Media Studies Major

Requirements for the Major in Media Studies

The Media Studies Major requires the completion of 11 courses, with a concentration in film/video, digital/electronic media or critical studies.

Courses required for the major are listed below. Courses designated as fulfilling each requirement in the course list below are subject to change and other courses may be counted toward those requirements by petition to the IMS curriculum committee. For an up-to-date list of all approved courses, their designations and current course offerings, please see the IMS Website.

The Pass/No Credit (P/NC) option is allowed only by petition to the department chair. With rare exceptions, two P/NC courses are allowed for the major; for the minor, only one P/NC course is allowed.

Study abroad and non-Claremont Colleges courses require prior approval.

1. One introductory critical/theoretical course [I]
2. One introductory production course [P]
3. One course in media history [MH]
4. One course in media theory [T]
5. The senior seminar
6. Each student will also complete one of the following six-course concentrations.

1. Film/Video concentration

One intermediate or advanced film/video production class [IP]
One additional course in media history
Four track-appropriate electives, drawn from the list of approved courses

2. Digital/Electronic Media concentration

One intermediate or advanced digital production course
Four track-appropriate electives, drawn from the list of approved courses
One course in 20th or 21st century art history, such as:

• ARHI181 PZ - Modern Into Contemporary   
• ARHI185 SC - History of Photography  

3. Critical Studies concentration

One additional course in media theory. One of the two required media theory courses must be in the MS 147-149 series.
One additional course in media history
Four track-appropriate electives, drawn from the list of approved courses

4. Critical Studies/Film Studies Option concentration

Students desiring an emphasis in film studies should follow the critical studies track, tailoring their major by selecting the following courses:

1. MS050 PO - Introduction to Film /LIT130 CM - Introduction to Film  
2. MS082 PZ - Introduction to Video Art /ART148 SC - Introduction to Video /MS182 HM - Introduction to Video Art  
3. One course in the MS 147-149 series
4. One course in film theory, such as LIT103 HM - Third Cinema ; LIT138 CM - Film and Mass Culture ; LIT139 CM - Film Theory ; MS046 PZ - Feminist Documentary ; MS074 PZ - Sound Theory, Sound Practice ; MS110 PZ - Media and Sexuality ; or MS197 PZ - Media Praxis  
5. LIT131 CM - Film History I (1925-1965)  
6. LIT132 CM - Film History II (1965-Present)  
7. MS190 JT - Senior Seminar  
8. Four approved film-oriented electives drawn from the list of approved courses

Senior Exercise

The senior exercise consists of a topical senior seminar jointly taught during the fall semester by faculty from each of the concentrations. This seminar asks students to bring together the various aspects of their courses of study, producing an appropriate culminating seminar project that demonstrates their command of the fields and the forms of critical and creative practice they have studied.

During this seminar, all senior media studies majors are given the option to develop a proposal for a second-semester honors Senior Thesis or Project. These proposals are reviewed by the media studies faculty and selected students go on to complete an independent project under the supervision of two members of the media studies faculty or appropriate affiliated faculty members from The Claremont Colleges. The Senior Project course counts toward the four electives required for the major.