Curriculum - Cinema Studies Minor

The City College of New York boasts the oldest continuous curriculum in the study of motion pictures of any university in the USA. Founded by avant-garde filmmaker and film theorist Hans Richter in 1940, the study of film at City College has always been a dynamic part of its academic life. In recent decades, the curriculum has been centered in the Department of Media & Communication Arts. However, the Minor draws from a broad range of film related courses across the disciplines taught by expert faculty.

 

 Cinema Studies Minor Course Plan

The MCA Minor in Cinema Studies consists of 15 credits. This includes two required courses within the MCA Department: MCA 121: Introduction to Film Studies and MCA 221: Film History I. In addition, students must take three additional elective critical studies courses in MCA or other departments. Each term the Program Director will establish a list of accepted electives. These courses may include selections from Anthropology, Art, Asian Studies, Black Studies, Comparative Literature, English, Foreign Languages & Literature, History, Jewish Studies, Latin American & Latino Studies, Media & Communication Arts, Philosophy, and other disciplines.

Past courses have included, among many others:

Visual Anthropology
Japanese Film
Shakespeare on Film
Feminist Literature & Film
Post War Italian Cinema
The Holocaust & Film
Indian Cinema & Popular Culture
Film History II
Documentary Film
Film Noir
Science Fiction
Philosophy & Film

Suggested Course Sequence

Semester 1: MCA 121 Introduction to Film Studies 3 credits (offered every term)

Semester 2: MCA 221 Film History I 3 credits (offered fall semester only) and/or ELECTIVE

Semester 3: MCA 222 Film History II 3 credits (offered spring semester only) and/or ELECTIVE

Semester 4: ELECTIVE