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Cinematic Arts and Film Studies

The study of film and filmmaking within a research university encompasses a wide range of strategies, techniques, subjects, and outcomes. From narrative and documentary filmmaking to experimental and unconventional approaches, the films made by faculty, alumni, and students at UC San Diego are truly exceptional in the landscape of cinematic arts.

Scholars of film at UC San Diego apply their academic focus not exclusively at the “canon” of Western European and American film history, but instead expand the field to include robust research of film from Latin America, East Asia, South Asia, Indigenous communities, as well as film arising from cultural traditions with in the U.S. including Black, Latinx/Chicanx, AAPI, Queer, and Feminist film.

The Cinematic Arts major is defined by its interdisciplinarity, bridging both film-studies and film practice pedagogy. The major includes film production courses taught in the Visual Arts, Literature, and Theater & Dance departments, among others. Cinematic Arts brings together theory and practice, teaching students both the theoretical/critical approaches to film, and also practical techniques in film production.

The Film Studies minor educates students in a conventional Humanities context, where students learn to critically analyze film and engage with a broad literature of film history and theory. 

Overview of the New Cinematic Arts Major 

Differences between the Cinematic Arts Major and the Media Major

People

Program Director

Pending

Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor

Jennifer Dieli
Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor
Ridge Walk Academic Complex - Arts and Humanities Building, 6th Floor, Room 655
filmstudies@ucsd.edu

Current UC San Diego undergraduate students, please use the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for all advising questions.

Faculty

Amy Adler, Visual Arts

Amy Alexander, Visual Arts

Gabriel Bamgbose, Literature

Marco Barricelli, Theatre and Dance

Julie Burelle, Theatre and Dance

Amy Sara Carroll, Literature

Lisa Cartwright, Visual Arts

Alain Cohen, Literature

Jordan Crandall, Visual Arts

Zeinabu Davis, Communication

Andrew deWaard, Communication

Ben Dollar, Literature

Shlomo Dubnov, Music

Dean Erdmann, Visual Arts

Geraldine Fiss, Literature

Malik Gaines, Visual Arts

Mariah Garnett, Visual Arts

Allan Havis, Theatre and Dance

Todd A. Henry, History

Erin Hill, Communication

Jaclyn Jemc, Literature

Dayna Kalleres, Literature

Curtis Marez, Ethnic Studies

Luis Martin-Cabrera, Literature

Andrea Mendoza, Literature

Nicole Miller, Visual Arts

Daisuke Miyao, Literature

Lorena Mostajo, Visual Arts

Silpa Mukherjee, Literature

Dana Velasco Murillo, History

Hoang Tan Nguyen, Literature

Victoria Petrovich, Theatre and Dance

Babak Rahimi, Literature

Alexandro Segade, Visual Arts

Deborah Stein, Theatre and Dance

Michael Trigilio, Visual Arts

Ameeth Vijay, Literature

Alena Williams, Visual Arts

Ping Zhu, Literature

Cinematic Arts Major

Cinematic Arts Major

NEW MAJOR EFFECTIVE FALL 2024

Students who complete the Cinematic Arts major will:

  • be introduced to the fundamentals of making, understanding, and analyzing film/cinema.
  • gain a broad historical and critical understanding of cinema history, including trends in the US and internationally.
  • learn fundamental production techniques including: cinematography, writing, editing, sound, animation, visual effects, directing, and presentation.
  • cultivate a critical understanding of their own work as filmmakers and scholars, with the ability to write and speak about the themes and impact of their work.
  • receive real-world experience in the form of internships, work-study, and student-led projects.
  • learn about the fundamentally collaborative nature of filmmaking, allowing them to identify areas within which they feel confident to pursue a practice beyond UC San Diego.

Requirements:

  • Seven 4-unit lower division core courses (28 units), distributed as follows:
    • Four core courses (16 units)
    • Three electives (12 units)
  • Twelve 4-unit upper division core courses (48 units); distributed as follows:
    • Five 4-unit Studies & History courses (20 units);
    • Four 4-unit Production courses (16 units);
    • One 4-unit Practicum course (4 units);
    • Two 4-unit Capstone/Thesis courses (8 units)

Resources:

Film Studies Minor

Film Studies Minor

Film Studies provides students an exciting opportunity to examine the many facets of U.S. and international cinema. Students interested in exploring cinema as a multidimensional art medium will engage in the analysis of cinematic works of various forms. Study of film genres, history, theories, directors, cultural perspectives and more, allow students to gain a broad understanding of cinema as a historical and contemporary means of expression.

The interdisciplinary nature of the Film Studies minor provides investigation of cinematic art through its connection to related fields such as Communication, Literature, Sociology, and Visual Arts. Students pursuing a minor in Film Studies exhibit a wide range of interests; from those who plan graduate study in film to those who simply wish to understand this powerful and influential medium.

The Film Studies Minor is a scholarly enterprise rather than a hands-on, art-making endeavor. It does not offer classes in filmmaking, video production, or working with film equipment.

Requirements:

Completion of seven courses (28 units), at least five (20 units) of which must be upper-division courses chosen from at least two different departments.

Resources:

Course Offerings

2024-2025

Refer to the official UC San Diego General Catalog for a complete list of approved courses that will count toward a minor in Film Studies.

Course offerings are constantly changing. Please refer to the Schedule of Classes for the most up-to-date listing.

(*) Indicates course may be petitioned for credit. Instructions on How to Petition Courses.


Fall 2024

  • HILD 14. Latin American History and Film 
  • TDGE 10. Theatre and Film 
  • TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
  • VIS 84. History of Film 
  • ANSC 156. Mad Films: Cultural Studies of Mental Illness in Cinema
  • LTAF 120. Literature and Film of Modern Africa
  • LTEA 120C. Hong Kong Films
  • LTEA 142. Korean Film: Literature, and Popular Culture: Pop Cultures of Two Koreas
  • LTWL 183. Film Studies and Literature: Director’s Work
  • SOCI 105. Ethnographic Film: Media Methods
  • SOCI 184. Gender and Film
  • TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
  • TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre and Film: Great Acting Moments in Film
  • TDPW 104. Screenwriting

First Year Seminars

Fall 2024

FILM 87 A00 - Film and Life (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: TBD

FILM 87 B00 - Banned Films (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: TBD

Attention Students: If you have accrued 45 or more units, use the steps below to request registration in a First Year Seminar. All others may simply register.

  • Use the Enrollment Authorization System (EASy) to request enrollment
  • It can take several business days for the department to process your request
  • Due to the limited size of 20 for seminars, approval is not always guaranteed. Please plan accordingly to make sure you are submitting your request well in advance of any specific deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the differences between the Cinematic Arts Major versus the Media Major in Visual Arts?

The Cinematic Arts Major places a specific emphasis on film studies, learning and understanding the various histories and approaches to filmmaking, including international, independent, and experimental films, as well as popular Hollywood cinema. The Cinematic Arts Major also has a component focusing on fundamentals of production.

The Media Major in Visual Arts is a conceptually driven major training students to use their creative voice as artists using film and video tools, as opposed to more traditional painting/sculpting/design approaches. These students are trained as artists who use filmmaking as their medium. While some students do make “films,” students are able to produce any kind of expanded artworks, including video installations, experimental Virtual Reality, performance work, and beyond.

Please see this document for a full explanation.

Can I double major in Cinematic Arts and the Media Major (or any other major)? 

A student with a double major must fulfill the separate requirements of each major, and the equivalent of at least ten upper-division courses (40 units) must be unique to each major. Courses taken in fulfillment of lower-division requirements may overlap to any degree. 

Please map out your course plan for each major. You can use the Cinematic Arts Major Planning Checklist. 

Who will own the rights to the films students make during their academic program?

Students own the rights to their own work throughout their time at UC San Diego.

Will there be video and film editing equipment and rooms for students to rent? 

Students enrolled in production courses will have access to a wide range of high-end equipment, including prime-lenses, lights, cameras, microphones, and grip items. These materials are available to students for check-out through the Media Teaching Lab. Students will have access to editing suites, both in the Media Teaching Lab as well as in a variety classroom "labs." 

Students may choose to apply to the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts Fellowship, which provides equipment and some funding to its Fellows. These items include RED and Canon cinema cameras, as well as professional cine-prime lenses and audio recording equipment.

What editing programs will be taught?

As this is an undergraduate major at a research-one university, it is unlikely that there will be any class devoted to a single piece of software or editing platform. That said, in the current slate of film-editing classes, a range of platforms are available and taught, including Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Avid Pro Tools, Adobe After Effects, Maxon Cinema 4D, Maxon Z-Brush, and others.

Lecturer Openings

The new Cinematic Arts Major at UC San Diego is hiring instructors to teach courses that will be offered in Winter and Spring 2025.

More details and the application portal are avaialble at this link: https://apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF04019

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

  • MA, MFA or PhD or commensurate work experience in fields related to cinematic arts, film, and film studies.
  • At least one academic year of experience teaching at the college level as a lead instructor in the field of expertise, or at least two academic years of experience teaching in other settings in the field of expertise. Experience may be intermittent.
  • At least one year of work experience, production, or scholarship in one of the following fields: cinematography, directing, editing, animation, 3D and CGI, or production studio technique.
  • Able to demonstrate excellence in teaching through syllabi and/or teaching evaluations, and a commitment to student-centered and multicultural education.