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Film and Media Studies Program

The graduate program in film and media studies.

Inaugurated in 2002, Yale’s doctoral Program in Film and Media Studies quickly achieved the international stature it enjoys today. Building on a core faculty that had long overseen an impressive undergraduate major, the graduate program attracted incoming faculty who were eager to help shape it. The quality of the students who have applied has been superior, and the large majority of those selected have chosen to study here. Fifty students have completed, or are in the midst of, their degrees. Our alumni hold positions at a range of institutions, including universities with major graduate programs, and several have already seen their revised dissertations published as books by important presses. 

Graduate students have been able to produce such significant research thanks not least to Yale’s unparalleled resources.  Specialized librarians and curators keep our students in mind as they collect and make available the massive amounts of material held by the Sterling Memorial Library, the Haas library in the History of Art, and especially the Beinecke rare book library that houses the archives of hundreds of filmmakers, writers, and artists.  Two of America’s great art museums, The Yale University Art Gallery and the British Art Center (with buildings designed by Louis Kahn), retain a continuing relation with our graduate students.  As for primary material in our field,  the Yale Film Archive is home to a growing collection of 35mm and 16mm film prints, and is a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). The Archive also oversees a large circulating library of DVDs, Blu-rays, and VHS tapes.

A dedicated, expert projectionist oversees hundreds of screenings each year, mainly in two spaces (the auditorium of 250 in our building and a projection room holding 40 on York Street) that are equipped for 35mm, 16mm, and virtually all video formats. 4K and 2K projections are common.

Graduate students absorb and generate the energy and enthusiasm so important to dynamic film scholarship thanks to the bustling intellectual climate at the Humanities Quadrangle, where faculty and students meet continually—almost daily it seems—around screenings, lectures, conferences and workshops, some initiated by the graduate students themselves. 

By design the doctorate in Film and Media Studies at Yale is always undertaken in combination with one of ten other disciplines in the Humanities (African-American Studies, American Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages and Literatures, English, French, German, History of Art, Italian, Slavic Languages and Literatures).   It was thought, and has proven true, that upon completing their degrees, students who are prepared for positions in both Film and Media and in another discipline would hold a particular advantage, and not merely because of the wider range of openings available to them in the job market, but because the calculated interdisciplinarity of their research makes them stand out. Thoroughly grounded in Film and Media Studies, they become expert in certain of its issues by offering authoritative perspectives and methods that derive from systematic work with the outstanding faculty and graduate students in another Yale department or program. Our students are welcomed throughout the Humanities on campus as they enliven traditional disciplines with the images, sounds, and ideas they bring from Film and Media Studies.

The faculty and its curriculum represent a full range of topics that have been at the center of Film Studies from its outset: theory, criticism, and history, plus cultural approaches to American, European, Latin American and Japanese national cinemas.  Naturally, as the field and its discipline evolve, so too do we, though always keeping ourselves based in this tradition. Transnational and global approaches bring the national cinemas, and their specialists, into productive contact. Overarching concerns involving technological, aesthetic, social and cultural issues (especially race and gender), have developed to the point that in 2015 the Program added “Media” to its name and mission. FMS, as our Program is now called for short, officially embraces images and sounds from an array of sources and channels, especially as these coexist and intertwine with cinema, something that has occurred throughout its long history.  We study that history as well as the challenge and possibilities of “new media,” which we know to be on the minds of graduate students. This keeps Yale’s Program vigilant as it looks to the past for cues about ways to best approach the future. The faculty recognizes that graduate students must be in the lead of an evolving discipline, and so encourages them to take up the most current developments and debates. The goal of the Program’s pedagogy is to provide its current students with a steady anchor in what the discipline has been, so that they can confidently and creatively participate at the highest level in its discourse and institutions, leading it forward while passing continuing its legacy.

Cinema Studies (PhD)

Program description.

The Cinema Studies Ph.D. program prepares students to develop teaching competence and to pursue research in cinema and media studies. The curriculum draws on the methods of a number of disciplines, including art history, cultural studies, American studies, psychoanalytic theory, and philosophy and involves intensive seminar-level study in film theory, history, and research methods. Graduates of the program have gone onto positions of academic leadership in the field. The Doctor of Philosophy degree is conferred for advanced studies in which the student demonstrates outstanding original scholarship. It signifies the student can conduct independent research and has both a broad basic knowledge of all areas of his or her field and a comprehensive knowledge of one field in particular. A doctoral candidate must complete all requirements no later than ten years from matriculation or seven years from the time of his or her matriculation if the candidate holds a master’s degree.

A previously earned master’s degree is required for applicants wishing to enter directly into the doctoral program.  A completed MA or MS is generally required for consideration.

In addition to the general Tisch Graduate Application, please prepare the following:

A  professional résumé  listing academic background, work experience, honors, affiliations with professional organizations, papers presented at conferences, published work, language ability, etc.

A  statement of purpose  (two to three double-spaced pages) outlining your academic and professional background, goals, and what you hope to gain from the program.

A  writing sample  (15-20 double-spaced pages) that reflects your ability to carry out sustained critical, theoretical, and/or historical thinking on film, television, video, and/or new media. In the absence of a moving image–related topic, a piece of writing on a subject in the arts or humanities is acceptable.

Please attach the documents to the online application, including copies of academic transcripts (both undergraduate and masters) and two letters of recommendation.  

Note: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is no longer a required component for admission to this program.

Program Requirements

Film/media history written qualifying exams i and ii, area oral qualifying exam, foreign language requirement, dissertation defense, submission and approval, departmental approval.

Students must complete a total of 72 credits. Students are permitted to take up to two classes outside the department or as independent study. A student interested in independent study must obtain approval from a full-time faculty member after submitting a statement of purpose and a proposed bibliography.

Additional Program Requirements

Students must complete two Film/Media History written exams.

Students must complete an oral exam in a third area. The oral exam comprises questions relating to your specific area of research during your dissertation proposal

Students must demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language. Six languages are accepted toward fulfilling this requirement: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Students for whom English is a second language may request an exemption from this requirement. To demonstrate proficiency, you must pass an exam from either the department or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Students must successfully defend their dissertation, and submit for approval.

All Graduate School of Arts & Science doctoral candidates must be approved for graduation by their department for the degree to be awarded.

Sample Plan of Study

Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation ( MAINT-GA 4747 ) course.  All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

• Make lasting and original scholarly contributions to the field of cinema and media studies.
• Master the concepts and research methodologies that will enable them to conduct independent research.
• Demonstrate advanced levels of oral and written scholarly communication, including effective and appropriate use of technology in presentations and the production of works. that are of sufficient quality for publication and conference acceptance.
• Develop an understanding of the norms of professional conduct.

NYU Policies

Graduate school of arts and science policies.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page . 

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Film and Visual Studies

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Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema, media, and visual studies. This exciting, vital interdisciplinary program places you at the crossroads of creative and innovative fields of research.

You will experience a dialogue among the expanded field of moving image culture, visual arts, spatial studies, and media studies. You will be at the forefront of pressing research that represents the global future and can make a real difference, among scholars who are often artists and filmmakers, in a program that encourages a mix of artmaking and art-thinking.

The research pursued is at the center of the critical debates of our times. Examples of work published by alumni of the department include “Re-Vision: Moving Images Media, The Self, and Ethical Thought in the 20th Century” and “Land Cinema in the Neoliberal Age.”

Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at prestigious institutions including Cornell University, UC Santa Cruz, Emerson College, Colgate University, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Others have gone on to start their own businesses and become artists, writers, and curators.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Film and Visual Studies and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies . 

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Film and Visual Studies .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and must be between 15 to 20 pages, in 12-point font, double-spaced, with normal margins. The writing sample must be an example of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on a subject directly related to film, performance, and/or visual studies. You should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should give the admissions committee a clear sense of your individual interests and strengths. You do not need to indicate precisely what your field of specialization will be, but it is helpful to know something about your aspirations, and how Film and Visual Studies at Harvard might help in attaining these goals.

Strong language background helps to strengthen the application, and students who lack it should be aware that they will need to fill this gap before they can take the general examinations.

While the overall GPA is important, it is more important to have an average of no lower than A- in courses related to film and visual studies or related fields. In addition, if you have not majored in film studies or a related field, it is important to have sufficient background to enter the graduate program.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Film and Visual Studies

See list of Film and Visual Studies faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Cinema & Media Studies MA

Whether aiming for a career in academia or the bustling world of entertainment, the Cinema and Media Studies Program at UCLA equips students with historical insights, theoretical frameworks, and practical skills to navigate an ever-evolving media landscape.

Two distinct MA tracks are presented within CMS: the Academic Track and the Professional Track.

World-Class Faculty

Sean Metzger

Veronica Paredes

Shawn Vancour

Requirements.

The CMS Media Professions MA Degree Track is an MA for students planning to pursue careers in film and media festival programming, archives, and the entertainment industry. The degree can be completed in three quarters, but students are permitted to take up to seven quarters to complete. This degree offers the option of a professional internship, which students should begin to seek in their first quarter of residency. Completing the Media Professions MA Degree Track requires successful completion of 36 units and at least 9 courses.

The PhD Program is intended primarily for students who wish to build a career around excellence in university teaching and research. The PhD Program requires successful completion of a minimum of 7 Core Courses and at least 7 elective courses (not counting those completed at the Masters level) and successful completion of the Intellectual Statement, Sixth Quarter Review, Comprehensive Exam, Prospectus Review, Foreign Language Requirement at level three or higher and successful submission and defense of the Dissertation.

CMS Media Professions MA Degree Track

Completing the Media Professions MA Degree Track requires successful completion of 36 units and at least 9 courses, which consist of the following:

Required: 4 Core Courses: These courses are required during the 1st year in the CMS Media Professions MA Degree Track.

• FTV 210 Common Course (Fall)
• FTV 215 Theory and Method (Fall)
• FTV 211 Historiography: Media, History and the Archive (Winter)
• FTV 213 Capstone Seminar (Spring)

Required: 5 Elective Graduate Seminar Courses

• A maximum of two elective courses may be taken outside of CMS.

Recommended: Internship:

• FTV 498 Professional Internship: students are encouraged to seek internships as part of their professional development. This course is recommended but not required.

Recommended: Teaching Assistant Training

• FTV 495A, Section 1 TA Training: students are encouraged to enroll in the TA Training course. Students who have been awarded at Teaching Assistant position or who wish to apply, must have completed or be currently enrolled in 495A to accept a TA position (offered one time/year in fall).

Recommended: CMS Colloquium

• FTV 212 CMS Colloquium (Fall, Winter): students are encouraged to enroll in or attend the CMS Colloquium during all quarters to participate in screenings, research presentations and discussions. May be repeated for credit. Even if students are not enrolled, they are encouraged to attend the lectures as a practice of engaging in the intellectual community of the program.

CMS Ph.D. Degree Track

The PhD Program requires successful completion of a minimum of 7 Core Courses and at least 7 elective courses (not counting those completed at the Masters level) and successful completion of the Intellectual Statement, Sixth Quarter Review, Comprehensive Exam, Prospectus Review, Foreign Language Requirement at level three or higher and successful submission and defense of the Dissertation.

Year One 2023-2024: 4 Core Courses, Intellectual Statement

• FTV 495A Teaching Assistant Training (does not need to be repeated if taken during MA)
• FTV 210 Common Course (with all of FTVDM incoming MA, MFA, and PhD students) (Fall)
• First Quarter reflection (500 word-minimum) & Five-Year-Plan (Due beginning of Winter Quarter)
• FTV 211 Historiography (Winter)
• Academic Progress Report/Intellectual Statement (Spring)[1]
• Begin taking courses toward language requirement
• Establish California residency (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only)
• Academic Progress Report (April 1 st )

Funding and Fellowship Applications (Strongly Recommended): 

• Apply for Donor Awards (Deadline: Winter) Applications due Jan. 15
• Apply for Graduate Summer Research Mentorship (GSRM) (Deadline: Winter) or Foreign Language and Area S tudies Fellowship (FLAS)
• Apply for Graduate Research Mentorship (GRM) Applications by Jan. 15
• Consult UCLA Fellowship website to find other internal and external funding sources: https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/
• Apply for TAships for summer (Jan. 15) and next AY ( Deadline: March 15 )

[1] The Intellectual Statement is an end-of-the-year review of progress for students in the PhD program. It is designed to assess the milestones, development, and epiphanies that occurred, as well as to talk through any problem areas or concerns. It should also elaborate plans for the upcoming summer. Each student will meet with their advisor to discuss their progress and plans. See the CMS Milestones doc for more details.

Summer after Year 1: Recommended Research Development Milestones

• Start to prepare a paper you have written for presentation or publication
• Investigate conferences related to your research topic
• Begin to consider what fields you will cover in your exams
• Reach out to potential advisors before the Fall
• Begin to develop and hone central research questions by reading in your prospective subfields and developing preliminary reading lists
• Begin gathering prospective primary materials for your proposed dissertation (develop a media-filmography, visit archives, identify potential interviewees, visit potential field sites)
• Continue progress toward completion of language requirement

Year Two/Academic Year 2024-2025: 2 Core Courses, the 6 th Quarter Review and Completion of the PhD Study Plan

• FTV 274 Research Design A (Bibliography and Exam Prep) (Fall)
• Exam Lists ( End of Fall , should be sent to Brian Brown and all of your advisors)
• FTV 274 B (Exam Prep with advisors)
• PhD Comprehensive Exam ( End of Winter /Stipend quarter)
• (If you pass the exam you can move to the next stage and prepare for your prospectus, if you fail your first attempt you can re-sit the exam at the end of Spring Quarter, but if you fail your second attempt the Program will recommend you for dismissal from the program).
• FTV 274 Research Design III (Writing the Prospectus) (Spring)
• Continued progress toward language requirement (must be completed by the end of the 3 rd Year)
• Prospectus Review (End of Spring)

       Funding and Fellowship Applications (Strongly Recommended): 

• Apply for outside fellowships (Deadline: Fall)
• Apply for Donor Awards (Deadline: Winter)
• Apply for Graduate Research Mentorship (GRM)
• Apply for TAships for summer and next AY (Deadline: Spring).

Take a stipend term in Winter to prepare for exams: The winter stipend term is meant to provide time for intensive reading and towards the exam at the end of the term. You should plan to meet with your faculty regularly during the term. Read for exams on the basis of lists created in bibliography course; plan which conferences you will attend in the coming year.

Summer after Year 2: Recommended Research Development Milestones

This summer is meant to provide time for intensive writing / revision of your prospectus and preparing for the advancement-to-candidacy meeting/oral exam in the Fall. You should plan to meet with your faculty committee regularly during the summer.

Year Three 2025-2026: Nomination of Doctoral Committee and Advancement to Candidacy

• Advancement to Candidacy/Nomination of Doctoral Committee (Fall) (Contingent upon language requirement completion, passing comprehensive exams and passing the preliminary dissertation review by CMS faculty)

Winter/Spring/Summer Year 3: Post Advancement to Candidacy:

In this period, you will finish your required classes at UCLA, though you may continue to develop your research skills through auditing seminars. The post-advancement time requires close coordination with your dissertation chair and intensive independent dissertation research. You will be coordinating with your chair to create a timeline for the completion of your dissertation research (see advising timeline template linked in the CMS Milestones document). It is recommended that you also actively participate in major conferences, including SCMS and/or other related conferences (American Studies Association, Film History conference, Screen, or others).

• Apply for outside fellowships for dissertating students
• Apply for TAships for summer and next AY (Deadline Spring)

Years 3, 4, 5

• Dissertation research and writing, in close consultation with your Dissertation Chair.
• Continued submission of Academic Progress Reports April 1 st .
• By the end of year 4 you should have one completely finished chapter (if you want to apply for a DYF, you need 2 completed chapters by the end of January in order to apply for a DYF)
• By December of year 5 you should have two completely finished chapters (and apply for a DYF)

Year 6 (contingent on external funding)

Continued time for dissertation research and writing, pending external funding (e.g., DYF)

Normative time to degree is 6 th year, we cannot fund or promise any funding beyond year 5.  After your 8 th year you will have to reapply to the program.

PhD Program Reminders:

Required During Years One – Three: 5 Elective Graduate Seminar Courses. A maximum of 2 of elective courses may be taken outside of CMS. Additional permitted by petition.

Required During Years One-Three: Language Requirement Courses & Petition. Completion of level 3 language training or higher (as determined by Dissertation Committee) must be provided prior to student Advancement to Candidacy.

Recommended During Years One-Three: Colloquium. Students are encouraged to enroll in or attend Colloquium during all quarters to participate in screenings, research presentations and discussions. May be repeated for credit.

• FTV 212 CMS Colloquium

World-Class Students

Scott Brockman Varnado

Krystal Ledesma

Iftin Abshir

Doug Cummings

PhD Program

The Media Arts and Practice PhD program offers a rigorous and creative environment for scholarly innovation as students explore the intersections of cinema, design, emerging media and critical thinking while defining new forms of cinematic experience, research and scholarship for the 21st century.

Core to the program is its transdisciplinary ethos, its open curriculum and its commitment to the union of critical thinking and making. After completing foundational coursework, students design their own curricula, drawing on expertise within all of the divisions and research labs within the School of Cinematic Arts, and in other schools across the USC campus. The areas of research investigated by MA+P PhD students are broad, and currently include attention to these core themes: interactive architecture; media activism; affect; wearables; world building; database documentary; embodiment and tangible interfaces; sustainability and technology; technology and ethics; critical and creative code; sound; design and speculative fiction; games and interactivity; digital historiography; neuro-cinematics; expanded and spatialized cinema; multimodal scholarship; performativity; pervasive/locative media; and immersive journalism.

• View Degree Requirements in the USC Catalogue
• Application Instructions
• Current PhD Student Directory
• PhD Alumni Directory

Program Objectives

• Knowledge of the history, theory and evolution of 20th and 21st century media art, critical theory and digital scholarship in the humanities context.
• Understanding of the diverse types of practices within the broad concept of media art, including new media, electronic art, internet art, media installation, immersive media, pervasive and locative media, ambient storytelling, media activism and social media.
• Understanding of arts-based research practices, and the development of the ability to articulate an appropriate research methodology for a given research question.
• Development of diverse media production skills appropriate to specific research projects, including collaboration, project planning, budgeting and scoping, and skills in visual storytelling, design fiction, audio design, tangible media and other emerging forms of media production.
• Ability to articulate ideas and concepts using written, oral, visual and interactive communication skills and an appreciation of emerging forms of textuality and digital scholarship that facilitate the sharing of ideas within scholarly networks.
• Understanding of disciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and the formation of new fields of inquiry and objects of study.
• Understanding of the legal and ethical rights and responsibilities associated in working with digital media.
• Appreciation of core cultural themes related to contemporary digital media, including access, surveillance and privacy, participation and global citizenship.
• Ability to unite theory and practice in the creation of a dissertation project that includes a clear and appropriate research methodology; that embodies concepts or communicates ideas through interaction with the project; and that exemplifies innovative scholarly research and communication.

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Graduate Programs

We are now accepting applications to our M.A. and Ph.D. programs in Cinema and Media Studies (CMS). Both programs are fully funded through teaching assistantships, making our MA program one of the few non-fee based film studies programs in the United States. 

Our commitment to graduate training is a point of pride. In addition to providing high-quality and rigorous academic training, our faculty stress the importance of maintaining robust research programs while gaining extensive teacher training and classroom experience. Our graduate students have had a strong record of attaining graduate fellowships and awards to help support dissertation writing and research. CMS fosters graduate student research through multi-year projects and colloquia on the moving image, Chinese visual culture, television history, and more. Past graduate seminars have included Cinema of Small Nations, Media Archaeology, Public Spheres Public Media, and Film and the Photographic Imaginary. New seminars further this diversity of topics while being consolidated under the titles Aesthetics, Historiography, MediaLab, and National Frameworks.

Our most recent PhDs have accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California Berkeley, a tenure-track position at Humboldt State University, a LSA Collegiate Fellowship at the University of Michigan, and a Visiting Lecturer position at Wellesley College. In previous years, our graduate students have moved into successful careers in academia, education, business, translation, and public service. For more information on our record of academic placements, please visit this  page .

CMS faculty have demonstrated excellence in teaching and scholarship and are recognized leaders in the field. They have won national and international awards, including an AMPAS Film Academy Award, a NEH Fellowship, a NEA Creative Writing Fellowship, a Levenson Book Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, Kovacs Prizes, and more. The department is also home to the editors of  the Journal of Chinese Cinemas  and  Feminist   Media   Histories . Visit our  faculty pages  to find out more.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or advice. We look forward to hearing from you!

James Tweedie, Director of Graduate Studies  [email protected]  

Why choose Cinema and Media at UW?

• UW ranked No. 8 in global ranking; No. 2 among US public institutions.
• Fantastic faculty with books across disciplines and fields.
• Outstanding placement record for our doctorates. Meet an alum here .
• Teaching assistantships and fellowships support your progress through the PhD and MA  programs.
• The Walter Chapin Simpson Center for the Humanities offers fellowships, research opportunities, and a diverse program of events, lectures, and symposia in the Humanities.
• UW Libraries offer an extensive collection of non-English literature, hard to find film, and television, and special librarians for Comparative Literature and for  Cinema and Media .
• The MediArcade offers vintage 16mm film, digital video editing equipment, a music archive, and video game consoles.
• A chance to work across disciplines within the Humanities and outside of it with DXARTS and the Performance Studies programs.
• Local cultural institutions such as the Seattle Art Museum , Wing Luke Museum , Northwest Film Forum , and the Museum of Pop Culture .
• The Seattle International Film Festival !

The Graduate Program of the Department of Cinema & Media Studies offers the following options, programs, and certificates:

• M.A. in Cinema and Media Studies
• Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies
• Graduate Certificate in Cinema and Media Studies

After choosing the program that is right for you, you may Apply to the Graduate Program .

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Ph.d. in film & digital media.

The Ph.D. program in Film and Digital Media challenges the traditionally conceived borders between creative and critical practice. The program enables potential dialogue between creative practice and theoretical knowledge as related forms of intellectual work and provides the conditions for students to realize a wide range of possible projects, including those that exist across the traditional divides of critical studies and production. Focusing on a diverse range of cultural production that includes cinema, television, video art, and Internet-based media, the Ph.D. program participants interrogate the historical, aesthetic, political, ideological, and technological aspects of these media forms across a range of international contexts, investigating their points of connection and convergence as well as their relationship to broader cultural and historical change. The program thus prepares students for intellectually informed creative practice as well as theoretical and critical production in a range of environments, not limited to traditional academic contexts. 

Integrating critical and creative practice:  

In our research and teaching, we explore the intersections of what have been, or have become, separated modes in our field of media studies: theory and practice. We seek to nurture dialogue between creative practice and scholarly inquiry as related forms of intellectual work.

Working across media: 

Our approach to media studies and media production incorporates a range of technologies and platforms, stressing their historical and intertextual relationships.

Pursuing new modes of social and political engagement: 

Media literacy, broadly defined, is an essential component of participation in our increasingly mediated lives. A new generation of media makers and media interpreters has the power to re-shape the world.

Fostering global cultural citizenship: 

Making and studying media today necessitates a global and historical perspective. By thinking and working across boundaries of nation, culture and identity, we are creating new forms of knowledge and new media forms that respect and investigate differences of race, class, gender, sexuality and nation.

Film and Digital Media Ph.D. Program Learning Outcomes

Students who earn a Ph.D. in Film and Digital Media will gain the skills, knowledge, and understanding that will enable them to:

1. Demonstrate that student’s critical study of media informs the student’s media-making practices 2. Demonstrate knowledge of video and/or digital media production 3. Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills appropriate doctoral work in to the discipline of film and digital media 4. Demonstrate research skills appropriate to doctoral work in the discipline of film and digital media 5. Demonstrate scholarly writing skills appropriate to doctoral work in the discipline of film and digital media

Prospective Applicants:

Candidates must have demonstrated skill in critical, theoretical and historical scholarship, and a demonstrated interest in film, television, video and new media studies. We are particularly interested in candidates with demonstrated experience in some form of artistic production, and an interest in combining creative work with critical and theoretical study. 

Candidates should also be aware that we will prioritize those who, in their application, outline a project or form of work that integrates critical and creative work together in a hybrid form that would be difficult or impossible to pursue in a either a conventional humanities program or a studio or production degree program. The Ph.D. program in Film & Digital Media is designed to provide a platform for the creation of hybrid work that would not be possible to accomplish elsewhere.

For program requirements, please review our  Program Statement

For more information about UCSC applications, consult the  Graduate Division  website and their  Admissions Pages.

Since its founding in 1995, the academic program in Cinema and Media Studies has assembled a group of leading scholars in the field and developed a world-wide reputation for original, rigorous, and influential scholarship. With the growth and definition of its undergraduate and graduate curricula, the department has been attracting an impressive succession of students with a wide range of interests and backgrounds; they have not only been creating a vibrant community for film and new media on campus, but have also gone on to garner prestigious awards, fellowships, and academic teaching positions.

The work of the Cinema and Media Studies department is vitally supported by the Film Studies Center, which houses a large collection of 35mm and 16mm films, video and DVD materials, and includes holdings from the Library of Congress Paper Print collection and Black Images collection. The FSC provides teaching and screening spaces and individual viewing facilities, and presents a rich program of lectures and special screening events.  

Media Arts and Design Program

In 2021, the Cinema and Media Studies department launched a new major in Media Arts and Design. Students focusing in Media Arts and Design will be trained in critical, formal, theoretical, and historical thinking and analysis. The curriculum fosters discussion and writing skills as well as creativity and experimentation. Students gain the tools to approach today’s media environment and industries with critical, historical, and cultural perspectives.  

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• Media Arts, Data, and Design Center

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19th Annual Graduate Student Conference: Playing with Animals

Guerrilla Television: The Revolutions of Early Independent Video

MAAD Expo 2024: April 12

The Mitchell Cobey Lecture on Cinema: Jacqueline Stewart

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Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies  

The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard offers a graduate program in Film and Visual Studies leading to a PhD.

The Department also offers a secondary field in Film and Visual Studies for students already admitted to PhD programs in other departments in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The study of film at Harvard functions within the multi-disciplinary examination of audio-visual experience. From Hugo Münsterberg's pathbreaking forays into the psychological reception of moving images and Rudolf Arnheim’s seminal investigations of "visual thinking" to Paul Sachs’s incorporation of film into the academic and curatorial focus of the fine arts at Harvard and Stanley Cavell’s philosophical approaches to the medium, Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema and the cultural, visual, spatial, and philosophical questions that it raises. With their emphases on experimentation in the contemporary arts and creative collaboration among practitioners and critics, the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) and the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts provide a singular and unparalleled site for advanced research in Film and Visual Studies. The program aims to foster critical understanding of the interactions between the making of and thinking about film and video, between studio art, performance, and visual culture, and between different arts and pursuits whose objects are audio-visual entities. The Carpenter Center also supports a lively research culture, including the Film and Visual Studies Colloquium and a Film and Visual Studies Workshop for advanced doctoral students, as well as lecture series and exhibitions featuring distinguished artists, filmmakers, and scholars.

Interdisciplinary in its impetus, the program draws on and consolidates course offerings in departments throughout the Faculty of Arts and Sciences which consider film and other arts in all their various countenances and investigate the place of visual arts within a variety of contexts. Graduate students may also take advantage of the significant resources of the Harvard Film Archive (HFA), which houses a vast collection of 16mm and 35mm film prints as well as rare video materials, vintage film posters, photographs, and promotional materials. The HFA furthers the artistic and academic appreciation of moving image media within the Harvard and the New England community, offering a setting where students and faculty can interact with filmmakers and artists. In early 2003, the HFA opened a new Conservation Center that allows the HFA conservator and staff to accession new films as well as to preserve its significant collections of independent, international, and silent films.

Students and faculty in Film and Visual Studies are also eligible to apply to the Harvard Film Study Center for fellowships which are awarded annually in support of original film, video, and photographic projects. Established in 1957, the Film Study Center provides production equipment, post-production facilities, technical support, and funding for nonfiction works that interpret the world through images and sounds. Among the many important films to have been produced at the Film Study Center are John Marshall's The Hunters (1956), Robert Gardner's Forest of Bliss (1985), Irene Lusztig's Reconstruction (2001), Ross McElwee's Bright Leaves (2003), Peter Galison and Robb Moss’s Secrecy (2008), Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor's Sweetgrass (2009), Véréna Paravel and J.P. Sniadecki’s Foreign Parts (2011), Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s Leviathan (2013) and De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022), Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez’s Manakamana (2014), Mati Diop’s Atlantiques (2019), Ernst Karel and Veronika

Kusumaryati’s Expedition Content (2020), and Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós’ Dry Ground Burning (2022).

Images:  Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine  (2005), directed by Peter Tscherkassky, from a print in the collection of the Harvard Film Archive.

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Graduate Contacts

Laura Frahm Director of Graduate Studies 

Emily Amendola Graduate Coordinator Film and Visual Studies Program (617) 495-9720 amendola [at] fas.harvard.edu  

FAQs about the Graduate Program

My native language is not english; do i have to take the an english language proficiency exam.

Adequate  command of spoken and written English  is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Receiving an undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.*
• Earning a minimum score of 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the ...

When is the application deadline for admission to the Ph.D. program in Film and Visual Studies?

December 15, 2023

Where can I obtain an admissions application?

Applications are found on the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website ( https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply ). 

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Welcome to the Film and Media Studies Ph.D. Program

UC Irvine’s PhD program in Film and Media Studies offers students the opportunity to study and develop original research on film, television, and digital media. Rooted in the Humanities, we focus on interpreting the histories and theories of media and their cultural contexts.

Our curriculum provides a broad foundation in Film and Media Studies while also centering questions of media and power. Our course offerings emphasize post-colonial and decolonial approaches to film and media, queer theory and histories of gender and sexuality, critical race studies, video game studies, and archival research. We seek students who are deeply invested in understanding the perspectives of those who have been pushed to the margins of media technology, industries, and texts and in exploring the relationships between culture, identity, history, and power.

Located near Los Angeles, UC Irvine offers access to the rich cultural offerings and research institutions of Southern California. Students may choose to supplement their Film and Media Studies degree with interdisciplinary graduate certificates in Asian American Studies , Chicano/Latino Studies , Critical Theory , Feminist Studies , Latin American Studies , and/or Visual Studies .

We admit all students, with BAs or MAs, directly into the PhD program in small cohorts with multi-year funding packages. We encourage prospective students to review our faculty profiles and contact the faculty members who work in their potential areas of interest before applying to learn more about their research, teaching, and advising.

Prospective students interested in the Ph.D. Program in Visual Studies, administered by the Department of Art History, can find more information here .

Meet the Film and Media Studies Faculty and learn about their research interests.

The annual admissions deadline is December 1 .

Complete applications will include:

• A Statement of Purpose (1200 words maximum) that describes your research interests and reasons for seeking a PhD. The Statement of Purpose should indicate how your proposed research correlates to our program's emphases and how you will benefit from working with specific core faculty. You can find information about faculty research interests here.  

• A Personal History Statement (1200 word maximum) that describes your educational accomplishments and goals. It is important to communicate whether you have experienced unique or significant opportunities, challenges, and/or obstacles in your pursuit of an education. Please also describe the career paths you plan to pursue after graduation.

• A sample of academic writing that demonstrates original thinking, clear writing and your preparedness to do graduate-level work in film and media studies.

• Length: A minimum of ten pages to a maximum of thirty pages. Any submission longer than the maximum will not be reviewed past the maximum page limit.
• You may submit two pieces of work as long as their combined length does not exceed the page limit.
• In the event you have a longer piece of work to submit, such as a Master's thesis or Undergraduate research paper, please submit a chapter or section of the work within the page restriction.

• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty with whom you have studied.

• Transcripts.

• Results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam for international applicants for whom English is not their primary language.

For academic questions (questions about program requirements, the application review process, funding opportunities, etc.) please contact the Graduate Director, Professor Kristen Hatch ([email protected]). 

For administrative questions (questions about how to apply, paying the application fee, application materials, etc.) please contact the Graduate Coordinator, Amy Fujitani ([email protected]). 

To apply, click here .

Course Requirements

Required Core Courses (6 courses)

FLM&MDA 285A: Film Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285B: Television Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285C: Digital Media and Game Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 286A: Film and Media Studies Historiography.

FLM&MDA 286B: Media/Power/Culture.

FLM&MDA 286C: Methods and Research Design.

Elective Courses (7 courses)

FLM&MDA 291: Graduate Seminar in Film and Media Studies. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 292: Graduate Seminar in Film & Media Critical Practice. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 295: Directed Reading. Repeatable as topics vary.

Required Practicums in Film and Media Studies (4 courses)

FLM&MDA 287: Practicum in Pedagogy.

FLM&MDA 288A: Practicum in Professionalization I.

FLM&MDA 288B: Practicum in Professionalization II.

FLM&MDA 288C: Practicum in Professionalization III.

Required Supporting Course (1 course)

FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum.

Students must take three elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining two electives can be taken within or outside the department.

Students entering with a MA may petition to have up to three elective courses waived, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. Students who have had three courses waived must take two elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and one outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining elective can be taken within or outside the department.

During the third through sixth years in the program, students normally enroll in variable-unit courses as follows:

FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination.

FLM&MDA 297: Prospectus Research.

FLM&MDA 299: Dissertation Research.

First-Year Review

Students are required to select and confirm their Primary Advisor by the end of the first year.

At the end of the Spring quarter, the Film and Media Studies faculty will review the performance and progress of each first-year student and provide written evaluation of their work. This evaluation will include an assessment of the student’s ability to complete independent research.

A positive assessment indicates that the student is making good progress.

A cautionary assessment will be accompanied by a description of specific improvements that a student must make in order to advance to candidacy in the third year.

A negative overall assessment will place the student on Academic Conditional Status. Faculty will give written feedback with specific areas for improvement and a timeline for future expectations of academic progress. Students who fail to demonstrate improvement may be recommended for dismissal from the program without a degree.

MA Requirements

All students apply for and are accepted into the doctoral program.

Students who enter the PhD program with a prior graduate degree (MA or beyond) in Film and Media Studies or a related discipline may petition to waive up to three electives, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. These students may also petition to waive the MA exam requirement in recognition of their prior degree; normatively, this will be approved. In these cases, students will not complete the MA exam requirement nor earn a second MA en route to the PhD. Film and Media Studies faculty will determine what graduate degree fields qualify as related disciplines. Students entering with an MFA will typically be required to complete the MA exam unless the Graduate Committee determines that the degree is equivalent to an MA.

Students who have not earned an MA in a relevant field prior to matriculating in the Film and Media Studies PhD program must earn an MA degree as part of the PhD program. The program does not offer a stand-alone or terminal MA, except in instances when a student does not continue in the program toward earning the PhD.

In order to earn the MA degree, the student must

1. Satisfactorily complete six foundational courses (FLM&MDA 285A, FLM&MDA 285B, FLM&MDA 285C, FLM&MDA 286A, FLM&MDA 286B, and FLM&MDA 286C);

2. Satisfactorily compete FLM&MDA 287;

3. Satisfactorily complete seven electives, three of which must be within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside the Department of Film and Media Studies;

4. Pass the MA Exam; and

5. File the necessary paperwork for conferral of degree with Graduate Division.

For the MA exam, the student will revise one seminar paper written while in the program and submit the revised paper before the start of the Spring quarter in their second year of study. 

The requirements for passing the MA exam are as follows:

• The revised paper must present a substantial and original argument;

• It must reflect substantive revision from the original paper, demonstrating additional research and/or reconceptualization and responsiveness to feedback;

• It must demonstrate a command of the relevant literature;

• It must present adequate evidence to support its claims;

• It must be clearly written in an appropriate academic style; and

• It must be formatted according to MLA or Chicago Manual of Style guidelines with proper citation and bibliography.

Ideally, this revised paper will demonstrate promise toward publication and toward the ability to develop a dissertation; however this is not a requirement at the MA stage.

This paper will be evaluated by a 3-person MA committee, which consists of the student’s primary advisor as chair and two additional department faculty members appointed by the Program Director in consultation with the student and the advisor. The MA committee will evaluate the student’s ability to identify a suitable research project and methodology, develop an argument, respond to faculty feedback, and make revisions. The committee will respond with feedback within three weeks of receiving the paper and may ask for a second round of reasonable revisions, to be completed before the end of the term.

The committee will unanimously decide whether the student has passed the MA exam and if they are eligible to proceed toward the PhD, taking into holistic account the exam (revised paper) results, input from the core Film and Media Studies faculty during the First-Year Review, and the student’s progress during the second year of course work. There are four possible determinations:

Positive: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams. This should be the outcome in the majority of cases.

Cautionary: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams but with areas for improvement communicated in writing to the student and advisor. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise outweigh a borderline exam or vice versa. This should be the outcome only in rare or extenuating circumstances.

MA Only: The student will earn the MA degree but is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise do not outweigh a borderline exam.

Negative: The exam is unacceptable. The student will not earn the MA degree and is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams.

Students may revise and resubmit the MA paper one additional time in case of a failure to pass.

By the end of their second year, students will work with their advisor to plan their Examination fields for the following year. No later than the end of Winter in the third year of study, students will establish a 5-person Qualifying Exam Committee, at least 51% of whose members, including the Dissertation Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. At least one committee member must be external to the department.

The student will receive one standardized bibliography and select two specialty field bibliographies on which they will be examined. In the Fall and Winter quarters of the third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination and complete reading the works on these three bibliographies. The three exam areas should serve to help the student define general areas of specialized competence that will aid them in establishing a broad base for the dissertation and in developing college-level courses. Students may not enroll in FLM&MDA 296 until all their other course requirements (with the exception of FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum) have been completed.

The Qualifying Examination will be administered by the Qualifying Exam Committee and will include both a written and an oral component. The written component will consist of at least one question for each Exam bibliography for which the student has completed readings. Students will write at least one essay for each respective Exam. Faculty may offer a range of questions for each bibliography, giving the student a choice of which question(s) to answer. The written component will be offered as a series of three remote exams to be completed within three respective 24-hour periods; questions and responses will be delivered electronically. The oral component of the exam will take place in conjunction with the Prospectus Defense during the Spring quarter of the student’s third year.

Language Requirement 

Students will consult with the program Director and their principal advisor(s) to determine whether they must demonstrate or develop proficiency in a second language for their research. [1] If the program Director and principal advisor(s) determine that proficiency in a second language is required, the student must demonstrate this proficiency prior to advancing to candidacy. In the event a student does not need a second language to conduct doctoral research, they will not be required to demonstrate proficiency in a second language.

If determined to be required, the language requirement may be satisfied by one of the following means:

1. By passing the Film and Media Studies translation exam. A request must be made to the Film and Media Studies Staff within the first two weeks of the quarter the student wishes to take the exam.

2. By completing, with a grade of B or better, a language course at the 2C level or equivalent, with the exception of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which must be completed at the 3C level or equivalent.

3. By attaining a proficiency level of 2C on the Russian Exemption Exam or a proficiency level of 3C on the Chinese Exemption Exam offered by UCI's Academic Testing Center.

4. By petitioning the program. Grounds for a petition might include the student’s being a native speaker in a language other than English or having completed an equivalent language requirement at a different institution. The granting of this petition will remain at the discretion of the Graduate Director, although students dissatisfied with this determination may request the petition be considered by the full faculty. Students who have completed the language requirement at a different institution will need to submit transcripts with the petition. Students will inquire with the Graduate Coordinator to complete a petition.

Dissertation Prospectus and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

In the Spring of the student’s third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum and complete a prospectus that identifies the scope, approach, and rationale for their proposed dissertation. The student will present an oral defense of the prospectus to the Qualifying Exam Committee. When the prospectus has been unanimously approved by the Qualifying Exam Committee, the student will be advanced to doctoral candidacy. Students should have taken their preliminary examination, defended their dissertation prospectus, and advanced to doctoral candidacy no later than the end of Spring quarter of their third year. If a student will exceed the 3-year normative time to candidacy, they must petition by Spring quarter of their third year for an exception, presenting an approved plan for timely progress to candidacy.

In the event that a student does not pass the qualifying examination, consistent with UCI policy (Academic Senate Regulation 467) the student will be allowed one repeat attempt of the examination. This repeat examination will occur during the quarter following the initial examination.

Dissertation

The dissertation shall be an original research project of substantial length approved by the Doctoral Committee. Members of the student’s Doctoral Committee are noted on the PhD Form I: Advancement to Candidacy PhD Degree. The committee shall typically consist of the Doctoral Advisor and two additional faculty. At least 51% of the Doctoral Committee, including the Doctoral Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. The remaining members of the Doctoral Committee must satisfy Academic Senate requirements.

Dissertation Defense 

A final examination in the form of an oral defense of the dissertation is required for the PhD. This examination will be supervised by the Doctoral Committee and will be given just prior to the completion of the dissertation. The defense will be open to all members of the academic community. Faculty and graduate students of Film and Media Studies and the Graduate Dean will be given written notice of the date, time, and place of the examination at least five days in advance of the examination.

Time to Degree

The normative time to degree is six years (18 quarters). The first nine quarters are spent in pre-candidacy, the last 9 quarters in candidacy. Normatively, students will complete their course work within the first two years and prepare for and pass the Qualifying Examination and advance to candidacy in the third year. The maximum time to degree is seven years.

[1] Examples of when a second language would likely be necessary include Spanish proficiency for the study of Spanish-language media, Mandarin proficiency for study of media in Mainland China, or the relevant language for a project on non-English language transnational/diasporic media.

All students receive a five-year funding guarantee at admissions. This typically includes a combination of at least one fellowship year and multiple years of Teaching Assistantships. Additional competitive scholarships, fellowships, and summer stipends may also be available.

Students also receive tuition and fee remission, including non-resident (out-of-state or international) tuition during this period. Domestic students coming from outside of California will be expected to establish state residency during their first year; otherwise, they will need to cover their non-resident tuition fees.

TAships may be in Film and Media Studies undergraduate courses or for courses in other Departments or Programs.

Funding beyond the fifth year is not guaranteed, but TAships or other opportunities are often available.

The graduate emphasis in Film and Media Studies prepares students in any M.A., Ph.D., or M.F.A. program to analyze film and media texts, contexts, and industries. The emphasis requires that students complete four seminars, two of which are in the Film and Media Studies PhD core series (FMS 285A-C, FMS 286A-C) and two of which may be Film and Media Studies core or elective seminars (FMS 291, FMS 292, FMS 295).

Students who are currently enrolled in any MA, Ph.D., or M.F.A. program at UCI are eligible for admission to the Graduate Emphasis in Film and Media Studies.

Students who are interested in pursuing the graduate emphasis should contact the Graduate Director to indicate their interest in applying for the emphasis. Application materials include:

• an explanation of how their research and/or teaching will benefit from completing the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis;
• current CV;
• brief letter of approval from the student’s primary advisor or program director;
• names of Film and Media Studies core faculty with whom they have worked or plan to work. Applicants who are not yet acquainted with Film and Media Studies core faculty may name the Graduate Director.

Application

To be considered for the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis, please submit an application . 

Questions? Please contact Amy Fujitani , Graduate Coordinator.

Contact Film and Media Studies

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PhD Application Procedures

Media Arts + Practice (MA+P) is an interdisciplinary storytelling program combining the study of contemporary digital media with hands-on production and research. Students learn to create experiences across several different platforms: still images, text, audio, video, interactivity, web-based interfaces, social media, mobile environments and physical computing. The curriculum focuses heavily on the exploration of emerging genres such as virtual reality, stereoscopy, transmedia storytelling and interactive performance. Core critical themes include data visualization, social change, remix, public interactivity, design fiction and worldbuilding. View the Media Arts + Practice website  here.

The Media Arts + Practice admission committee favors materials that indicate a diverse background in media production or Cinema & Media Studies, design and/or programming. The committee is also interested in experiences and activities that show a continuing or recent involvement with hybrid forms of new media-based scholarship. The committee ensures that all applicants are judged equitably by limiting evaluation to the items listed.

You must submit the SlideRoom Application titled: "Graduate PhD Media Arts + Practice Program".

You must access the SlideRoom Application via the "Go to SlideRoom" link in the SlideRoom tab in the Program Materials quadrant of the Graduate Application for Admission. The SlideRoom Application should only be accessed via this button in order for your applications to be linked and successfully submitted.

The personal statement should describe the applicant's motivations and career objectives and relate them to past experiences with media, design, programming or scholarly practice. In addition, applicants should describe a hybrid scholarly/creative project that exemplifies the type of work they want to pursue while in the program. Applicants are under no obligation to undertake this project if accepted to the program, but may consider this as an opportunity to present their research/design interests in concrete terms. We are looking for a sense of you as a unique individual and how your distinctive experiences, identities, values, and/or views of the world have shaped who you are. (3-5 pages, double-spaced)

The writing sample should demonstrate an applicant's ability to write with sophistication and clarity about matters of relevance to the theory and practice of media arts. Scripts and screenplays will not be accepted. (8-15 pages, double-spaced)

Provide the direct URL for your online media portfolio. The portfolio provides an opportunity for applicants to present creative work for which they were the primary creator, designer or programmer. In general, applicants are encouraged to emphasize quality over quantity in selecting materials for the portfolio. Time-based works should not total more than 15 minutes. Excerpts of longer works are welcome. Please ensure that your URL is public and remains available. URLs that require a login, expire or become inaccessible will not be considered.

The CV/resume should provide a record of the applicant's background and experience, including both professional and academic settings. Formal recognition - such as awards, publications, presentations, and jobs- should be noted.

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Spring 2024 Commencement: Tri-C Helps Monaie Farmer Find Her Dream

Kent state university graduate turned to tri-c when she wanted to become a veterinary technician.

Farmer, who always knew she wanted to work with animals, enrolled in the College’s Veterinary Technology program after graduating from KSU with a bachelor’s degree in zoology.  

After Tri-C, Farmer will continue to work at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, where she has been for five years.  

Farmer will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science during the College’s Spring Commencement on May 17 at the Wolstein Center.  

Tell us about yourself.    

I am the only one in my family in this field, so I went into it blindly. It was hard, but no one ever doubted my judgment. I am African American. In 2021, 82.1% of the veterinary technologists and technicians in the workforce were white. Of that 82.1%, women comprised 89.7%, and men comprised 10.3% (data from Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | Data USA ). My ethnicity is very small in this field, which has sometimes discouraged me a little. But everyone I have met has been so encouraging, and it helped me so much. I found that I love working in emergency care. I love how fast-paced it is.   

What made you choose Tri-C? When did you first enroll?   

I was originally going to apply to veterinary school after I finished my bachelor's, but halfway through, I decided not to pursue that goal anymore. I learned about becoming a registered veterinarian technician through my job and searched around for programs. I found Tri-C, which is very close to home. I graduated from KSU in 2021 and applied to Tri-C the same year. I got into the Veterinary Technician program in 2022.   

Describe your Tri-C experience. Has a specific person, class or event played a role in your success?   

My Tri-C experience has been wonderful. I have grown a lot in these past couple of years. My professors have been key to my success. Without the help of Associate Professor Terence Kline and Adjunct Faculty Heather Izanec, I would not have been able to grow in this field.   

How has Tri-C changed your life?   

Tri-C has helped me get closer to my goals. With Tri-C being so much closer and financially affordable for me, it helped in more ways than anyone could think of.   

Do you participate in student life at Tri-C (or have you in the past)? If so, please describe your experiences.   

I am part of the Vet Tech Club, where we meet, raise donations for shelters, care for the animals in our program, and work with every animal that comes through Tri-C so that when it’s their time to be adopted, they are socialized enough to go to new loving homes.   

Do you have any pearls of wisdom to share with students considering a similar degree or certificate program?   

No matter what you want to do in life, you should never let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. If you ever have doubts about anything, you should never put them to the side. I had doubts about going into this field when I decided not to become a veterinarian. But when I discovered I could become a vet tech, I was still able to accomplish my dream in a different way. Just because something doesn't go your way doesn't mean you have to stop.    

Tri-C will celebrate the academic achievements of its newest graduates during Commencement on May 17 at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland. Check our News and Events page leading up to the event for more highlights from the Class of 2024.   

May 12, 2024

Dylanne Weese, 216-987-4281 or [email protected]

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Kanbar Institute of Film & Television Graduate Film

Be a part of the next wave..

The Graduate Film program is an intensive three-year conservatory in the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television that trains students in the art of cinematic storytelling. We focus on helping writer/directors develop a narrative voice and the technical virtuosity to express that voice in cinema.

Students learn by doing, in the classroom and on set. They write, direct, and produce multiple films and exercises, shooting and crewing on each other's projects. Our students transition into the professional world with a reel of short films that showcase their talent, a feature film script, and a range of highly sought technical skills.

The Graduate Film Program offers a stimulating, challenging, and diverse creative community in the heart of Greenwich Village. Our faculty are working professionals who are committed to developing the next generation of filmmakers.

My students teach me.

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As Seinfeld Receives Honorary Degree at Duke, Students Walk Out in Protest

Following the walkout, the comedian, who has been vocal about his support for Israel, opted to take a lighter approach in his commencement speech.

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Dozens of Students Walk Out of Duke Commencement Ceremony

As the comedian jerry seinfeld received an honorary degree at duke university’s commencement, dozens of students walked out and chanted, “free palestine.” some also chanted mr. seinfeld’s name during the walkout..

From stage: “Big deal about our commencement speaker?” [crowd boos and cheers] Some in crowd: “Free Palestine!” Some in crowd: “Free Palestine!” Some in crowd: “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” From stage: “Thank you.”

By Eduardo Medina and Emily Cataneo

Reporting from Duke University’s campus in Durham N.C.

• May 12, 2024

Jerry Seinfeld knows his way around handling awkward moments onstage. Even so, the initial reception he faced at Duke University’s commencement on Sunday reflected a more complicated audience than usual.

As Mr. Seinfeld, who has recently been vocal about his support for Israel, received an honorary degree, dozens of students walked out and chanted, “Free, free Palestine,” while the comedian looked on and smiled tensely.

Many in the crowd jeered the protesters. Minutes later, as the last of the protesters were filing out, he approached the mic. His first words were: “Thank you. Oh my God, what a beautiful day.”

In his commencement speech, Mr. Seinfeld was mostly cautious, opting for a tight comedic script interspersed with life advice instead of a full-on response to the protests against his presence.

Still, in one part of his speech, he defended various types of privilege and appeared to hint at the elephant in the room.

“I grew up a Jewish boy from New York,” he said to applause from the crowd. “That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian.”

Outside Duke’s stadium, graduates walked around campus, chanting: “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.” When they arrived at a green space, they were joined by hundreds of other people — including faculty, relatives and other protesters — who organized a makeshift graduation for them.

As they prepared to throw their caps in the air, Mr. Seinfeld continued his speech inside Wallace Wade Stadium, telling students that while he admired their generation’s commitment to inclusivity and not hurting other people’s feelings, “it is worth the sacrifice of occasional discomfort to have some laughs.”

Mr. Seinfeld, who has two children who have attended Duke, has been uncharacteristically vocal about his support for Jews in Israel while doing press in recent weeks for his latest film, “Unfrosted,” which chronicles the invention of Pop-Tarts .

Typically an apolitical comedian who prefers punchy takes on ordinary observations, Mr. Seinfeld is now engaging in the type of celebrity activism that few associate with him, and that has drawn criticism and praise. Since the attacks of Oct. 7 in Israel, he has signed a letter in support of the country and posted an earnest message on social media about his devotion to it.

His wife, Jessica Seinfeld, a cookbook author, recently promoted on Instagram a counterprotest at the University of California, Los Angeles, that she said she had helped bankroll. (She condemned the violence that occurred at a later counterprotest.)

In December, Mr. Seinfeld traveled to Tel Aviv to meet with the families of hostages, soberly recounting afterward the missile attack that occurred during the trip.

Still, his comments on the issues have been somewhat modest.

“I don’t preach about it,” he told GQ last month. “I have my personal feelings about it that I discuss privately. It’s not part of what I can do comedically, but my feelings are very strong.”

On Sunday, Mr. Seinfeld played to the crowd, telling students: “You’re never going to believe this: Harvard used to be a great place to go to school. Now it’s Duke.”

Not everyone at Duke, however, was laughing at Mr. Seinfeld’s jokes.

The Rev. Dr. Stefan Weathers Sr., an ordained minister in the American Baptist Church who was awarded a Ph.D. in divinity, had written a letter before the ceremony to the university asking that the comedian be replaced, citing Mr. Seinfeld’s ongoing and strong support for Israel.

Shreya Joshi, a graduate and one of the organizers of the protest, said that after Duke selected Mr. Seinfeld as the speaker, she and other seniors, faculty members and pro-Palestinian supporters began organizing the walkout and an alternate graduation.

Ms. Joshi, 21, who studied history at Duke and will be attending law school at the University of Chicago, said that it was painful to have lost out on a high school graduation ceremony in 2020 because of the pandemic, and the seniors still wanted one this year, even if it meant creating one outside of the university’s official channels.

And that pain, she added, paled in comparison to what people in Gaza are experiencing.

“The fact that we were going to sit here and celebrate our own?” Ms. Joshi said. “It felt trivial in the face of all that. Have you seen the tiny violin? That’s how it felt.”

Ms. Joshi said that they had tried to leave the main commencement ceremony in the least disruptive way possible. They chose to leave as the honorary degree was being given to Mr. Seinfeld because “none of us particularly wanted to listen to Seinfeld.”

Eduardo Medina is a Times reporter covering the South. An Alabama native, he is now based in Durham, N.C. More about Eduardo Medina

Our Coverage of the U.S. Campus Protests

News and Analysis

Pomona College: At least one person was arrested after scuffles broke out among pro-Palestinian protesters , private security officers and police officers outside Pomona College’s commencement in Los Angeles.

U.W. Milwaukee: Protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will take down a pro-Palestinian encampment that had stood for two weeks under an agreement reached with the school , university officials said.

Duke: Dozens of students walked out  of Duke University’s commencement ceremony as Jerry Seinfeld, who has been vocal about his support for Israel, received an honorary degree.

Turning to Al Jazeera :  Students active in campus protests value the Arab news network’s on-the-ground coverage  and its perspective on the Israel-Hamas war. They draw distinctions between it and major American outlets.

Black Colleges :  The White House appears anxious about President Biden’s speech at Morehouse College, a historically Black institution. But for complex reasons, such campuses have had far less visible Gaza tensions .

A Different Approach :  University leaders in Britain have so far adopted a more permissive attitude to pro-Palestinian encampments than their U.S. counterparts. Here’s why .

UC Bearcat Bands en route to Egypt

Band to perform for strategic partner future university in egypt.

“Egypt gig band was NOT on my 2024 bingo card,” typed one member of the UC Bearcat Bands after receiving notice that a group was invited to perform for UC strategic partner institution Future University in Egypt (FUE).

A meme involving the C-paw among the pyramids soon followed, along with over 60 interested names on the sign-up sheet. Shortly after, students auditioned in a blind process — playing snippets of school songs called out in rapid succession — for the opportunity of a lifetime.

Whittled down to just 26 members of the marching band, director of bands Christopher Nichter and staff from UC International, the group will set off for a historic set of performances at FUE in mid-May.

For most U.S. band programs, travel is wholly dependent upon the success of athletic teams. International travel is an even rarer occasion, usually to locales with traditional parades, and takes months to years of planning.

However, because of FUE’s invitation, a portion of the UC marching band now has the opportunity to represent the University of Cincinnati far outside the walls of Nippert Stadium. 

The invitation

26 members of the marching band form "FUE" in honor of their Egyptian host university. Photo/Christopher Nichter

UC and FUE have been in partnership since 2013, beginning with UC professors reviewing FUE’s curricula for international quality standards. The partnership has since blossomed into regular student and professor exchanges, joint research projects, seminars and annual audits.

But what interest did FUE have in an American marching band? According to Gihan El Basiouny, manager of international affairs at FUE, chairman and university owner Khaled Hassan Azazy watched a video of UC’s marching band online and was interested in bringing a group to play for FUE’s students.

Through the respective international offices, the question was asked: was it possible for a marching band to travel to Cairo? Band director Nichter was open to the opportunity from the start.

“When UC International reached out to us about potentially bringing a band to Cairo, I was surprised, but ready to take on the trip. Who passes up the opportunity to go to Egypt?” Nichter explained. “The Bearcat Bands does its fair share of travel, but certainly not like this. We are so thankful to Future University in Egypt for hosting our students and demonstrating such an interest in American marching band culture and campus spirit.”

With assistance from UC International, the logistics fell into place. Many students had to apply for their first passport. What began as a simple question became a packed itinerary full of cultural and musical experiences for the chosen band students.

Now, band staff and students are preparing for the journey of a lifetime. For Gabe Beebe, a baritone saxophone player, the trip will be his first international excursion.

“It seemed like a lofty idea in the beginning. And now, we have plane tickets,” said Beebe. “It won't quite be the full band thing — all 270 of us — but it's just gonna be fun. I get to go play saxophone in Egypt.”

The band practices new music in preparation for their Egypt trip. Photo/Natalie Ochmann

The itinerary

Two days before takeoff, the students arrive back on campus for rehearsals—practicing drills for an unlined, outdoor courtyard instead of an American football field, running through their pep-tune repertoire and learning to work together as a much smaller group.

Then, they’re off for over a week. The journey to Cairo will take over a day between time changes, layovers and special baggage claim. Despite the daunting tasks ahead, the students are looking forward to the experience.

“It'll be awesome to see the raw excitement of the Egyptians,” noted Sara Marijolovic, a clarinetist in the band. “Here, Americans have a pre-formed opinion about band. This is something completely different, that's not very common.”

For two of the days, the band will play for students and faculty on FUE’s campus. Gameday favorites like Green Day’s “Holiday” or Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted” will likely make an appearance.

“Our hosts have asked us to really showcase the American collegiate experience, and that’s what we’re going to do,” said Nichter. “But we do have a few musical surprises to bridge between our cultures and show our gratitude for the experience. We’re all looking forward to this historic set of performances.”

Another two days will be filled with cultural adventures to museums, the Pyramids and even a dinner cruise on the Nile River. Throughout the rest of their time, band members and FUE students will connect and exchange cultures with one another.

Marijolovic notes that the combination of cultural exploration and exchange was a huge draw for her to sign up.

“I've always enjoyed studying ancient civilizations and never really thought that I would get the opportunity to go,” said Marijolovic. “But I am excited to get to talk to some students. I have a feeling the interactions will surprise me. And it will be nice to be able to share my experiences and see what they have to say about the U.S. and Cincinnati, too.”

The partnership between UC and FUE has always been unique, but this out-of-the-box cultural exchange continues to strengthen the relationship between the two universities. The performances have inspired the UC band members to broaden their horizons past the playing field — all the way to the Pyramids.

Featured image at top: The marching band forms a pyramid shape while practicing a special "pregame" performance. Photo/Natalie Ochmann

Get to know the Bearcat Bands

The Bearcat Bands is a unit of UC’s Division of Student Affairs, and maintains partnerships with UC Athletics and the College-Conservatory of Music. Founded in 1920, the Bearcat Bands celebrate over 100 years of musical education and excellence for students from all academic backgrounds.

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May 13, 2024

Through strategic partner Future University in Egypt, portion of the UC marching band has the opportunity to represent UC in Cairo, Egypt.

CCM's Graduate Student Association wins GSA of the year award

April 21, 2021

Earlier this month, the University of Cincinnati’s Graduate Student Government recognized the College-Conservatory of Music’s Graduate Student Association (GSA) with its GSA of the Year award. This award recognizes the outstanding contributions that the group has made to the quality of graduate student life within the CCM and UC communities. This year’s GSA consists of Maria Seffrin, president; Caitlan Truelove, vice president; Muning Wang, secretary; and Matt Coffey, treasurer. The Graduate Student Government also recognized Truelove with the Graduate Student Award for Exemplary Scholarship.

2021 University Recognition Ceremony honors student achievements

April 13, 2021

The University of Cincinnati recognizes students each year who have made significant service, leadership, and academic contributions to the UC community. These students exemplify the spirit of what it means to be a Bearcat.

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Roger Corman: cinema's pulp genius whose talent to shock was rocket fuel

Heists, horror and carnivorous plants were all grist to Corman’s staggeringly prolific movie mill, as were his pivotal collaborations with other film-makers

• News: Corman dies aged 98
• Roger Corman obituary

Roger Corman was the powerhouse of B-pictures and pulp classics, who in a staggeringly prolific career lasting from the 1950s to the 2010s produced more than 400 movies, and directed more than 50 – films such as The Wasp Woman, A Bucket of Blood, The Wild Angels, The Fall of the House of Usher , Little Shop of Horrors and The Man With the X-Ray Eyes. And with his collaborations with Vincent Price on a number of inspired Edgar Allan Poe adaptations in the 1960s, Corman helped to make Poe a canonical figure within American literature and a figure of enduring pop-cultural importance, revered by academics who have made campus careers out of the author.

Corman was the entrepreneurial life force of low-budget independent cinema with celluloid in his veins, who became a living icon of cinephilia to generations of movie-makers by giving them their all-important first breaks and a lesson in getting movies made effectively, on budget and on schedule. His former employees include Jack Nicholson, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Carl Franklin, Curtis Hanson, Ron Howard, James Cameron, Joe Dante and Jonathan Demme . Francis Ford Coppola was an assistant director on one film and Peter Bogdanovich did some second unit work.

Corman’s films might have been mocked as exploitation trash but Corman himself did not agree with this snobby attitude. “Show me a film which isn’t an exploitation film,” he said, and his pioneering genius for grabbing the audience’s attention – thrilling them, scaring them and titillating them – made him a primitivist genius, the unquestioned master of art brut in American cinema.

Corman could make sci-fi, horror, crime, gangster thrillers and westerns, and did it with a quick, lethal effectiveness and brash simplicity that the new young movie brats would take and develop. When Spielberg made Jaws in the mid-70s , it was instantly identified as a Roger Corman shocker with a budget upgrade. The same goes for the ineffably macabre The Silence of the Lambs in 1991 , directed by Demme, who had made his bones in 1974 directing an outrageous prison shocker that Corman produced: Caged Heat, about the sexually frustrated, scantily clad young inhabitants of a women’s prison.

Corman was the Cro Magnon prototype of Hollywood in its New Wave phase and beyond. At a time when studio pictures were on the way out, he was a kind of indie studio head for a rebellious young generation, reinventing a range of genres and making them endlessly malleable and productive. To add to it all, his distribution company imported into the US new movies by Fellini, Bergman, Truffaut and Kurosawa, because he loved them and because he – correctly – saw this was a profitable niche.

It’s amazing to see how many templates Corman laid down for later cinema. In 1960, he directed my favourite of his films, The Little Shop of Horrors , an utterly bizarre no-budget horror comedy made over two days and a night about a weird houseplant in a flower store that lives off human blood. In 1982, it became a smash-hit Broadway stage musical and four years after that another movie, based on the stage show that is still endlessly revived. So Corman was the grandfather to a stage and screen institution, and the grumpy flower store owner, Mr Mushnik, played by Mel Welles, is probably a cousin to Zero Mostel’s desperate impresario Max Bialystock in Mel Brooks’s The Producers.

In 1954, Corman produced the car-chase thriller The Fast and the Furious, brilliantly locating the lucrative market for petrol-head movies, and that title (and the spirit) of his film lives on in the Fast and Furious franchise of the present day. And with Death Race 2000 , which he produced in 1975 – featuring people driving across the country earning points for killing people – Corman helped invent that bread-and-circuses futurism that persists now in the form of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner . And in 1977 he gave Ron Howard a lead acting role in another car-crash extravaganza, which he entitled Grand Theft Auto – thus planting the seed, I suspect, for the gamers’ craze.

Gangsters and crime weren’t exactly the Corman keynote, but he made powerfully effective and successful movies in that style, directing Machine-Gun Kelly in 1958, launching the career of Charles Bronson, and also the fierce Bloody Mama in 1972 with Shelley Winters as the real-life outlaw Ma Barker and a young Robert De Niro as one of her sons. The film has some startling archive footage, incidentally, of the huge Ku Klux Klan rally in Washington.

It was at this point that Corman gave a hugely important directorial break to the young Martin Scorsese , allowing him in 1972 to make Boxcar Bertha, a Bonnie-and-Clyde-type tale of two train robbers and lovers on the run, played by Barbara Hershey and David Carradine. The movie gave Scorsese a chance to show that he could handle a conventional genre movie with period costume and a serious (if not massive) budget.

Perhaps it hardly makes sense to pick on any particular Corman movie when this is a film-maker who almost has to be seen in wholesale terms. But I loved the demented genius of his The Man With the X-Ray Eyes, with Ray Milland as the obsessive scientist who wants to create superhuman vision. It’s crude, basic stuff in many ways, but there is pure storytelling gusto in the way the scene shifts from the lab to the party where Milland sees the naked people dancing, to the fairground where he scratches a living as a mind-reading turn, to Las Vegas, where he tries to make money beating the system, and finally – driven mad by being able to see through everything, and so see everything and nothing – to the Christian revivalist tent where the angry preacher tells him: “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out …” – leading to an outrageous flourish of grand guignol horror.

There is the rocket-fuel of Corman’s talent, fuel that he generously made available to so many other, younger film-makers.

• Roger Corman
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• Martin Scorsese

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