Film and Digital Media
2012-13 General Catalog
101 Communications Building
(831) 459-3204
film@ucsc.edu
http://film.ucsc.edu
Program Description
The film and digital media major at UCSC offers an integrated curriculum involving theory, criticism, and cultural analysis, as well as a production program in the aesthetics and techniques of film and digital media. This bachelor of arts degree program provides students with the critical skills, theoretical concepts, and historical knowledge necessary to conduct informed analysis of cinema, television, video art, and new media, along with the up-to-date technical knowledge, practical skills, and artistic contexts needed for the production of film, video, and digital media. The major provides a course of study that develops an understanding of moving image and digital media as essential tools of communication and artistic practice.
Students in the general film and digital media major develop an understanding of major movements in world cinema and different aesthetic approaches to the medium, while studying the cultural impact of television and the rise of video and digital art in recent decades. The critical studies concentration is designed for film and digital media majors who have a special aptitude for and interest in the history and theory of film, television, video, and digital media. This rigorous program can help prepare undergraduates for graduate work in critical studies. Students in the highly selective production concentration are encouraged to demonstrate technical proficiency and creative vision in film and digital media production while also studying the histories and theories of these media. The integrated critical practice concentration will serve students currently enrolled in the major who have a special aptitude for and interest in combining work in critical studies and production. The concentration provides them with a more rigorous pathway through the major and, in their senior year, allows them to work on a senior project that integrates creative and intellectual work.
Students in all facets of the major acquire skills in media analysis while maintaining a broadly based, liberal arts perspective. The UCSC program is interdisciplinary, combining theory and practice in film, video, and digital media with study in other areas of the arts, humanities, and social sciences that help students understand the role these media play in society.
As the technologies of film and video have merged with digital computer-based moving images and interactive media, and as digital media continues to expand into everyday experience, students in the major are uniquely positioned to excel in these fields. Graduates of the UCSC film and digital media program have enjoyed considerable success both in the professional world and in gaining admission into top graduate schools in the field.
Students enrolled in film and digital media production classes have access to audio, video, and digital production and postproduction equipment. Facilities include a digital media lab; audio recording studio; sound stage with green screen; digital nonlinear editing rooms; video format conversion rooms; a computerized sound effects library; and student equipment checkout. Additionally, computer laboratories equipped for digital image manipulation, web authoring, and interactive interface design and viewing rooms are available. The critical studies facilities include classrooms equipped for high-end film, video, and data projection. The library holdings in film and video history, theory, and literature are complemented by a large collection of films, videos, laser disks, and DVDs, including a diverse range of international feature films, experimental film and video work, animation, silent films, and documentaries.
Some courses offered by the Film and Digital Media Department are restricted in enrollment; admission is based on completion of prerequisites and other specific written application requirements. Admission to advanced production courses is generally restricted to third- and fourth-year students and is based on the submission of a portfolio of work produced in the introductory production class (Film 170B for film production pathway, Film 170A for digital media pathway) and other production workshops.
Upper-division digital media and production studio courses require coursework to be completed on computers. Instruction in and software for production courses utilizes the “Apple OX platform and primarily consists of Apple and Adobe video production software packages. Many UCSC students purchase laptop computers. Film and digital media students who are considering purchasing a laptop computer for production work are encouraged to consult with the department’s operations staff. A list of recommended computer configurations and information regarding education pricing on software packages is available at slugfilm.ucsc.edu.
Declaration of the Film and Digital Media Pre-Major
Students who have completed one lower-division course (20A, 20B or 20C) with a grade of B- or better may declare the film and digital media pre-major. Pre-majors are expected to complete the requirements to declare the major by the end of their second year. Transfer students must declare the pre-major no later than their second quarter in residence.
Declaration of the Film and Digital Media Major
Prior to declaring the film and digital media major, students must complete FILM 20A, and either 20B or 20C, with a grade of B- or better. FILM 20A, 20B, and 20C must be taken for a letter grade by students intending to major in film and digital media. Students who have met the B- grade minimum for declaration of the major may choose to take FILM 20P as the third lower-division requirement.
20A Introduction to Film Studies
20B Introduction to Television Studies
20C Introduction to Digital Media
20P Introduction to Production Technique
Students are encouraged to complete the lower-division courses early in their studies so that the petition to major status is accomplished before the first quarter of the junior year. Acceptance into the film and digital media major does not constitute acceptance into any of the concentrations (production, critical studies, or integrated critical practice). Transfer students should consult the Transfer Student section for instructions about declaring the major.
Students who feel that there were extenuating circumstances which prevented them from meeting the requirements for declaring the major may appeal their denial by submitting a letter to the Film and Digital Media Department. The appeal must be filed no later than 15 days after the denial notification was sent. For further information regarding this process, contact the Film and Digital Media Department.
Requirements of the Major
The general film and digital media major requires three lower-division and nine upper-division courses in residence and satisfaction of the senior comprehensive requirement. Students must include among these 13 courses at least one upper-division, 5-credit course that focuses on diversity (i.e., non-Western; underrepresented ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation). A list of courses satisfying the department’s diversity requirement is available at the department office. Students in the general film and digital media major may apply for admission to the critical studies concentration (see Critical Studies Concentration below), to the highly selective and competitive production concentration (see Production Concentration below), or the more rigorous integrated critical practice concentration (see Integrated Critical Practice Concentration below) within the major.
Lower-Division Requirements
Students must take the lower-division classes 20A, 20B, and 20C for a letter grade, and they must earn a B- or better in two of these three lower-division classes (20A and either 20B or 20C) to petition for the major. A third lower-division course is required to satisfy major requirements.
20A Introduction to Film Studies
and two of the following three courses are required for all majors:
20B Introduction to Television Studies
20C Introduction to Digital Media
20P Introduction to Production Technique (cannot be used to satisfy the B- grade minimum)
General Film and Digital Media Major
Students in the general major complete the following required upper-division core curriculum:
120 Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism
One course from each of the following four groups:
130 Silent Cinema
132A International Cinema to 1960
132B International Cinema, 1960 to Present
132C Gender and Global Cinema
134A American Film, 1930–60
134B American Film, 1960–Present
136A Experimental Film and Video
136B History of Television
136C Visual Culture and Technology: History of New Media
136D Documentary Film and Video
194A Film Theory Seminar
194B Electronic Media Theory Seminar
194C New Media Theory Seminar
194D Film History Seminar
194E International Cinemas
194F Film and the Other Arts: Music and Dance
194G New(s) Media
194S Senior Seminar: Special Topics
And five upper-division elective courses are to be chosen from the following:
- up to five additional upper-division history/critical studies courses in film and digital media
- up to two upper-division courses in film and digital media production (150, 151, 170A, 170B, one from the 171 series, 172, 173, 175, 176, 177, or one from the 178 series)
- up to two upper-division courses offered by other departments or another institution; course substitutions must be pre-approved by the Film and Digital Media Department
Film and Digital Media Major Planners
The following are two recommended academic plans for students to complete during their first two years as preparation for the film and digital media major. Plan One is a guideline for students who are committed to the major early in their academic career; Plan Two is for students who are considering the major.
Students who are interested in the production concentration, the critical studies concentration, or the integrated critical practice concentration should seriously consider Plan One to be better prepared for application to production studio classes or either the critical studies concentration or the integrated critical practice concentration in their junior year.
|
Plan One |
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|---|---|---|---|
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Year |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
1st |
college core |
low-div FIDM* req |
low-div FIDM* req |
|
gen ed |
gen ed |
gen ed |
|
|
FILM 20A |
(declare |
(declare major) |
|
|
2nd |
FIDM* critical studies core |
FILM 120 |
FIDM* critical studies core |
|
|
gen ed |
gen ed |
gen ed |
|
Plan Two |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Year |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
1st |
college core |
low-div FIDM* req |
low-div FIDM* req |
|
gen ed |
gen ed |
gen ed |
|
|
FILM 80A |
|
(declare pre-major) |
|
|
2nd |
FILM 20A |
FIDM* critical studies core |
FIDM* critical |
|
|
gen ed |
gen ed |
gen ed |
|
|
(declare major) |
(declare major) |
gen ed |
*film and digital media
Critical Studies Concentration
The critical studies concentration provides a more rigorous pathway through the film and digital media major and offers classes specifically reserved for seniors who have exceptional abilities. Students are eligible to apply for the critical studies concentration in spring quarter of their junior year, provided they have completed FILM 120 and at least three other upper-division critical studies classes. Applicants must already be declared film and digital media majors in good standing.
Students will be asked to submit the following application materials:
- a completed application form
- a one-page statement of purpose
- a sample essay
- copies of all narrative evaluations provided by instructors of film and digital media courses
Application materials and instructions are available at the Film and Digital Media Department office. Student application materials are reviewed by a committee of film and digital media critical studies faculty. Admission to the critical studies concentration will be granted to students who have excellent grades and evaluations in film and digital media courses, an outstanding writing sample, and a clear statement of purpose. Students may reapply a second time if not accepted, but not later than the first quarter of their senior year.
Requirements for the Critical Studies Concentration
The critical studies concentration curriculum adds the following requirements to those already established for the film and digital media major. Students are required to take two upper-division electives, rather than the five electives currently required for the film and digital media major. Students complete their senior comprehensive requirement by taking Film 194A, Film Theory Seminar; Film 199, Tutorial; and either Film 192, Student-Directed Seminar or Film 195, Senior Thesis.
Students in the critical studies concentration complete the following required upper-division core curriculum:
120 Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism
One course from each of the following five groups:
130 Silent Cinema
132A International Cinema to 1960
132B International Cinema, 1960 to Present
132C Gender and Global Cinema
134A American Film, 1930–60
134B American Film, 1960–Present
136A Experimental Film and Video
136B History of Television
136C Visual Culture and Technology: History of New Media
136D Documentary Film and Video
165A Film, Video and Gender
165B Race on Screen
165C Lesbian, Gay and Queer Film and Video
165D Asian Americans in Media
187 Advanced Topics in Television Studies
189 Advanced Topics in Electronic and Digital Media Studies
Three courses to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement:
194A Film Theory Seminar
199 Tutorial (supervised independent study for thesis or student-directed seminar preparation)
192 Student-Directed Seminar or
195 Senior Thesis
And two upper-division elective courses are to be chosen from the following:
- up to two additional upper-division history/critical studies courses in film and digital media
- one upper-division course in film and digital media production (150, 151, 170A, 170B, one from the 171 series, 172, 173, 175, 176, 177, or one from the 178 series)
- one upper-division course offered by other departments; course substitutions must be pre-approved by the Film and Digital Media Department
Production Concentration
Admission to the production concentration is highly selective, based on promise and accomplishment shown in the student’s work. After completing FILM 170A (prerequisite for most digital media production courses) or 170B (prerequisite for most film/video production courses), students may apply to the production concentration by submitting works created in FILM 170A or 170B to a portfolio review conducted at the end of each quarter. These student works are reviewed by a committee of film and digital media production faculty. Application materials and instructions for the portfolio review are available at the Film and Digital Media Department office. Students should note that production courses are in high demand and that faculty/student ratios and equipment resources limit the number of applicants accepted into the production concentration. Students may reapply a second time if not accepted. A student accepted into the production concentration who is unable to meet all the requirements for the concentration may instead be able to satisfy the graduation requirements of the general major. Application materials and instructions for all production courses are available each quarter online at slugfilm.ucsc.edu.
Requirements for the Production Concentration
Students in the production concentration complete the following required upper-division core curriculum:
120 Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism
170A Fundamentals of Digital Media Production (prerequisite for most digital media production courses) or
170B Fundamentals of Film and Video Production (prerequisite for most film/video production courses)
Two upper-division production courses from the following:
150 Screenwriting
151 Film Directing
170A Fundamentals of Digital Media Production
170B Fundamentals of Film and Video Production
171A Special Topics Workshop: Sound
171C Special Topics Workshop: Found Footage
171D Social Information Spaces
171F Autobiographical Film
171G Documentary Animation Workshop
172 Narrative Video Workshop
173 Narrative Digital Media Workshop
175 Documentary Video Workshop
176 Experimental Video Workshop
177 Digital Media Workshop: Computer as Medium
178A Personal Computers in Film and Video
178B Advanced Personal Computers in Film and Video
Two critical studies courses taken from two of the three following groups:
130 Silent Cinema
132A International Cinema to 1960
132B International Cinema, 1960 to Present
132C Gender and Global Cinema
134A American Film, 1930–60
134B American Film, 1960–Present
136A Experimental Film and Video
136B History of Television
136C Visual Culture and Technology: History of New Media
136D Documentary Film and Video
One course from the following:
194A Film Theory Seminar
194B Electronic Media Theory Seminar
194C New Media Seminar
194D Film History Seminar
194E International Cinemas
194F Film and the Other Arts: Music and Dance
194G New(s) Media
194S Senior Seminar: Special Topics
195 Senior Thesis
196A Senior Project in Film and Video Production
196B Senior Project in Screenwriting
196C Senior Documentary Workshop
197 Senior Digital Media Workshop
and four upper-division elective courses are to be chosen from the following:
- up to two upper-division courses in film and digital media production (150, 151, one from the 171 series, 172, 173, 175, 176, 177, or one from the 178 series)
- at least two upper-division film and digital media history/critical studies courses
- up to two upper-division critical studies elective courses from another department or another institution; course substitutions must be pre-approved by the Film and Digital Media Department.
Integrated Critical Practice Concentration
The integrated critical practice concentration provides a more rigorous pathway through the film and digital media major and offers classes specifically reserved for seniors with exceptional abilities in both critical studies and production who seek to combine creative and scholarly work. Students are eligible to apply for the integrated critical practice concentration in the last quarter of their junior year, provided they have completed FILM 120 and at least three other upper-division critical studies classes. Students not already admitted to the production concentration should apply simultaneously to the production concentration. Acceptance into the production concentration is a necessary pre-condition for acceptance into the integrated critical practice concentration. Applicants must already be declared film and digital media majors in good standing.
Students will be asked to submit the following application materials:
- a completed application form
- a one-page statement of purpose
- a sample essay
- copies of all narrative evaluations provided by instructors of film and digital media courses
Application materials and instructions are available at the Film and Digital Media Department Office. Student application materials are reviewed by a committee of film and digital media faculty. Admission to the integrated critical practice concentration will be granted to students who have excellent grades and evaluations in film and digital media courses, an outstanding writing sample, and a clear statement of purpose outlining a senior project that integrates critical studies and production work. Students may reapply a second time if not accepted, but not later than the first quarter of their senior year.
Requirements for the Integrated Critical Practice Concentration
The integrated critical practice concentration curriculum adds the following requirements to those already established for the film and digital media major. Students are required to take both 20A and 20P for their required lower-division courses, in addition to selecting a third lower-division class from either 20B or 20C. The minimum grade requirement for lower-division courses will apply (see Lower-Division Requirements). Students are required to take 170B as part of their core curriculum, and to complete six elective classes, rather than five. For the senior exit requirement students are required to complete one course (192, 195, 196A, 196B, 196C, or 197) which, combined with an independent study (Film 199, Tutorial) taken either consecutively or simultaneously, will integrate critical studies and production work.
Students in the integrated critical practice concentration complete the following required upper-division core curriculum:
120 Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism
One course from each of the following four groups:
130 Silent Cinema
132A International Cinema to 1960
132B International Cinema, 1960 to Present
132C Gender and Global Cinema
134A American Film, 1930–60
134B American Film, 1960–Present
136A Experimental Film and Video
136B History of Television
136C Visual Culture and Technology: History of New Media
136D Documentary Film and Video
170A Fundamentals of Digital Media Production
170B Fundamentals of Film/Video Production
Two courses to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement:
199 Tutorial, and one of the following:
192 Student-Directed Seminar
195 Senior Thesis
196A Senior Project in Film and Video Production
196B Senior Project in Screenwriting
196C Senior Documentary Workshop
197 Senior Project in Digital Media
And six upper-division elective courses are to be chosen from the following:
- two upper-division history/critical studies course in film and digital media
- three upper-division courses in film and digital media production (150, 151, 170A, or 170B, one of the 171 series, 172, 173, 175, 176, 177, one of the 178 series)
- one senior seminar chosen from the 194 series
- graduate seminars, taken with permission of the faculty advisor, may substitute for one of the electives
- a maximum of two electives may be taken in another department or another institution if pre-approved by the Film and Digital Media Department
Courses from the above core curriculum in excess of requirements may NOT count as electives.
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement will be met by completion of FILM 120, Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism. For detailed information on this major’s DC requirement, consult your major adviser.
Comprehensive Requirement
All seniors in the general film and digital media major or in the production concentration may select one of three options to satisfy the campus exit requirement.
- Senior seminar: The senior seminars (courses in the 194 series) are restricted to majors in their senior year and are writing intensive. Students in the general major are required to complete one senior seminar. Students in the production concentration may complete the senior seminar to satisfy the senior exit requirement or as an elective.
- Senior thesis: With prior faculty approval, a student may elect to do a senior thesis (FILM 195). The student must contact a faculty member at least one quarter in advance to submit a proposal and to obtain faculty approval for a senior thesis. The proposal may involve writing a screenplay; expanding on a paper from a previously completed upper-division critical studies course in film and digital media; or writing an original paper in a particular area resulting in a work of substantial research.
- Senior project: A limited number of students in the production concentration may participate in the senior project (FILM 196A,196B, 196C, or 197) class. Admission is by application, with review of previous works and evaluation of the proposed final project by film and digital media production faculty.
Seniors in the critical studies concentration must complete the following to satisfy the campus exit requirement: Film 194A, Film 199, and either Film 192 or 195.
Seniors in the integrated critical practice concentration must complete one course (192, 195, 196A, 196B, 196C, or 197) combined with an independent study course (199).
Transfer Students
All transfer students must enroll in at least one lower-division course (20A, 20B, or 20C) during their first quarter in residence. Transfer students are strongly encouraged to enroll in 20A during the Summer Session preceding their first quarter in residence. After completion of one lower-division course (20A, 20B, or 20C) with a grade of B- or better, transfer students may declare the film and digital media pre-major.
All transfer students must earn a B- or higher in two 20-level courses, FILM 20A and either 20B or 20C (at least one must be taken at UCSC) to declare the major. Appeal procedures are the same as for non-transfer students. Three lower-division and ten upper-division courses are required for completion of the general major. With some lower-division preparation, transfer students should be able to complete the upper-division coursework and the major within two years. As preparation, prospective transfer students are encouraged to fulfill at least one lower-division film and digital media major requirement (FILM 20 series) through UCSC Summer Session prior to their transfer. Transfer students must petition the department to have equivalent lower-division courses taken at their current institution count toward their UCSC major requirements provided they have earned a B- or higher in each course.
Students who have completed none of the lower-division major requirements prior to transfer to UCSC, students who are interested in graduating with a double major, and students who must finish general education requirements may need additional time to complete their studies.
Transfer students are strongly encouraged to speak with an academic adviser at the department office prior to enrolling in classes to determine their status and to begin the declaration of major process as soon as possible.
Honors
Honors in film and digital media are awarded to graduating seniors whose academic performance in their major coursework is judged by a faculty committee to be consistently excellent to outstanding. Students must have at least a cumulative GPA of 3.5 in the major to be considered for Honors.
Minor Requirements
The minor in film and digital media offers a foundation in visual culture and contributes important scholarly techniques of value to other disciplines. Students earn a minor in film and digital media by completing eight courses: two lower-division courses as prerequisites for the minor and six upper-division courses including four from the core curriculum of the general major and two electives. There is no production component in the minor, nor is there a comprehensive requirement.
Lower-Division Requirements
Students must complete at least two lower-division courses prior to petitioning for the minor:
20A Introduction to Film Studies
and one of the following three courses:
20B Introduction to Television Studies
20C Introduction to Digital Media
20P Introduction to Production Technique
Requirements for the Minor
Students in the minor must complete the following upper-division core curriculum:
120 Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism
One course from each of the following three groups:
130 Silent Cinema
132A International Cinema to 1960
132B International Cinema, 1960 to Present
132C Gender and Global Cinema
134A American Film, 1930–60
134B American Film, 1960–Present
136A Experimental Film and Video
136B History of Television
136C Visual Culture and Technology: History of New Media
136D Documentary Film and Video
And two upper-division elective courses to be chosen from the following: any two additional upper-division film and digital media history/critical studies courses other than production studio courses (150, 151, 170A through 178B) that have not been used to satisfy the above core curriculum. One of the electives may be substituted from another department or institution. Course substitutions must be approved by the Film and Digital Media Department.
Film and Digital Media Ph.D.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in film and digital media challenges the traditionally conceived borders between creative and critical practice. The program enables potential dialogue between creative practice and theoretical knowledge as related forms of intellectual work and provides the conditions for students to realize a wide range of possible projects, including those that exist across the traditional divides of critical studies and production. Focusing on a diverse range of cultural production that includes cinema, television, video art, and Internet-based media, Ph.D. program participants interrogate the historical, aesthetic, political, ideological, and technological aspects of these media forms across a range of international contexts, investigating their points of connection and convergence as well as their relationship to broader cultural and historical change. The program thus prepares students for intellectually informed creative practice as well as theoretical and critical production in a range of environments, not limited to traditional academic contexts.
The doctoral program in film and digital media prepares students to be artists and scholars who can situate their work within a larger historical framework of cultural and technological change, looking at the interrelationships of various media. The program is not divided into paths or specific fields of emphasis. As well as educating students in the intellectual histories of their field and working with them to facilitate new theoretical and critical interventions, we also expose students to fundamental and advanced aspects of media technologies that will illuminate their understanding of media production and reception.
Requirements
Normative Time for Completion
Normative time for completion of the program is six years. The first two years of the program are primarily devoted to coursework. Preliminary exams for the master’s degree occur in the spring of the second year. By the end of the third year, students should have formulated a dissertation topic and proposal deriving from their work in that year and should have nominated a Ph.D. qualifying examination committee and dissertation committee. Qualifying examinations for advancement to Ph.D. candidacy occur in the fall of the fourth year.
Coursework
A minimum of 108 units of study in coursework at UCSC will be required for the Ph.D. degree. Doctoral students will be in residence for a minimum of six quarters. When in residence, students will take a minimum of 12 credits per quarter until advancement to candidacy. Applicants who already hold an M.A. or M.F.A. degree may petition to waive up to six of their required elective courses for a maximum of 30 transfer credits; such a waiver is subject to the approval of the Graduate Committee.
In their first year, doctoral students will be required to take the three foundational courses (200A-B-C). In addition, students will take a 2-credit, colloquium-based, independent study, or another 2-5 credit course, every quarter.
They must then take two film and digital media graduate elective courses in the second year (for a total of five courses; three core and two electives).
In the third year, students arrange three independent studies 295 (Directed Reading), and two quarters of course 299 (Thesis Research). Students will continue to meet the minimum number of credits per quarter in years two and three with other 2-5 credit courses as appropriate.
A student will thus take at least eight film and digital media graduate courses over the degree. The remaining elective courses may be selected from graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in film and digital media or other departments, subject to approval from the student’s graduate adviser. If a student chooses to take an undergraduate course, they will be required to seek permission to enroll from the department, if approved by the faculty adviser.
In each year, it is expected that students will carefully choose which courses to take, in consultation with their graduate adviser, so as to ensure a program of study that is intellectually rigorous and that reflects the student’s eventual goals and aspirations.
Students are expected to complete at least one year of supervised teaching as part of the degree requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. This may include a computer programming language instead of a natural language when such a language is integral to the student’s field of study. The language requirement may be satisfied in one of two ways:
- by passing an upper-division course in a language related to the student’s research
- by passing a reading proficiency test administered by a faculty member in the relevant language department
A student must pass the language requirement before taking Ph.D. qualifying examinations. There are two exceptions:
- The “foreign” language requirement may be waived for a non-English native speaker who has passed the proficiency test in English required for admission (application must be made in writing at least two months prior to the qualifying examination).
- The requirement may be waived if a student has proof of proficiency in a language other than English in the form of a language major or minor from recent (within the last five years) undergraduate or master’s level education or equivalent (accredited institution). Documentation must be received and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies at least two months before the qualifying examination.
Timeline: Course Sequence, Examinations, and Dissertation
During the first year of study in FILM 200B-C (a 2-quarter course), students will be introduced to the methodologies of developing, and the questions that surround a critical practice approach. This will occur while the student simultaneously strengthens, with the appropriate elective classes, areas of theory or practice that pertain to their focus but in which they are not fluent.
During the second year, the student will focus on selecting classes from the film and digital media elective series numbered 210–289. Of the 19 classes currently in this series, approximately one third embrace a strong mix of critical studies and media production. In these classes, students will be charged with producing and thinking about the relationship between critical studies and media production. The remainder of the classes in this series fall on either side of the equation.
At the end of the second year, students take a preliminary examination which functions as the master’s examination. In the winter quarter of the second year, a “call” is made for students to submit the critical or creative work they have produced from their first two years of coursework. Students prepare for the examination by talking to their graduate adviser about the work they have done and how they might situate and respond to it. At this stage they also nominate faculty members whom they think would be suitable examiners. It is expected that these faculty would include at least one of the instructors of the courses already taken by the student. The graduate adviser and director of graduate studies will assemble the committee, taking into account the student’s nominations. The written component of the examination consists of the coursework projects already submitted, which for some students will be a combination of written text and creative work; and, a statement about that work and its contexts, which will form the basis for oral examination questions by faculty members. At the oral examination, students will be questioned about their work, their relationship to it, and the way they might situate it. The goal is for students to be able to talk meaningfully about the connections and implications of their work and to place it within a wider critical, theoretical, and creative context. The graduate adviser will discuss the scope and format of the examination with the student before the examination date.
After the oral examination, the committee considers the student’s performance and will recommend one of three grades: fail, pass, or pass with permission to proceed. Students who fail may retake the oral component of the examination one time. A student with a pass only may leave the program with the degree of Master of Arts (M.A.). These students must also meet the campus requirement of B or higher in their coursework and complete the units requirements of 72 credits. Students who pass with permission to proceed may enter the third year of coursework toward the Ph.D. The decision on permission to proceed will take into account the examination result and input from the faculty whose courses the student has completed.
The third year will be spent developing a dissertation topic in close consultation with faculty advisers and the FILM 290 series classes. A student’s advisers over the program’s duration will include both critical studies and production faculty depending on the research and the qualifying examination, and dissertation committees will reflect a balance between critical studies and production faculty appropriate to the student’s research topic. In spring of the third year, students should, in consultation with their graduate adviser, suggest names of faculty to become members of the Ph.D. qualifying examination committee. This committee will be comprised of four faculty members, at least one of whom must be from another discipline at UCSC or from another campus. The committee shall have a tenured film and digital media faculty member as chair. Students should also begin assembling a dissertation committee. The 297 independent study course, taken in the spring, should result in a dissertation proposal, and the student will receive feedback on that during and at the end of quarter.
In fall of the fourth year, the student’s Ph.D. qualifying examination committee will consider the work completed in 295, 297, and 299 courses, including the student’s dissertation proposal (which the student may choose to revise over the summer before submitting to the committee) and will then conduct an oral qualifying examination based on the proposal and other work. The aim of the examination is to test a student’s readiness for advanced research and production of the Ph.D. dissertation, and to assess the student’s abilities to advance themselves in their respective fields of inquiry. Advancement to candidacy is based on successful completion of the qualifying examination as well as completion with a B or better grade of the required coursework and assembly of a graduate division approved thesis committee. If a student fails the Ph.D. examination, he or she may be permitted to take it a second time.
Completion of the Degree
Upon successful advancement to candidacy, students must then complete the following requirements for the Ph.D.
Dissertation: The dissertation, or Ph.D. thesis, is to be an original contribution of high quality to the field of film and digital media studies. If a student’s thesis contains a substantial creative component, the thesis project must also include a written component of no less than 75 pages which contextualizes the work in relation to other scholarly and creative practices, and situates the work in relation to relevant aesthetic and cultural theory. The dissertation must be approved by a committee consisting of a minimum of three faculty members, at least two of whom must be from the film and digital media faculty. If the dissertation director does not hold a Ph.D. degree, then the majority of the remaining committee members must hold Ph.D.s. When the student has submitted the dissertation and the committee has approved it, the student is ready for the oral defense.
Oral Defense: Once the dissertation is approved, the student will present an oral summary before his or her dissertation committee and invited members of the academic community. The student will then answer questions posed by the faculty.
Sample Student Program for Each Year (Years 1-4)
Year 1: three core film and digital media courses; three electives
Fall
FILM 200A, Introduction to Graduate Study
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Winter
FILM 200B, Theory and Praxis of Film and Digital Media, Part 1
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Spring
FILM 200C, Theory and Praxis of Film and Digital Media, Part 2
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Year 2: two film and digital media electives; four other electives from Film and Digital Media or another department
Fall
Film and digital media elective
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Winter
Film and digital media elective
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Student suggests M.A. examination committee; prepares for examination.
Spring
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Student takes M.A. examination. If successful, advances to third year.
Year 3: three required film and digital media courses, three electives from Film and Digital Media or another department
Fall
FILM 295, Directed Reading
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Winter
FILM 299, Thesis Research: Developing a Thesis Area
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Spring
FILM 299, Thesis Research (thesis
proposal)
Elective (from Film and Digital Media or another department)
Foreign language/colloquium study/other elective (at least 2 credits)
Student assembles Ph.D. dissertation committee, nominates Ph.D. qualifying examination committee.
Year 4
Student takes Ph.D. qualifying examination. If successful, advances to candidacy and continues research and writing of dissertation.
Designated Emphasis
UC Santa Cruz graduate students enrolled in doctoral programs may obtain a designated emphasis in film and digital media as part of their Ph.D. degree. Students must meet the following requirements in order to obtain the designated emphasis:
- Secure approval from a member of the film and digital media core faculty to serve as the adviser for the designated emphasis.
- Submit a significant piece of writing, or a project that includes both writing and creative practice, that demonstrates competence in the field of film and digital media. A writing submission could take the form of
- a seminar paper or dissertation chapter. A writing/creative project may be constituted from a range of possible media such as film, video, web-based or other digital media. The submitted project must meet the approval of the student's film and digital media adviser.
- Successfully complete four graduate courses (not independent studies) taught by either core or affiliated faculty of the film and digital media Ph.D. program. The courses must be pre-approved by the student's designated emphasis adviser.
Social Documentation M.A.
(see Social Documentation)
Revised: 9/17/12
