studies Credits: 4 hours (Second Semester)
Advanced Cinema Studies Courses
Unless otherwise indicated, these 300- and 400-level courses taught by Cinema
Studies faculty require as prerequisites CINE 101 and one Cinematic Traditions
course or Cinema Studies 299; or CINE 101 and consent of the instructor.
CINE 301 - Sound and Image Workshop II Credits: 3 hours (First Semester)
CINE 320 - Documentary Production Credits: 4 hours (Second Semester)
CINE 322 - Advanced Media Production
Credits: 3 hours (Second Semester)
CINE 324 - Production Workshop: The Short Credits: 4 hours (First Semester)
CINE 350 - French Non-Fiction Film Credits: 3 hours (First Semester)
CINE 368 - Movies and Melodrama Credits: 4 hours (First Semester)
CINE 376 - Screening Spirituality Credits: 4 hours (Second Semester)
CINE 399 - Cinema Studies Practicum Credits: 1-3 hours (First & Second Semesters)
Senior Tutorials and Seminars
Senior Tutorials and Senior Seminars are designed primarily for Cinema Studies
majors, and fulfill the 400-level requirement
for the Cinema Studies major. Rising senior Cinema Studies majors should apply
for tutorials and seminars through a common application available at the
department office, not through individual instructors. Some places in seminars
may be available for other qualified students after all Cinema Studies majors
have been accommodated, by application to the department.
Prerequisite: Admission based on a completed application form (available at the department
office).
CINE 498 - Senior Tutorial Credits: 1 to 4 hours
Honors and Private Readings
Honors in Cinema Studies is only open to invited students who have been
admitted through the application process. Private Readings are available to
students who have completed introductory coursework in the department.
CINE 499 - Honors Project Credits: 1 to 4 hours
CINE 995 - Private Reading Credits: .5 to 3 hours
*Cross-Referenced Courses
These courses count towards the Cinema Studies major. Students
should register for these courses using the number in the department or program
of origin. For course description, please see the department or program in this
catalog.
Electives
These courses count as electives towards the Cinema Studies major.
Theatre (THEA )
THEA 326 - Acting for the Camera - First Semester
P. Moser
Cinematic Traditions
These courses count as Cinematic Traditions courses towards the Cinema Studies major. The Cinematic Traditions requirement must be met by a full semester course or the equivalent (two one-module courses).
African American Studies (AAST )
AAST 361 - "Framing Blackness II": African Americans and Cinema in
the Late 20th & Early 21st Centuries - First Semester
C. Jackson-Smith
East Asian Studies (EAST)
EAST 109. Topics in Chinese Film
- First Semester
H.C. Deppman