Edwin Weihe, PhD, Director of Film Studies
Objectives
Cinema is the most important and popular new art form developed in the 20th century and it has had a profound effect on modern culture. The bachelor of arts in film studies gives students a disciplinary knowledge of this art form – its history, aesthetics, craft, genres, and great directors – and it situates film in its international context with studies of national cinemas all over the world. Students especially interested in filmmaking can study screenwriting and film production, and complete off-campus film projects and internships in the regional film community and through study abroad.
Sharing a commitment to critical thinking and writing skills development, the film studies program works interdepartmentally with other humanities and social science disciplines and programs that approach film as cultural text. Therefore, students can experience film study as an interdisciplinary activity with an interdisciplinary faculty, and, if they choose, coordinate a major or minor in Film Studies with a second major or minor in another discipline. Film studies also addresses transdisciplinary questions respecting visual literacy, our image-saturated culture, the history of racial and gender stereotyping in film, and the medium’s role in promoting social justice and global citizenship. Finally, in the larger learning environment of a Film Art Series, film workshops and exhibitions, film festivals, and a vibrant regional film community, students will discover additional resources that will help prepare them for graduate film study and careers in a diverse and challenging industry.