Cinema and Media Studies Major

Goals for the Cinema and Media Studies Major

Students in the CAMS major will acquire knowledge of cinema and media as 1) technological objects, with an emphasis on the relationship between technological affordances and modes of cultural expression; and 2) as aesthetic objects, with an emphasis on the relationship between aesthetic form and questions of representation, intersectionality, and globalization.

By completing the two courses at the core of our major, CAMS 201 “Technologies of Cinema and Media,” and CAMS 202 “Aesthetics of Cinema and Media,” students will be equipped with the tools for a rigorous critical understanding of the history and theory of the diverse media that structure modern life. These two courses serve as stepping stones for all majors and minors and will guide students’ scholarly and creative pursuits and create a community of shared knowledge. Our core courses and seminars likewise follow an approach that privileges comparative media studies and examines different audiovisual practices as participating forces in a media ecology. Course goals for students who complete the CAMS major. In conjunction with CAMS 201, 202, an interdepartmental offering of elective courses, and production-focused courses, CAMS majors and minors will develop a set of skills for the critical analysis of cinema and media which reflect the program’s core values.

Skills:

Values:

Requirements for the Cinema and Media Studies Major

The major in Cinema and Media Studies requires 10 units. Students can develop their expertise in the major by exploring topics from a combination of courses in Cinema/Media Studies, Screen writing and writing for television, Video/Media Production, as well as selected courses on film and media offered in other departments on campus. CAMS majors are encouraged to consult with their major advisor regarding transfer of credit from pre-approved study abroad programs.

For students who entered Wellesley College in Fall 2020 or prior, students are required to take the following:

1. CAMS 101 Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies
2. CAMS 201 Technologies of Cinema and Media
3. CAMS 202 Aesthetics of Cinema and Media
4. One production course, to be chosen among:

5. Four core courses, to be chosen from this list:

6. At least two courses at the 300-level in CAMS (or as approved by the program director). All 300-level work must be taken at Wellesley. CAMS 360 and CAMS 370 do not count toward the 300-level requirement, but are honors-level courses taken in addition to the 10 courses required for the major.

Beginning with students who entered Wellesley College in Fall 2021, students are required to take the following:

1. CAMS 201 Technologies of Cinema and Media
2. CAMS 202 Aesthetics of Cinema and Media
3. One production course, to be chosen among:

4. Four core courses, to be chosen from this list:

5. At least two courses at the 300-level in CAMS (or as approved by the program director). All 300-level work must be taken at Wellesley. CAMS-350 counts for credit towards the major, but does not fulfill the 300-level requirement. CAMS 360 and CAMS 370 do not count toward the 300-level requirement, but are honors-level courses taken in addition to the 10 courses required for the major.

6. One additional CAMS course, which may be chosen from the list of core courses, the courses at the 300-level, as well as among the CAMS cross-listed and related courses.

Honors

Candidates for Departmental Honors in CAMS complete a senior thesis in two units of independent study/thesis (CAMS 360, CAMS 370) undertaken in the fall and spring of the senior year. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100 level; the program may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic Distinctions.
 
CAMS majors can earn honors by demonstrating excellence in a production thesis project, a script or a thesis paper. A senior thesis engages a topic involving year-long research resulting in a polished paper of 50-100 pages in length. For a student who has a clear idea of what they want to investigate, a well-considered plan of research, and a willingness to accept the responsibility of working independently, a senior thesis can be a rewarding experience. A Production thesis consists of an extended piece or body of visual work produced over two semesters; this work normally involves research, script-writing, and pre-production, production, and post-production phases. The final work is accompanied by a paper of 15-20 pages documenting the development of the project, and is exhibited at a public showing at the end of the semester. 

Related Courses

For the following courses to count toward the major, CAMS majors are advised to request approval from the Program Director before registering.

AMST 274 / WGST 274 Rainbow Cowboys (and Girls): Gender, Race, Class, and Sexuality in Westerns

1.0
ITAS 261 Italian Cinema (in English) 

1.0
MUS 277 Interactive Sound Art with Electronics

1.0
RAST 222 Firebird! The Russian Arts Under Tsars and Commissars

1.0
THST 209 Scenic Design

1.0