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Duluth Campus

Film Studies Minor

Theatre
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Program Type: Undergraduate free-standing minor
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2023
  • Required credits in this minor: 21 to 22
The film studies minor provides an interdisciplinary approach to film, exploring the medium through practical, historical, and social contexts. Required courses in the minor give students an understanding of the art of filmmaking, a history of film, and how film connects to society. Electives in the minor offer students the opportunity to focus on more specific aspects of film ranging from film genres to photography to screenwriting.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Minor Requirements
1. One 3xxx level or higher course for at least 3 credits must be taken.
Core (12 cr)
TH 1051 - Introduction to Film [LE CAT, FINE ARTS] (3.0 cr)
TH 1053 - Film and Society [LE CAT] (3.0 cr)
TH 2851 - Film History (3.0 cr)
TH 3851 - Screenwriting (3.0 cr)
Electives (9-10 cr)
Students must take one course from each category below. The third course may come from either category. One 3xxx level or higher course for at least 3 credits must be taken.
Practical/Experiential
Take 1 - 2 course(s) totaling 3 - 6 credit(s) from the following:
· ART 1605 - Fundamentals of Photography [LE CAT, FINE ARTS] (3.0 cr)
· ART 2030 - Digital Arts: Time-based Media (3.0 cr)
· ART 2040 - Digital Filmmaking: Visual Narratives (3.0 cr)
· ART 3040 - Digital Filmmaking: Experimental Techniques (3.0 cr)
· ART 4040 - Digital Filmmaking: Advanced Projects (3.0 cr)
Historical/Theoretical
Take 1 - 2 course(s) totaling 3 - 8 credit(s) from the following:
· AMIN 4640 - American Indians in the Movies [HUMANITIES, CDIVERSITY] (3.0 cr)
· ENGL 1818 - Science Fiction in Film and Literature [HUMANITIES] (4.0 cr)
· ENGL 2601 - Reading Film [HUMANITIES] (4.0 cr)
· ENGL 4292 - Literature into Film (4.0 cr)
· FR 2315 - French Cinema [LE CAT9, LEIP CAT09, HUMANITIES] (4.0 cr)
· GER 4305 - German Cinema [HUMANITIES] (4.0 cr)
· HIST 3320 - American Popular Culture, 1929 to the Present (4.0 cr)
· HIST 4727 - Middle Eastern History Through Film [GLOBAL PER] (4.0 cr)
· MU 1004 - Music in Film [FINE ARTS] (3.0 cr)
· POL 3025 - Popular Culture and Politics [HUMANITIES] (4.0 cr)
· SPAN 4017 - Latin American Cinema and Culture [FINE ARTS] (4.0 cr)
· SPAN 4030 - Cinema and Culture of Spain [FINE ARTS] (4.0 cr)
· WS 3400 - Women and Film [GLOBAL PER] (3.0 cr)
 
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· College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences


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· Film Studies Minor
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TH 1051 - Introduction to Film (LE CAT, FINE ARTS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
History and genres of film; how movies are made. Watching and analyzing films and developing an articulate and discerning viewpoint.
TH 1053 - Film and Society (LE CAT)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
An examination of how films influence the moral and cultural life of our time, and how culture affects film.
TH 2851 - Film History
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Survey of American and international cinema from 1870s to present day, with special focus on filmmakers, genres, and styles. prereq: soph or instructor consent
TH 3851 - Screenwriting
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to and practice in fundamentals of screenwriting. Dialogue, character, structure, story development, writing for a visual medium, formatting. prereq: instructor consent
ART 1605 - Fundamentals of Photography (LE CAT, FINE ARTS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Art 2600/1600/1605/1607
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Introduction to photography and its roles in the communications culture. Basic photographic principles and introduction to digital darkroom. Assignments emphasize creative thinking. Requires digital camera with adjustable shutter speeds and apertures. Instruction presented only on macOS. NOTE: Art majors/minors and Photo minor take ART 2600 (prereq ART 1013). Course Equivalent: ART 2600
ART 2030 - Digital Arts: Time-based Media
Credits: 3.0 [max 6.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Introduction to time-based media practice and theory through presentations, readings, studio time, and hands-on assignments. Creative exploration of vital forms of contemporary time-based art such as video art, sound/sonic art, basic animation, and performance art. prereq: ART 1013 or Film Studies Minor or instructor consent repeatable: Allow up to 2 repetitions totalling up to 6 credits.
ART 2040 - Digital Filmmaking: Visual Narratives
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Art 1800/Art 2010
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Introduction to the fundamental of digital video production and basic concepts of cinematic narrative. Beginning hands-on experience using digital video tools to create short narrative works. Creative studio art approach to low budget film techniques and project collaboration. Individual and team projects include visual concept development, storyboarding, video production, and digital editing. Emphasis on the visual language of filmmaking and critical appreciation of cinematic media. prereq: 1013 or Journalism major or film minor or instructor consent
ART 3040 - Digital Filmmaking: Experimental Techniques
Credits: 3.0 [max 6.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Exploration of hands on experimental processes and techniques used in contemporary digital video and animation. Introduction to history and theory of experimental film and video works. Focus on digital video production, digital compositing, digital animation techniques, and non-linear video editing skills. Emphasis on innovative, narrative, and non-narrative approaches to creative video projects. Discussion of audience and exhibition options for experimental digital video works. prereq: 2030 or 2040 or instructor consent
ART 4040 - Digital Filmmaking: Advanced Projects
Credits: 3.0 [max 9.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Advanced digital film projects in narrative, experimental, animation, or documentary formats. Students develop a single ambitious project over the semester, defining their own approach and focus. Develop project pitch, including visual concept, production plans, and storyboards. Hone video production technique and digital video editing skills. Emphasis on collaboration and creative process from pre-production through final craft of short digital film for contemporary audience. prereq: ART 2040 or 3040 or instructor consent repeatable: Allow up to 3 repetitions totalling up to 9 credits.
AMIN 4640 - American Indians in the Movies (HUMANITIES, CDIVERSITY)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
By comparing and contrasting films by non-Native and Native filmmakers, students gain the ability to unmask the ways stereotypes of Native people on film contribute to the broad misunderstanding of Native experiences. Students also develop a critical vocabulary to understand the cultural work that Native filmmakers see movies doing for their communities as they assert their own authority in crafting representations of their identities and experiences on film. prereq: minimum 60 credits
ENGL 1818 - Science Fiction in Film and Literature (HUMANITIES)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course introduces students to techniques of film and literary study through the genre of science fiction. It requires students to interpret literary works with attention to form, genre, plot, character and historical and cultural contexts. In addition, it introduces students to competing definitions of the genre while acquainting them with some of its subgenres such as dystopian and cyberpunk literature.
ENGL 2601 - Reading Film (HUMANITIES)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
This course teaches students how to analyze movies and aims to inspire an on-going interest in film. Through discussion of a wide range of films and theoretical texts, students learn to think critically about the medium in terms of its uniquely cinematic attributes (e.g., editing, mise-en-scene, cinematography, lighting, sound, spectatorship) as well as its more literary qualities (e.g., narrative, character, genre). By the end of the semester, students will have the tools to think analytically about the films they encounter in future courses and in their movie-going lives more broadly.
ENGL 4292 - Literature into Film
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
Comparative study of novels and their film adaptations. prereq: Minimum 60 credits (6 credits literature) or instructor consent
FR 2315 - French Cinema (LE CAT9, LEIP CAT09, HUMANITIES)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
Images of human diversity in French cinema. Films with English subtitles; class discussion in English.
GER 4305 - German Cinema (HUMANITIES)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
An introduction to the history of German cinema and to film analysis with a focus on the relationship among German film, history, literature, culture, and politics. The course will examine representative works from various cinematic periods. Taught in German. prereq: 1202 or 2301 with a grade of C or higher or instructor consent; no grad credit
HIST 3320 - American Popular Culture, 1929 to the Present
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Examines the intersection of the American popular arts--especially film, music, the visual arts, and literature--with national and international politics and American public life from the Great Depression to the present.
HIST 4727 - Middle Eastern History Through Film (GLOBAL PER)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
This course examines regional Middle Eastern history through documentary and feature film and printed sources. This course will give students an overview of the most significant themes of Middle Eastern history - religious, political, social, and cultural - from the rise and spread of Islam globally to the assimilation of the region to the world economy in modern times. prereq: 30 credits, no grad credit
MU 1004 - Music in Film (FINE ARTS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Music in Film explores several aspects of music in motion pictures including its connection to other orchestral music styles, modern and historical, and how it aids in the entertainment of the film. This course examines how many modern films use musical storytelling techniques to add to the film's narrative.
POL 3025 - Popular Culture and Politics (HUMANITIES)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Summer
Evaluation of the presentation of political institutions, officials, and policy issues in various forms of mass media and entertainment, including newspapers, magazines, films, television/cable, radio, video, podcasts, weblogs, and social media sites. How accurate are the portrayals and how effective are they at influencing attitudes, opinions, policy choices, and selection of public officials?
SPAN 4017 - Latin American Cinema and Culture (FINE ARTS)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Fall Odd Year
Exploration of the production of cinema paired with the analysis of and insight into Latin American cinema and culture. Taught in Spanish. prereq: 2301 with C or better or instructor consent; no grad credit
SPAN 4030 - Cinema and Culture of Spain (FINE ARTS)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Spring Odd Year
Overview of cinema of Spain. Examines a variety of filmic genres. Spanish national identity will be the main axis of inquiry. Strong focus on academic writing and research. Taught in Spanish. prereq: 2301 with C or better or instructor consent; no grad credit
WS 3400 - Women and Film (GLOBAL PER)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer
American and foreign films screened, analyzed, and reviewed from a feminist perspective. Role of women in history, economics, and politics of filmmaking.