Department of Media & Cinema Studies

Department of Media & Cinema Studies

Design your path in media studies and production.

Media & Cinema Studies at Illinois provides a foundation in critical media analysis with the flexibility to pursue interests in specific media, methods, and subject areas..

Media & Cinema Studies Programs


Cinematography and Sound Design tech setup

BS in Media & Cinema Studies

Our interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving and will teach you to understand the media you consume and to produce compelling media of your own. 

Recent News


Film Fest poster graphic

Illinois Student Film Festival

Call for submissions

Any University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign undergraduate or graduate student may submit a film for consideration in the Illinois Student Film Festival. Submit by April 18.

Hear from Our Students


Our dynamic curriculum attracts creative, diverse students who are excited to make a difference in media industries and society.

Francesca Dumitrescu

Student Q&A

“Try anything and everything. We have the resources, and as media and cinema studies students, we have so much creative control over our own projects and work.” 

—Sierra McKeiver 

Sierra McKeiver

Experiential Learning


MACS Student Showcase flier

MACS Student Showcase

The annual MACS Student Showcase features faculty-curated work created by students in Media & Cinema Studies classes throughout the academic year. Held at the end of spring semester, this reception and screening celebrates student work on the big screen.

Image Gallery


  • MACS 370 filming
    Filming from MACS 370: Cinematography and Sound Design.
Ebert Center screening

Ebert Center

The Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies offers robust annual programming, including the Ebert Symposium, Ebert Lecture, and a screening series. It also supports Ebert research grants and travel grants for film studies as well as the long-running Ebert Fellows Program.

Ebert Symposium speakers

Ebert Symposium

“Artificial Intelligence Imagined and Realized”

Join us for a screening of Spike Jonze’s Her, a keynote, and roundtable discussions with Illinois faculty and Ebertfest filmmaker guests.

April 22-23

Recent Events


Roger Ebert Lecture Fall 2024 on Kartemquin Films' documentaries

The Ebert Center Lecture and Screening in Fall 2024 focused on documentaries produced by Chicago-based Kartemquin Films. Watch the lecture.

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Get in Touch

We’re happy to answer any questions you have to create a strong future at the College of Media.

Request information and we will provide you with information and visit experiences customized for you. If you would prefer to speak with us directly, don’t hesitate to call 217-333-2350.