Cinema Studies Minor
The Cinema Studies minor provides undergraduate students with core coursework in the film studies discipline while also allowing them freedom to explore various approaches to the subject, presented by world-class Media & Cinema Studies department faculty as well as film scholars throughout campus.
Students pursuing the Cinema Studies minor will take coursework that is core to the discipline with themes including contemporary movies, surveys of world cinema, and film theory and criticism. Students will take at least one course related to either non-U.S. cinema or about identity, culture, and politics within the United States as it interfaces with film.
Students are expected to complete 18 hours of approved Cinema Studies minor coursework, of which 6 hours must be at the 300-400-level. At least 3 hours of 300-400-level coursework must be offered by or cross-listed with the Department of Media & Cinema Studies (MACS), other than those used to fulfill the requirements below.
Cinema Studies Requirements—18 hours total
Required Courses:
| MACS 203 Contemporary Movies | 3 hours |
| MACS 261 Survey of World Cinema I | 3 hours |
| MACS 262 Survey of World Cinema II | 3 hours |
| MACS 361 Film Theory and Criticism | 3 hours |
Select one course from EITHER Non-U.S. Cinema OR Identity, Culture, and Politics (3 hours):
Non-U.S. Cinema (contact department for complete list)
- MACS 207 Indian Cinema in Context
- MACS 382 French & Comparative Cinema I
- MACS 383 French & Comparative Cinema II
- MACS 419 Russian & East European Film
- MACS 466 Japanese Cinema
- MACS 470 Topics in Italian Cinema
- MACS 490 Green Screen: Film and Nature
- MACS 493 German Cinema I
- ITAL 270 Introduction to Italian Cinema
Identity, Culture, and Politics (contact department for complete list)
- MACS 205 Introduction to Documentary
- MACS 211 Intro to African-American Film
- MACS 250 Latina/os on the Bronze Screen
- MACS 275 Am Indian and Indigenous Film
- MACS 335 Film, TV, and Gender
- MACS 356 Sex & Gender in Popular Media
- MACS 365 Asian American Media and Film
- MACS 375 Latina/o Media in the U.S.
- MACS 381 Black Women and Film
- MACS 432 Commodifying Difference
- MACS 461 Politics of Popular Culture
- MDIA 223 Watching the Environment
Select one additional course at the 300+ level on film offered by MACS, or cross-listed with MACS, other than those used to fulfill requirements above (3 hours).
Please contact media-ssc@illinois.edu with any questions about the Cinema Studies minor.