Communication Arts (Film Studies) Bachelor of Arts

Film Studies Concentration

Assessment Learning Goals

At the completion of the Film Studies concentration, the graduate is able to:

  1. Understand the relationship among the film industry, technologies, society, ethics, and faith
  2. Utilize professional knowledge, tools, and techniques to understand film history and analyze, conceptualize, write, and produce professional quality and effective film productions that promote the respect and dignity of human beings
  3. Demonstrate successful integration of undergraduate studies through the completion of a graduate-quality research or portfolio project

(Program of Study)

Bachelor of Arts Degree for Communication Arts Film Studies Concentration

The multi-departmental Film Production Concentration is intended to complement studies for both liberal arts and professional students. Required courses in the program focus on the knowledge and skills necessary for effective production and analysis of cinematic works in a variety of applied settings.

The required courses provide a balance of the three foundational subject areas:  film production, criticism/theory, and history.  Students also select electives to match personal areas of interest.   The program draws upon courses from the excitement that has accrued around the existing Film Studies minor (administered by Communication Arts department in collaboration with the Departments of History, English, Fine Arts, and Languages), which has grown from a handful to more than 40 students in the past ten years.  The new Film Studies concentration is directly suited to the needs of students interested in developing advanced filmmaking-style electronic field production skills, which are sufficiently distinct from both the Digital Broadcasting and Production (DPB) concentration, with its primary emphasis on studio-based multi-camera and live commercial, news, and social-media-style production, and the Multimedia (MM) concentration, with its emphasis on computer-based graphic design and interactive media/web production.

Further, the new Film Studies concentration can be fully serviced with existing courses and faculty teaching in both the Communication Arts major and Film Studies minor programs.  One additional benefit is that, given the number of free electives, it more easily facilitates the scheduling of dual major/dual concentration courses than any of our current concentrations.

 

COM 121Introduction to Mass Media

3

COM 122Media and Society

3

 

COM 123Catholic Worldview of Media

3

OR

COM 221Church and the Media

3

 

COM 243Digital Broadcast and Media Production

3

OR

COM 342/FLM 342Video Production I

3

OR

COM 343Video Editing

3

 

COM 254Radio/Television Scriptwriting

3

COM 325/FLM 325Cinema Studies

3

COM 345/FLM 345Independent Digital Filmmaking

3

 

COM 328/FLM 328Film Analysis and Theory

3

OR

COM 222/FLM 222Critical TV Viewing

3

 

COM 442Digital Multitrack Audio Production II

3

OR

COM 444/FLM 444Advanced Studies in Digital Media Production

3

OR

COM 484/FLM 484Creating Motion Graphics and Special Effects

3

 

COM 434Senior Thesis

1

Communication Arts /Film Studies Elective

3

Communication Arts /Film Studies Elective

3

FLM AUX Elective

3

Course sequence:  COM 121, COM 122, COM 123 OR COM 221, COM 243 or COM 342 or COM/FLM 343, COM 254; COM/FLM 325, COM/FLM 222 or COM/FLM 328, COM/FLM 345, COM/FLM 441 or COM/FLM 444 or COM/FLM 484, COM 434 two additional upper-level COM/FLM courses and one upper-level FLM AUX  course.

 

Freshman Year

First Semester
COM 121Introduction to Mass Media

3

ENG 103Freshman English I

3

Natural Science Core

3

Elementary Foreign Language OR Elective

3

THE
Theology Core

3

 

Second Semester
COM 122Media and Society

3

COM 123Catholic Worldview of Media

3

OR

COM 221Church and the Media

3

Elementary Foreign Language

3

OR

Literature Core

3

PHL
Philosophy Core

3

 

 

Sophomore Year

First Semester
COM 243Digital Broadcast and Media Production

3

OR

COM 342/FLM 342Video Production I

3

OR

FLM 343/COM 343Video Editing

3

Intermediate Foreign Language Requirement

3

THE
Theology Core

3

American Founding Principles Core

3

Elective

3

 
 
Second Semester
COM 254Radio/Television Scriptwriting

3

Natural Science Core

3

Intermediate Foreign Language Requirement

3

Mathematics Core

3

OR

ECO
Economics Core

3

PHL
Philosophy Core

3

 

Junior Year

First Semester
FLM 325/COM 325Cinema Studies

3

Communication Arts /Film Studies Elective

3

Fine Arts Core 3

HST
History Core

3

Elective

3

COM/FLM 325: Course may be taken online. May occasionally be offered in the spring semester.

 

Second Semester
FLM 345/COM 345Independent Digital Filmmaking

3

Communication Arts /Film Studies Elective

3

PHL
Philosophy Core

3

Literature Core

3

Elective

3

 

Senior Year

First Semester
FLM 328/COM 328Film Analysis and Theory

3

OR

FLM 222/COM 222Critical Television Viewing

3

FLM AUX Elective

3

THE
Theology Core

3

Elective

3

Elective

3

Elective

3

COM/FLM 328: Course may be taken online.  May occasionally be offered in the spring semester.

Second Semester
COM 442Digital Multitrack Audio Production II

3

OR

COM 444/FLM 444Advanced Studies in Digital Media Production

3

OR

COM 484/FLM 484Creating Motion Graphics and Special Effects

3

COM 434Senior Thesis

1

Elective

3

Elective

3

Elective

3

COM 444: May occasionally be offered in the fall semester.