Description of CAMS
The cinema and media studies program is multicultural in
scope and interdisciplinary in method. Its chief objectives are: (a) to provide
students with the skills to understand and interpret the various forms of the
moving image. Audio-visual media have played a dominant role in the cultural
life of the Twentieth Century, and promise to figure even more prominently in
the current one. The cinema and media studies program equips students to
reflect critically on the prevalence and power of audio-visual media. It aims
to promote active viewing instead of passive absorption, offering students a
context and a set of tools with which to assess the media texts that may shape
the world we all inhabit. (b) to analyze, in an
informed and judicious way, specific audio-visual texts, and to appreciate the
power of outstanding works of cinematic art. Whether fiction or documentary, art or
entertainment, cinematography has, since its humble beginnings in 1895,
propelled the creation of a vast legacy of inspiring and significant films. Students wishing to undertake a career
in film will undoubtedly benefit from the extensive exposure to key cinematic
works from across the world. In
addition, the cinema and media studies program includes courses in video
production and screenwriting which familiarize students with the most
elementary aspects of filmmaking.
Directions for Election
The cinema and media studies program offers both a major
and a minor.
The major in cinema and media studies consists of a minimum of nine units. CAMS 175, CAMS 231, and CAMS 233 are
required of all majors. One unit must be taken in the art department, and one
unit in either Anthropology or Sociology, chosen from among the courses listed
below. Two units must be at the 300 level, and only one of them can be a 350.
Students primarily interested in the computing aspects of arts and multimedia
should consider the interdepartmental media arts and sciences program.
The minor in cinema and media studies consists of a minimum of five units. In addition to CAMS
175, students must take either CAMS 231 or CAMS 233, and one unit in either
Anthropology or Sociology, chosen from among the courses listed below. One unit must be at the 300 level and
cannot be a 350.
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Graziella Lesellier and Amelia Johnson;
Created: April 00; Last
modified by Weishi Li, March 2006.