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 within the U.S. including Black, Latinx/Chicanx, AAPI, Queer, and Feminist film.

The Cinematic Arts major is defined by its interdisciplinary, 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 Cinematic Arts 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. Students in the minor have the option of taking production classes.

Overview of the New Cinematic Arts Major

Learn more about the differences between this Cinematic Arts Major and the Media Major in the Visual Arts Department.

Learn more about the Media Industries Major in the Department of Communication.

UC San Diego undergraduate students: Please direct advising questions about the major/minor to "Cinematic Arts and Film Studies" in the Virtual Advising Center (VAC). Use the "Meet with Advisor" page to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor.

For all others, or undergraduate students who need to submit petitions: c inematicarts@ucsd.edu

People

Program Director

Michael Trigilio
Professor of Teaching, Visual Arts

Academic Advising

UC San Diego undergraduate students: Please direct your advising questions to "Cinematic Arts and Film Studies" in the Virtual Advising Center (VAC). Use the "Meet with Advisor" page to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor.

Lecturers

Ryan Betschart

Marty Davis

Jackson Kroopf

Mony Park

Affiliated Faculty

Amy Adler, Visual Arts

Amy Alexander, Visual Arts

Gabriel Bamgbose, Literature

Marco Barricelli, Theatre and Dance

Bernard Brown, 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

William Given, Analytical Writing Program

Allan Havis, Theatre and Dance

Todd A. Henry, History

Erin Hill, Communication

Jaclyn Jemc, Literature

Shawna Kidman, Communication

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

Daniel Vitkus, Literature

Nadia Villafuerte Vasquez, Literature

Ping Zhu, Literature

Major

Cinematic Arts Major (CI25)

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:

7 lower-division courses (28 units), distributed as follows:
- FILM 71. Fundamentals of Cinematography (4 units)
- FILM 72. Fundamentals of Directing (4 units)
- FILM 73. Fundamentals of Editing (4 units)
- VIS 84. Film History (4 units)
- 3 electives (12 units)
12 upper-division courses (48 units); distributed as follows:
- 5 Studies & History courses (20 units);
- 4 Production courses (16 units);
  - 1 production course must be screenwriting
- FILM 170. Cinematic Arts Practicum (4 units)
- FILM 184A. Thesis I (4 units)
- FILM 184B. Thesis II (4 units)
Courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a C- or better. P/NP courses may be petitioned, but approval is not guaranteed.

Resources:

Minor

Cinematic Arts Minor (CI25) and Film Studies Minor

Note: The Film Studies minor was renamed the Cinematic Arts minor. The curriculum and requirements are the same, only the name has changed. We are updating requirements for both to allow minors to include film production classes; updates will reflected on the course catalog in summer 2025.

Cinematic Arts 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 minor provides investigation of cinematic art through its connection to related fields such as Communication, Literature, Sociology, and Visual Arts.

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.

The minor accepts P/NP courses. Please note that if you are thinking about changing to the Cinematic Arts major or double majoring that the Cinematic Arts major requires all courses are taken for a letter grade and passed with a C- or better.

Resources:

Course Offerings

Refer to the official UC San Diego General Catalog for a complete list of approved courses that will count toward a major or minor in Cinematic Arts.

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

ANSC 156. Mad Films: Cultural Studies of Mental Illness in Cinema
COMM 103D Documentary History & Theory
HILD 14. Latin American History and Film
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 10. Theatre and Film
TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre and Film: Great Acting Moments in Film
TDPW 104. Screenwriting
VIS 84. History of Film

Winter 2025

COMM 10 - Introduction to Communication
COMM 20 - Analysis of Media Forms and Cultures
COMM 30 - Digital Media Literacy
COMM 101 - Introduction to Audiovisual Media Practices (major only, not minor)
COMM 101D - Nonlinear/Digital Editing (major only, not minor)
COMM 101K - Documentary Sketchbook (major only, not minor)
COMM 101N - Sound Production and Manipulation (major only, not minor)
COMM 101T - Topics in Production: Intro to Animation 2D (major only, not minor)
COMM 101T - Topics in Production: AI and Generative Image Culture (major only, not minor)
COMM 103D - Documentary History and Theory
COMM 107 - Visual Culture
COMM 137 - Black Women Filmmakers
LTCS 111 - Special Topics in Popular Culture in Historical Context: US Cinema of the 1980s
*LTCS 131 - Topics in Queer Cultures/Queer Subcultures: Queer Latin American Cinema
LTEA 138 - Japanese Films: Introduction
*LTEU 141 - French Literature in English Translation: French New Wave Cinema
LTWL 180 - Film Studies and Literature: Film History: Queer Cinema
LTWL 184 - Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text: Bollywood
SOCI 150 - Madness and Movies
TDGE 11 - Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124 - Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 127 - The Films of Spike Lee
TDGE 131 - Indigenous Cinema
TDPW 104 - Screenwriting
USP 164 - Cities in Film
VIS 6 - Race, Gender and Robots
VIS 150 - Landmarks of World Cinema
VIS 157D - US Civil Rights in Art and Media
VIS 174 - Media Sketchbook

Spring 2025

COMM 10. Introduction to Communication
COMM 20. Analysis of Media Forms and Cultures
COMM 30. Digital Media Literacy
COMM 101. Introduction to Audiovisual Media Practices (major only, not minor)
COMM 101D. MPL: Nonlinear/Digital Editing (major only, not minor)
COMM 101K. MPL: Documentary Sketchbook (major only, not minor)
COMM 101N. MPL: Sound Production and Manipulation (major only, not minor)
COMM 101T. MPL: Topics in Production (major only, not minor)
COMM 106F. CI: Film Industry
COMM 139. Examining Marvel’s Black Panther
COMM 143. Science Fiction
ETHN 101. Ethnic Images in Film
FILM 71. Fundamentals of Cinematography
FILM 72. Fundamentals of Directing
FILM 73. Fundamentals of Editing
LTEA 120A. Chinese Films
*LTEN 181. Asian American Literature: Transoceanic Film Corridors
*LTWL 128. Introduction to Semiotics
LTWL 180. Film Studies and Literature: Film History: Indian Cinema and Anger
LTWL 184. Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text
RELI 150. Religion and Cinema
SOCI 150. Madness and Movies
TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 125. Jewish American Film Directors
TDTR 20. Dance on Film
USP 164. Cities in Film
VIS 70N. Introduction to Media
VIS 150A. Seminar in Film History & Theory
VIS 152D. Transnational Cinema
VIS 171. Digital Cinema
VIS 172. Motion Design & Visual Effects
VIS 174. Media Sketchbook
VIS 177. Scripting Strategies

Summer Session I 2025

COMM 10. Introduction to Communication
COMM 20. Analysis of Media Forms and Cultures
COMM 137. Black Women Filmmakers
COMM 143. Science Fiction
HILD 14. Film and History in Latin America
*LTAF 120GS. Literature and Film of Modern Africa
*LTCS 172GS. Special Topics in Screening Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality
LTEA 142. Korean Film, Literature, and Popular Culture
*LTWL 155. Gender Studies
LTWL 180GS. Film Studies and Literature: Film History
LTWL 181. Film Studies and Literature: Film Movement
SOCI 184. Gender and Film
TDGE 10. Theatre and Film
TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre and Film: Shakespeare on Film
TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre and Film
TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre and Film: Freedom Dreams: Art & Activism
TDGE 127. The Films of Spike Lee

Summer Session II 2025

ANSC 156. Mad Films
COMM 10. Introduction to Communication
COMM 20. Analysis of Media Forms and Cultures
COMM 30. Digital Media Literacy: Analyzing Forms, Practices, and Infrastructures of Mediated Public Life
ETHN 163FR/TDGE 131R. Playing Indian: Native American and First Nations Cinema
HIEA 154. Korean History through Film
LTEA 138. Japanese Films
LTWL 180GS. Film Studies and Literature: Film History
LTWL 181. Film Studies and Literature: Film Movement
LTWL 184. Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text: "Bollywood"
SOCI 150. Madness and the Movies
TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 131R/ETHN 163FR. Playing Indian: Native American and First Nations Cinema
VIS 194S. Fantasy in Film

Fall 2025

COMM 10. Introduction to Communication
COMM 20. Analysis of Media Forms and Cultures
COMM 101. Introduction to Audiovisual Media Practices (major only, not minor)
COMM 101K. MPL: Documentary Sketchbook (major only, not minor)
COMM 101N. MPL: Sound Production and Manipulation (major only, not minor)
COMM 101T. MPL: Topics in Production: 16 mm Film Production & Hand Processing (major only, not minor)
COMM 106F. CI: Film Industry
COMM 135. Contemporary Minority Media Makers and the Festival Experience
COMM 142. Film Authorship
FILM 71. Fundamentals of Cinematography
FILM 72. Fundamentals of Directing
FILM 73. Fundamentals of Editing
FILM 179. Fundamentals of Animation
HILD 14. Film and History in Latin America
LTAF 120. Literature and Film of Modern Africa
LTEA 120A. Chinese Films
LTEA 120B. Taiwan Films
*LTEA 143. Gender and Sexuality in Korean Literature and Culture: Masculinities in Korean Literature and Culture
LTWL 183. Film Studies and Literature: Director’s Work
SOCI 105. Ethnographic Film: Media Methods
SOCI 150. Madness and the Movies
SOCI 172. Films and Society
SOCI 184. Gender and Film
TDGE 10. Theatre and Film
TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDPW 104. Screen Writing
TDTR 20. Dance on Film
VIS 70N. Introduction to Media (Cinematic Arts students must submit an EASy request)
VIS 152D. Identity through Transnational Cinema
VIS 157. Environmentalism in Arts and Media
VIS 171. Digital Cinema: Theory and Practice
VIS 174. Media Sketchbook
VIS 175. Editing Theory and Practice

Winter 2026

COMM 10. Introduction to Communication
COMM 20. Analysis of Media Forms and Cultures
COMM 30. Digital Media Literacy: Analyzing Forms, Practices, and Infrastructures of Mediated Public Life
COMM 101. Introduction to Audiovisual Media Practices (major only, minor by petition)
COMM 101T. MPL: Topics in Production: 3D Animation and Visual Effects Using Maya and Houdini (major only, minor by petition)
COMM 101T. MPL: Topics in Production: Studio Podcasting (major only, minor by petition)
COMM 107. Visual Culture
COMM 137. Black Women Filmmakers
COMM 140. Cinema in Latin America
FILM 71/VIS 71. Fundamentals of Cinematography
FILM 72. Fundamentals of Directing
FILM 73. Fundamentals of Editing
FILM 179. Fundamentals of Animation
LTAF 120. Literature and Film of Modern Africa
LTEA 138. Japanese Films
LTEA 142. Korean Film, Literature, and Popular Culture
LTWL 181. Film Studies and Literature: Film Movement
TDGE 11. Great Performances on Film
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre & Film
TDGE 127. The Films of Spike Lee
TDPW 104. Screen Writing
VIS 7. Movie Magic from Melies to Marvel
VIS 71/FILM 71. Fundamentals of Cinematography
VIS 157D. US Civil Rights in Art and Media
VIS 174. Media Sketchbook
VIS 177. Scripting Strategies

Spring 2026

CGS 119/LTCS 119. Asian American Film and Media
LTEA 120A. Chinese Films
LTWL 180. Film Studies and Literature: Film History
LTWL 183. Film Studies and Literature: Director’s Work
LTWL 184. Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text
LTWR 110C. Screen Writing Craft
COMM 10. Introduction to Communication
COMM 30. Digital Media Literacy: Analyzing Forms, Practices, and Infrastructures of Mediated Public Life
COMM 101. Introduction to Audiovisual Media Practices (major only, minor by petition)
COMM 101K. MPL: Documentary Sketchbook (major only, minor by petition)
COMM 103D. CM: Documentary History and Theory
COMM 106F. CI: Film Industry
*COMM 118A. Action Cinema
COMM 143. Science Fiction
*COMM 149. Southern California Cinema
FILM 71. Fundamentals of Cinematography
FILM 72. Fundamentals of Directing
FILM 73. Fundamentals of Editing
FILM 179. Fundamentals of Animation
HIEA 154. Korean History through Film
LTCS 119/CGS 119. Asian American Film and Media
LTWL 183. Film Studies and Literature: Director’s Work: “Quentin Tarantino”
LTWL 184. Film Studies and Literature: Close Analysis of Filmic Text: "Bollywood"
*TDDE 151. Digital Video Design
TDGE 124. Cult Films: Weirdly Dramatic
TDGE 125. Topics in Theatre & Film
TDGE 131. Indigenous Cinema
VIS 70N. Introduction to Media
VIS 84. Film History
VIS 174. Media Sketchbook
VIS 178. Sound Theory and Practice

First Year Seminars

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.

Does the Cinematic Arts program require a portfolio?

No, we do not require or review portfolios for undergraduate admission.

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

Yes! A student with a double major must fulfill the separate requirements of each major, and the equivalent of at least 10 upper-division courses (40 units) must be unique to each major. Courses taken in fulfillment of lower-division requirements may overlap to any degree. You do not need a portfolio to apply for the Cinematic Arts major.

See university requirements for how to declare a double major.

What is the capstone/thesis requirement (FILM 184A and FILM 184B)?

Students work with their faculty thesis advisor over 2 quarters. There are many different options depending on a student’s individual interests, so the specific parameters will be set with the student’s faculty thesis advisor. The length of the project depends on the medium. For instance, a 4-minute animation would take longer to create than a 4-minute live-action film.

Some examples include a 10-15 minute documentary, multiple shorter films, a web series, a research project (20-30 page paper), or a podcast. The goal is for students to produce something that is portfolio-ready or submittable for grant money, to graduate school, or for publication.

What is the practicum course (FILM 170)?

The practicum course is a way for students to explore their individual career interests. This could be a more traditional internship with a studio to working with government agencies or community and non-profit organizations like the National Park Service or Casa Familiar to create a film project. If a student is more inclined towards research, they could be a research assistant on a film-focused scholarly project.

The Cinematic Arts affiliated faculty, the Arts and Humanities alumni network, and the UC San Diego Career Center can offer support with finding possible opportunities, but securing an opportunity is ultimately up to the student.

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.

What equipment and facilities do students have access to?

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. You can also view photos of the Media Teaching Lab's facilities, which include two production studios and ten editing suites.

Students will have access to editing suites in a variety classroom "labs" too.

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.

Does the program provide individual software licenses to students?
The Cinematic Arts and Film Studies program does not provide individual software licenses for use on personal devices. However, students have free access to industry-standard software—including Adobe Premiere Pro—through on-campus facilities such as the Media Teaching Lab editing suites and the Library’s Digital Media Lab. These resources are equipped to support coursework and creative projects. For those who prefer to work on personal devices, discounted student licenses may be available directly from software providers.

Are there any film-focused student organizations on campus?

Triton TV (TTV) is a student-run organization that has equipment, studio space, and a great network of filmmakers. Each year they stage the UC San Diego Film Festival which is all student work.

Tritons Film Society is a club for students to watch and discuss films together.

Animation Club provides a platform for individuals who share a passion for animation to come together, learn, network and grow as artists and storytellers.

New student organizations are constantly being created, so please check out the current list of student organizations.

Are there opportunities for students to integrate their scriptwriting from one class into the production process of another class?

This is at your instructor’s discretion. If you are planning to use material that you did not create specifically for the class you would be submitting it in–whether that is a script, footage, or anything else—please discuss this with your instructor to avoid academic integrity violations.

How many classes should I take as a student each quarter?

Please visit https://plans.ucsd.edu/ to see specific suggestions with university and college general education requirements. For FILM 71, 72, and 73, these can all be taken together; however, we recommend that you do not take any other classes if you are taking all 3 of them at the same time.

If you are taking upper-division production courses, we recommend that you stick to no more than 2 per quarter due to how time-intensive they are.

What are alumni outcomes for the Cinematic Arts major?

The Cinematic Arts major just launched in Fall 2024, so we currently do not have any alumni. However, the Department of Visual Arts has for a long time been the location where students went for art/film study. Several of those alumni are now filmmakers.

Does the Cinematic Arts program offer tours?

The Cinematic Arts program does not offer a tour, but UC San Diego offers the Office of Admissions campus tour. You can also view photos of the Media Teaching Lab's facilities, which include 2 production studios and 10 editing suites.

Which buildings are classes offered in?

Classes for the major are scheduled across campus in the most appropriate rooms and are not limited to a single building. For instance, a large lecture class would be scheduled in a lecture hall whereas FILM 71: Fundamentals of Cinematography would be in a production studio or FILM 73: Fundamentals of Editing would be in a computer lab.

What amount of the major is film studies versus filmmaking?

The major is a balance of both, but students have the option to take electives in the area that most interests them. Please review the major requirements for further detail.

How can I improve my chances of admission?

The Office of Admissions, separate from the Cinematic Arts and Film Studies program, reviews all student applications. For more information on applying to the university, please see the UC San Diego Undergraduate Admissions website.