Film and Media Studies Minor

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Banner Code: FILM

Phone: 703-993-2768
Web: fams.gmu.edu

Faculty

Christensen, Fuchs (director), Gibson, Landsberg, Lont, Ricouart, Roan, Sample, Scarlata, Winkler

The Film and Media Studies (FAMS) interdisciplinary minor explores mass culture in its visual manifestations and helps students develop an informed awareness of culture and media, ideological tendencies, and effects on daily experience. Committed to interdisciplinarity, the program addresses the increasing complexity and multiplicity of visual cultures and offers students the tools with which to read a variety of texts, including film, television, video, and new media.

Most course work is offered through the Departments of Communication and English, with other courses available through the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and the Program in Film and Video Studies. The two required courses provide an introduction to the languages of film and popular media and modes of analysis appropriate to each. They are prerequisites for all advanced work in the minor. Students select four additional courses designed to introduce a more specialized level of study. Students may decide to focus on film, television, or the study of mass culture, or they may choose some mix of courses that suits their interests.

Communication majors must choose at least 6 credits outside of communication for their FAMS elective courses.

This program of study is an interdisciplinary minor offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences .

For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.

Course Work

Students pursuing this minor must complete 18 credits distributed as follows:

Two required courses (6 credits):

ENGL 332 - Introduction to Film Credits: 3
COMM 380 - Media Criticism Credits: 3

Four electives (12 credits) chosen from:

COMM 302 - Foundations of Mass Communication Credits: 3
COMM 350 - Mass Communication and Public Policy Credits: 3
COMM 355 - Video Principles and Practices Credits: 3
COMM 358 - Video Producing and Directing Credits: 3
COMM 360 - Video Editing Credits: 3
COMM 365 - Women and Media Credits: 3
COMM 366 - Visual Communication Credits: 3
COMM 452 - Media Production Practicum Credits: 3
COMM 456 - Comparative Mass Media Credits: 3
ENGL 327 - Introduction to Cultural Studies Credits: 3
ENGL 331 - Introduction to Documentary Credits: 3
ENGL 334 - Literary Approaches to Popular Culture Credits: 3
ENGL 338 - Cultural Constructions of Sexualities Credits: 3
ENGL 421 - Topics in Film History Credits: 3
ENGL 422 - Topics in Film Theory Credits: 3
ENGL 490 - Special Topics in Film Credits: 3
ENGL 493 - Special Topics in Popular Literature Credits: 3
ENGL 499 - Independent Study Credits: 1-3
FREN 470 - Topics in French Cinema Credits: 3
JAPA 320 - Japanese Cinema Credits: 3
RUSS 470 - Topics in (Post) Soviet Film Credits: 3

Note:

ENGL 327, 334, 338, 493, and 499 require prior written approval of FAMS coordinator

ENGL 421, 422, and 490 may be repeated if topic is different

FREN 470 requires permission of instructor and approval of FAMS coordinator

Total: 18 credits