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Film Studies

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 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.

People

Program Director

Daisuke Miyao
Professor, Literature

Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor

Jennifer Dieli
Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor
Ridge Walk Academic Complex - Arts and Humanities Building, 6th Floor

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

Faculty

Julie Burelle
Associate Professor, Theatre and Dance

Amy Sara Carroll
Associate Professor, Literature

Lisa Cartwright
Professor, Visual Arts

Alain Cohen
Professor, Literature

Jordan Crandall
Professor, Visual Arts

Zeinabu Davis
Professor, Communication

Andrew deWaard
Assistant Professor, Communication

Ben Dollar
Associate Professor, Literature

Shlomo Dubnov
Professor, Music

Allan Havis
Professor, Theatre and Dance

Todd A. Henry
Associate Professor, History

Erin Hill
Assistant Professor, Communication

Jaclyn Jemc
LSOE, Literature

Dayna Kalleres
Associate Professor, Literature

Todd Kontje
Professor, Literature

Curtis Marez
Professor, Ethnic Studies

Luis Martin-Cabrera
Associate Professor, Literature

Daisuke Miyao
Professor, Literature

Dana Velasco Murillo
Associate Professor, History

Hoang Tan Nguyen
Associate Professor, Literature

Victoria Petrovich
Professor, Theatre and Dance

Babak Rahimi
Professor, Literature

Deborah Stein
Associate Professor, Theatre and Dance

Ameeth Vijay
Assistant Professor, Literature

Alena Williams
Assistant Professor, Visual Arts

 

Minor

Film Studies Minor

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

2022-2023

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 2022
  • LTEA 120A. Chinese Films (4)
  • LTEA 142. Korean Film: Literature, and Popular Culture (4)
  • LTWL 180. Film Studies and Literature: Film History (4)
  • *LTTH 150. Topics in Critical Theory: French Theory & Film Theory (4)
  • TDGE 10. Theatre and Film (4)
  • TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film (4)
  • *TDGE 127. The Films of Spike Lee
  • VIS 151A. Seminar in Media History (4)
  • *CGS 119. Asian American Film, Video, and New Media

Winter 2023

  • *CAT 2.  Asian Diasporas in Film Musicking, Identity, and Media
  • TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
  • ETHN 101. Ethnic Images in Film
  • LTAF 120: Literature and Film of Modern Africa
  • LTEA 138. Japanese Films
  • LTWL 180. Film Studies and Literature: Film History
  • LTWL 181. Film Studies and Literature: Film Movement (Topic "Queer Cinema")
  • TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic

Spring 2023

  • ANSC 156. Mad Films: Cultural Studies of Mental Illness in Cinema (4)
  • COMM 103F. How to Read a Film (4)
  • COMM 106F. Film Industry (4)
  • COMM 140. Cinema in Latin America (4)
  • FILM 87. First-year Seminar (1)
  • LTEA 120B. Taiwan Films (4)
  • LTWL 157. Iranian Film (4)
  • LTWL 183. Film Studies and Literature: Director’s Work (4)
  • LTWL 184. Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text (4)  (Topic: Authorship of Film)
  • *LTCS 222 -Topics in Theory and History of Film (Topic:The Video Essay)
  • TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic (4)
  • TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre and Film (4)
  • *USP 164. Cities in Film (4)
  • VIS 84. History of Film (4)
  • *VIS 156 Latino American Cinema (4)

Fall 2023

  • TDGE 10. Theatre and Film
  • LTWL 180. Film Studies and Literature: Film History
  • LTWL 184 - Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text
  • *LTRU 104B. Advanced Practicum in Russian: Analysis of Text and Film
  • *LTRU 150/LTEU 154. Russian Culture. Topic: Soviet Speculative Fiction and Film
  • *TDGE 127. The Films of Spike Lee
  • TDGE 131. Playing Indian: Native American and First Nations Cinema

First Year Seminars

Fall 2022 

FILM 87 A00 - Film and Life (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: Mondays from 10:00 - 10:50 a.m.
Location: MCC 221
Section ID: 95635  

FILM 87 B00 - Banned Films (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: Mondays from 11:00 - 11:50 a.m.
Location: MCC 221
Section ID:  95636

Winter 2023 

FILM 87 A00 - Film and Life (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: Wednesdays from 9:00 - 9:50 a.m.
Location: MCC 221
Section ID: 103156

FILM 87 B00 - Banned Films (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: Wednesdays from 10:00 - 10:50 a.m.
Location: MCC 221
Section ID: 103157

 

Spring 2023 

FILM 87 B00 - Banned Films (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: Tuesdays from 3:00 - 3:50 p.m.
Location: MCC 221
Section ID: 131709

 FILM 87 C00 - Film and Life (1 Unit) 
Instructor: Babak Rahimi
Day/Time: Tuesdays from 2:00 - 2:50 p.m.
Location: MCC 221
Section ID: 194593

 

 

 

 

 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.

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