Doctor of Philosophy – Film and Media Studies

Program Overview

The Film and Media Studies program at UC Santa Barbara offers M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only degrees with a focus on critical thinking and interdisciplinary research. The program emphasizes film study from a humanistic perspective within a global media culture context, providing students with a deep understanding of the discipline and its methodologies. The curriculum includes core courses in history, theory, analysis, and cultural studies, as well as a wide range of electives and opportunities for research and teaching.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Department of Film and Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara offers M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only degree programs. The program aims to provide a deep understanding of the discipline of Film and Media Studies and critical thinking. It is strongly interdisciplinary, drawing on faculty expertise from various departments with an interest in modern media arts and industry. The program has an international focus, allowing for comparative study of diverse national cinemas and media practices within a global framework. It is innovative in its research methods and teaching, particularly in the design of its Ph.D. program. The program emphasizes film study from a humanistic perspective within the broader context of global media culture.

Outline:

The M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only curriculum consists of two parts:

• Core Courses: Six core courses covering fundamental areas of competence in history, theory, analysis, and cultural studies.
• Supplemental/Elective Courses: Eleven (or five for Ph.D.-only) courses designed to strengthen the program's disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and international focus.

Core Courses:

• 220 Critical Analysis: Examines a range of methodologies and critical approaches to the study of film and media.
• 230 The Philosophy of History: Studies works and concepts in philosophy of history that have informed film and media history.
• 231 Media Historiographies: Comparative analysis of various historical accounts of cinema, television, and digital media.
• 240 Film Theory: Examines the history and rhetoric of thinking about film's ontology, epistemology, ideology, and aesthetics.
• 241 Television and New Media Theory: Explores important theoretical writings concerning electronic and digital media.
• 250 Cultural Theory: Explores key ideas, issues, and developments in cultural studies and critical theory.

Electives:

• A wide range of graduate electives are available.
• Under specific circumstances, two courses from the department's upper-division undergraduate program may be taken for credit.
• Numerous opportunities exist to take graduate courses in other departments.
Up to five elective courses in the first three years of the M.A./Ph.D. may be taken in other departments, and up to three elective courses in the first two years of the Ph.D.-only program.

Schedule:

The program is designed for completion in:

• M.A./Ph.D.
• : Six years, with the M.A.
degree expected at the end of the second year.
• Ph.D.-Only: Five years.

Individual Modules:

Detailed descriptions of individual modules can be found in the "Course Catalog" section of the text.

Assessment:

• M.A.
• Exam: An oral exam administered by the student's M.A.
Committee based on two research papers written and revised by the student during the first two years.
• Ph.D.
• Qualifying Exam: Consists of written and oral portions.
Students must choose three areas of specialization, pass a written examination on these areas, and defend their prospectus orally.
• Dissertation: Based on original research, defended orally before the dissertation committee.

Teaching:

• The program emphasizes teaching, research presentation, and development of a research plan for the dissertation.
• Students are required to complete TA Practicum units.

Other:

• A foreign language proficiency requirement must be met before the dissertation defense.
• Department policy allows students to take a maximum of two 596 (independent study) courses as part of their electives.
• The department does NOT offer a terminal M.A.
program; the M.A. degree is considered a stage on the path to the doctorate.
• Students are expected to investigate potential locations for off-campus research between their M.A.
program and the first year of their Ph.D.
• Faculty are normally unavailable during the summer for teaching, mentoring, or consultation.
• The department has a specific exam policy, with guidelines for the M.A.
exam and the Ph.D. qualifying exam.
• The department also offers a "Programming and Curation" course for graduate students from any department, covering topics such as construction of cultural value, economics of prestige, audiences, and publics.
• Detailed information on the program is available in the Graduate Program Handbook.