phd film studies california

Cinema & Media Studies (PhD)

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The Ph.D program in the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media are full-time programs. The department admits new students only once each year for the Fall Quarter and the next application period is for Fall 2025. We Do Not Accept Films, DVDs or CDs Applicants must submit all required application materials to be considered for admission.

• International Applicants

For more information

• [email protected]

How to Apply

APPLICATION WORKSHEET AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY

By the time of entrance, Ph.D. applicants must:

• Have at least a 3.0 GPA.
• Satisfy the University of California’s Graduate Admissions Requirements .
• Complete equivalent to a 4-year U.S. Bachelor’s Degree.
• Complete equivalent to a U.S. Masters Degree.

Deadline: December 1, 2024

UCLA Graduate Application

Complete the UCLA Application for Graduate Admission .

• Indicate Ph.D., Film and Television, Cinema & Media Studies as the program.
• Upload a Statement of Purpose.
• Upload a Personal Statement.
• Upload a Resume/CV.
• Submit a 5,000-7,000 word document.
• Upload Unofficial copies of all Transcripts.
• Enter the Names and Emails of all recommenders into the UCLA Application for Graduate Admission.

Mail an Official copy of all Transcripts from each Undergraduate and Graduate institution attended.

• Note: Community College transcripts are not necessary.

Request that all Test Scores be sent directly to UCLA.

• Only test scores taken by December 31, 2024 will be accepted.
• Note: The GRE is optional for Ph.D. applicants.

Mailing Address

Please send all applicable materials to:

Graduate Film Admissions: CMS UCLA Department of Film, Television, and Digital Media 103 East Melnitz Hall, Box 951622 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1622

Film & Media

The graduate program in film & media, about the film & media ph.d. program.

Students in the Film & Media Ph.D. Program are encouraged to situate moving images within the larger theoretical and analytical frameworks of a range of other disciplines. They integrate the traditions of History, Law, Literature, Religion and Political Theory to the newer disciplines of Film Studies and Digital Media, applying the tools of Post-Structuralism, Psychoanalysis, New Historicism, Frankfurt School, Feminist Theory, Queer Theory, Post-Colonialism and Deconstruction. Many combine their degree study with a campus Designated Emphasis (graduate “minor”) in New Media, in Critical Theory, or in Women, Gender and Sexuality.

The Film & Media Ph.D. emphasizes film and media history and theory, but also includes a digital-media production component that can be interwoven with the student’s other areas of study. Through a cooperative effort with the Department of Art Practice and the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies, the Department of Film & Media has helped to found the Digital Media Labs Consortium, a humanities-based initiative that pools production resources and coordinates courses of instruction to widen the possibilities in advanced digital-media production. Art Practice also offers an MFA that includes production in digital media and new genres. Other production degrees on campus include the Graduate School of Journalism’s M.A. in documentary film production.

During their first two years, graduate students in the Film & Media Ph.D. take a course in Film Theory, a course in Film Historiography, a Proseminar that orients new students to the professional field of Film & Media Studies, and other seminars chosen from a range of electives (see sample topics in the “Courses” section). Beginning in their fifth semester, students begin to prepare in greater depth for their doctoral Qualifying Examinations and dissertation research. Because the Department of Film & Media at Berkeley is committed to interdisciplinary research, students are required to work in significant ways with faculty in other departments as well as with Film & Media Faculty.

The Film & Media Ph.D. has about 25 graduate students. Students are admitted to the program in the Fall semester only.  The application deadline for admission in Fall 2025 is December 3, 2024, 8:59 p.m. PST. Start the online application at:  Applying for Graduate Admission.  Please note that the Department of Film & Media admits students for a Ph.D. only. Although an M.A. degree is awarded after partial completion of the requirements for the Ph.D., there is no M.A. program as such with its own curriculum.

Graduate Advisors

Kathleen pera jangar, weihong bao.

Weihong Bao is Pamela P. Fong and Family Distinguished Chair in China Studies and an Associate Professor of Film and Media & East Asian Languages and Cultures, UC Berkeley. She has published widely on comparative media history and theory, media and environment, early cinema, war... Read more about Weihong Bao

Graduate Student Handbook 2024-2025

Film & Media PhD

Phd in film and media.

Students in the Film and Media PhD are encouraged to situate moving images within the larger theoretical and analytical frameworks of a range of other disciplines. They integrate the traditions of history, law, literature, cultural studies, gender studies, and political theory to the newer disciplines of film studies and digital media, applying the tools of post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, new historicism, media archaeology, Frankfurt School, feminist theory, queer theory, post-colonialism, and critical race theory. Many combine their degree study with a campus designated emphasis (graduate minor) in New Media, in Critical Theory, or in Women, Gender and Sexuality.

Designated Emphasis in Film Studies

PhD students at Berkeley outside the Department of Film & Media may add a Designated Emphasis in Film Studies to their major fields. The designated emphasis provides curricular and research resources for students who want to concentrate on film and media research within their respective disciplines and have their work formally recognized. Designed to bring together faculty and students from different departments, the program provides a unique contliext for rigorous cross-disciplinary thinking and promotes innovative research in the theory and history of cinema and media studies.

Contact Info

[email protected]

7408 Dwinelle Hall

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Film and Media

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 3, 2024

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

• Chancellor’s Message

Print Options

2024-25 edition, film and media studies, ph.d..

The Film and Media Studies Ph.D. program is dedicated to understanding film, television, and digital media texts in relation to questions of power, inequality, and difference. Students are encouraged to think critically about questions of aesthetics, production, and cultural meaning as they manifest in film, television, and digital media both past and present. Students in the Ph.D. program gain a foundation in the humanities-based discipline of Film and Media Studies while also developing innovative research projects that interrogate media in relation to race, gender/sexuality, nation, religion, ability, and other constructions of difference.

Applications for admission are accepted in the fall quarter only. Complete applications include:

• A statement of purpose (1,200 words maximum) that describes the applicant's research interests and reasons for seeking a Ph.D. The statement of purpose should indicate how the applicant's proposed research correlates to the program's emphases and how the applicant will benefit from working with core faculty.
• A personal history statement (1,200 words maximum) that describes the applicant's educational accomplishments and goals. Applicants should communicate whether they have experienced unique or significant opportunities, challenges, and/or obstacles in the pursuit of an education. Applicants should describe the career paths they plan to pursue after graduation.
• A sample of academic writing, approximately 20 pages in length, that demonstrates original thinking and clear writing.
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty with whom the applicant has studied.
• Transcripts.
• Results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam for international applicants for whom English is not their primary language.

View the online application .

For questions about the program or the application process, please email [email protected] .

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 reviews the performance and progress of each first-year student and provides written evaluation of their work. This evaluation includes 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 is 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 places the student on Academic Conditional Status. Faculty gives 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 Ph.D. program with a prior graduate degree (M.A. or beyond) in Film and Media Studies or a related discipline may petition to waive the M.A. exam requirement in recognition of their prior degree; normatively, this is approved. In these cases, students do not complete the M.A. exam requirement nor earn a second M.A. en route to the Ph.D. Film and Media Studies faculty determine what graduate degree fields qualify as related disciplines. Students entering with an M.F.A. typically are required to complete the M.A. exam unless the Graduate Committee determines that the degree is equivalent to an M.A.

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

To earn the M.A. degree, the student must:

• Pass the M.A. Exam
• File the necessary paperwork for conferral of degree with Graduate Division.

For the M.A. exam, the student revises one seminar paper written while in the program and submits the revised paper before the start of the spring quarter in their second year of study.

The requirements for passing the M.A. exam are as follows:

• The revised paper must present a substantive and original argument;
• It must reflect substantial 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.

This paper is evaluated by a three-person M.A. 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 committee unanimously decides whether the student has passed the M.A. exam and if they are eligible to proceed toward the Ph.D., 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 earns the M.A. and qualifies to continue toward the Ph.D. exams.
• Cautionary: The student earns the M.A. and qualifies to continue toward the Ph.D. 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.
• M.A. Only: The student earns the M.A. but is disqualified from continuing toward the Ph.D. exams. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise do not outweigh a borderline exam.
• Negative: The exam is unacceptable. The student does not earn the M.A. and is disqualified from continuing toward the Ph.D. exams.

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

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 are not 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:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 remains 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 need to submit transcripts with the petition. Students inquire with the Graduate Coordinator to complete a petition.

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.

Preliminary Examination

By the end of their second year, students 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 establish a three-person Qualifying Exam Committee, at least 51 percent of whose members, including the Dissertation Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies.

The student receives one standardized bibliography and selects two specialty field bibliographies on which they are examined. In the fall and winter quarters of the third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 296 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 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 ) have been completed.

The Qualifying Examination is administered by the Qualifying Exam Committee and includes both a written and an oral component. The written component consists of at least one question for each exam bibliography for which the student has completed readings. Students 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 is offered as a series of three remote exams to be completed within three respective 24-hour periods; questions and responses are delivered electronically. The oral component of the exam takes place in conjunction with the Prospectus Defense during the spring quarter of the student’s third year.

Dissertation Prospectus and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

The student will enroll in FLM&MDA 298 and complete a prospectus that identifies the scope, approach, and rationale for their proposed dissertation. The student presents 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 is 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 exceeds the three-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.

If 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.

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2024-2025 Catalogue

A PDF of the entire 2024-2025 catalogue.

Graduate Program

The Department of Film and Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara offers M.A./Ph.D and Ph.D.-only degree programs.  The program is designed to be:

• Deeply rooted in the discipline of Film and Media Studies and critical thinking
• Strongly interdisciplinary, drawing on the talents and training of faculty in those companion departments where interest in the study of the modern media arts and industry is emerging and flourishing
• International in its range of focus, allowing for the comparative study of diverse national cinemas and media institutions and practices within a global framework
• Innovative in its research methods and its teaching
• Innovative in its Ph.D. design

In addition to departmental requirements for graduate admission, applicants must fulfill University requirements found in the UCSB General Catalog ( General Requirements for Graduate Degrees ) 

To be considered for admission to the M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only degree programs in Film and Media Studies, a student must show a strong aptitude for scholarly work and demonstrate intellectual maturity. Students who are admitted will be required to attain a basic level of competence in the discipline in conjunction with their specific program of study. Many of the students admitted to the program will have achieved such a base level of competence by having completed an undergraduate major in film and media studies or taken film and media studies courses while majoring in a closely related humanities, arts, or social science discipline (such as literature, dramatic arts, philosophy, history, or women’s studies) with an emphasis on critical thinking and writing.

Applications to both the M.A./Ph.D and Ph.D.-only programs are accepted during the fall only. The application deadline for all applicants is December 1, when the department will begin screening applications for a limited number of competitive openings and funding opportunities.

Admission to the M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only programs is based on six application components (for detailed information on all components see the Graduate Division website: How to Apply .

• On-line Application : A $120 ($140 for international applicants) non-refundable application fee must be paid by Visa or MasterCard, check, or money order before the application will be processed.
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be uploaded to the online application. A 3.0 GPA for the bachelor’s degree is a campus-wide minimum requirement for UCSB graduate study.
• A Statement of Purpose describing the applicant’s reasons for wishing to earn a Ph.D. in Film and Media Studies, a Statement of Personal Achievements/Contributions, and a resume or CV must be submitted electronically.
• A writing sample that demonstrates a high level of ability to write theory, criticism, or historical narrative must be submitted online under “Supplemental Documents”. It should be 15-20 pages of a coherent, complete essay, and does not have to be about film or media.
• Three letters of recommendation must be sent electronically along with your application.
• Either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam scores or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores must be submitted by international students whose native language is not English. A minimum TOEFL score of 600 paper / 100 internet is required prior to admission. The minimum IELTS score for consideration is an overall score of 7 or higher. GRE scores are not required, please do not include.

UCSB does not admit students conditionally in order to learn English prior to beginning an academic program; an excellent command of written and spoken English is required prior to enrollment.

Detailed procedures about the ELPE (English Language Proficiency Exam), Minimum Proficiency Requirements in Spoken and Written English, and the TA Language Evaluation Exam are outlined under English for Multilingual Students (EMS) Requirement on the Graduate Division Admitted International Students page .

For further clarification and elaboration, please see the Graduate Division Admissions page .

Information and Questions:  [email protected]

Director of Graduate Studies: Naoki Yamamoto

For more information contact our Graduate Program Advisor   805-893-8535

Graduate Program Department of Film and Media Studies Social Sciences and Media Studies Building University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4010 [email protected] fax: 805-893-8630

Graduate Student Fees and Fee Remission

Tuition, fees, and other charges are subject to change without notice by the Regents of the University of California.

Click here for 2023-2024 student fees and expenses

Graduate Program Department of Film and Media Studies University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4010 [email protected] phone: 805-893-8535

Graduate Degree Programs (M.A./PH.D and PH.D.-ONLY)

The M.A./Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only curriculum is comprised of two parts: a set of six core courses together with eleven (or five for the Ph.D.-only) supplemental/elective courses designed to make the program strongly disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and international. The graduate core courses focus on fundamental areas of competence in history, theory, analysis, and cultural studies. TA Practicum units are earned in addition to these core and elective courses. ( Click for graduate courses. )

The six critical studies core courses are designed for in-depth study at the graduate level and are entirely separate from undergraduate course offerings. The core consists of the following six courses: 220 Critical Analysis; 230 The Philosophy of History; 231 Media Historiographies; 240 Film Theory; 241 Television and New Media Theory; and 250 Cultural Theory.

In lieu of a single research and methods course, the core curriculum distributes methodological training across a series of courses involved with concrete research topics in order to offer a working sense of how one approaches a media object of study from a variety of perspectives.

The curriculum has a unique design that encourages students to acquire professional experience in teaching, presenting research, as well as (through an innovative M.A. exam process and Ph.D. area exam process) developing a research plan for the dissertation.

The department offers a wide range of graduate electives. Under certain circumstances—if the topic is crucial to the student’s research or a course will not be offered when needed—credit is also available for two courses in the department’s upper-division undergraduate program (using the undergraduate course number). Furthermore, there are numerous opportunities to take graduate courses in other departments. With the approval of the student’s mentor, the department’s Director of Graduate Studies, and the department’s Chair, up to five elective courses in the first three years of the M.A./Ph.D. may be taken in other departments; and up to three elective courses in the first two years of the Ph.D.-only.

In addition to the core curriculum and elective courses, there is a foreign language proficiency requirement. Other types of requirements are described below (in I. and II.).

Policy on Independent Studies Courses. Department policy is that only a total of TWO 596 courses can be taken as part of the 11 electives for the M.A./Ph.D. or as part of the 5 electives for the Ph.D.-only. Beyond the elective courses, students may take whatever they choose, including more 596’s. When a student is “abroad” doing research, he or she may arrange 596’s with the approval of the student’s mentor, the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair. The two-rule will also apply to 596’s, or similar independent study or directed reading courses, offered by faculty in OTHER departments on campus.

I. M.A./Ph.D. REQUIREMENTS

A. master of arts – film and media studies.

The department does NOT offer a terminal M.A. program. All applicants are admitted to a single M.A./Ph.D. (or Ph.D.-only) program. The M.A. degree in Film and Media Studies is treated as a valuable stage on the path to the doctorate. Although it is understood that some students may choose not to continue beyond the M.A., and that others may not be permitted to do so, the aim of the program is to provide students with research training leading to the doctoral degree.

The expected time for the M.A. is two years. Students who lack a background in the discipline may be required to complete one or more additional upper-division undergraduate courses in Film and Media Studies prior to conferral of the M.A. degree.

In the first two years, the student must complete six graduate core curriculum courses and five graduate elective courses for a total of eleven courses (out of the seventeen required for the Ph.D. degree).

By the end of the second year, the student must pass an oral M.A. exam administered by the student’s M.A. Committee, based on two research papers written and revised by the student during the first two years of the program. M.A. committees are comprised of 3 members, of which 2 including the chair must be regular Senate faculty members of the Department of Film and Media Studies.

For more specific policies related to the M.A. exam, please see the Graduate Program Handbook .

B. Doctor of Philosophy – Film and Media Studies

The expected time to complete the Ph.D. is three years following the successful completion of the M.A. The student must, sometime between the end of his or her M.A. program and the first year of the Ph.D., investigate potential locations for off-campus research. In the first year of the Ph.D., the student must a) complete six graduate courses, some or all of which will contribute to the development of the student’s emerging research program. By the end of the first year of the Ph.D. (i.e., the third year of the M.A./Ph.D.), each student will have taken and passed a total of seventeen courses.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate reading proficiency in a second language before receiving their degree. The standard is reading knowledge, and the required level of proficiency will be determined by the dissertation chair, and approved by the departmental graduate committee. This is a general requirement for the Ph.D. degree; thus any language courses that a student takes must be in addition to the required seventeen Film and Media Studies core and elective courses for the MA/Ph.D. degree or the required eleven Film and Media Studies core and elective courses for the Ph.D.-only degree. (Units taken to fulfill this requirement do not count towards the degree). Students can complete this requirement in the following ways:

1) Completion of a language course at the intermediate level (4-6) with a minimum grade of B+; or,

2) Completion of an upper-division literature course conducted in the foreign language with a minimum grade of B+; or,

3) Completion of a foreign language reading course for graduate students with a minimum grade of B+; or,

4) Passing a Foreign Language Evaluation Exam at reading proficiency level as administered and determined by the respective language department (see below for relevant contacts); or,

5) Alternatives such as  petitioning  for  fulfillment  based on previous  coursework and/or language proficiency; Fulbright study; successfully passing or completing a Foreign  Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS); online courses from an approved institution; or other options as determined by your faculty advisor by petition to Graduate Committee.

Students whose native language is not English will have the opportunity to satisfy the requirement with their native language, except in cases where additional language learning is necessary for the specific dissertation research, as determined by the dissertation committee chair and Graduate Committee. 

If expertise in a specific foreign language is necessary or desirable for the purpose of conducting research for a Ph.D. dissertation, a student’s Ph.D. Committee may require competency in that foreign language. This foreign language may, but need not, be the same language that is offered to fulfill the general requirement.

Language Evaluation Exams

Students may take Language Evaluation Exams in the respective departments of their language choice. Below is the contact information for five languages on campus that offer placement exams:

Dr. Valentina Padula evaluates the language levels of anyone above level 3. Please contact Dr. Vallentina Padula at [email protected] to schedule an appointment for a placement interview. 

Dr. Jean Marie Schultz evaluates the language levels of anyone above level 3. Please contact Dr. Jean Marie Schultz at [email protected] to schedule an appointment for a placement interview.

Two types of exams are offered, the Spanish Placement Exam for second language learners and the Spanish Fluency Evaluation for native/heritage speakers.  The placement exam is offered in the department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies M-F when classes are in session and the fluency evaluation is typically offered 2 days per week, dependent upon scheduling. Please contact Laura Marques-Pascual at [email protected].

The Portuguese placement exam is offered in the department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies by appointment. Please contact the language coordinator, Laura Marques-Pascual at [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

The German language evaluation exam is in two parts, an untimed written exam administered in the advising office of the department of Germanic and Slavic Studies and an oral exam completed after the written exam and scheduled by appointment. Please contact Dr. Evelyn Reder at [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

Formation of Ph.D. Committee and Prospectus.

A Ph.D. committee must have four or five members. At least three members must be regular Senate faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. At least one member must be from outside the Department. Affliliated faculty, for this purpose, are considered to be outside the home department. A fifth member is optional. The prospectus must consist of an original topic, contributing new knowledge to the field and offer a solid blueprint for the dissertation research. It should include an extensive rationale for the project, a discussion of methodology, a survey of relevant literature, a bibliography (including reference to relevant film and media works), a descriptive table of contents, and a firm, realistic timeline. The prospectus should be from 3750 – 5000 words in length (15 – 20 pages) not including the bibliography.

Timeline for Ph.D. Committee and Ph.D. Qualifying Exam.

The Ph.D. Qualifying Exam consists of written and oral portions. By the end of week four of Spring quarter of the third year of the M.A./Ph.D., a student must form a dissertation committee by the end of week ten of Spring quarter, he or she must choose three areas of specialization, together with appropriate reading lists as well as film and media works, relating to the dissertation topic and prospectus developed in consultation with the committee; by the end of week three of the fall quarter of the fourth year, the student must pass a written examination administered by the doctoral committee covering the three areas of specialization, and by the end of week seven pass an oral defense of the of the written exams and prospectus. Upon successful completion of the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam, the student will file for Advancement to Candidacy.

Ph.D. Written Exam.

The exam will focus on broad questions and the important texts within the three chosen areas of specialization. It consists of a take-home exam, administered over the course of three consecutive days, beginning Monday or Tuesday. Prior to the exam, the student will arrange the time for pick up and drop off of the questions and responses with the student’s Dissertation Committee Chair and the Graduate Program Assistant. Questions will be given out day by day and the student writes a response over a 24-hour period. The typewritten response will be twelve to twenty double-spaced pages in a 12-point font for each question. A choice of two questions for each area will be given, from which the student chooses one. Each student may choose the order of his or her area exams.

Ph.D. Qualifying Oral Exam.

The oral portion of the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam takes place over a two-hour period and covers the student’s Written Exam and dissertation prospectus. The format of the exam—that is, the allocation of time to presentation by the student, questions from the Committee Chair and members, and group discussion—is determined by the Dissertation Committee Chair in consultation with committee members. The student may be asked about Written Exam questions (answered or unanswered) and any matters related to the three areas of study of the prospectus.

Following the end of the Oral Exam, the designation of Pass, Pass with Conditions, or Fail will be given to each of the three Written Exam questions and the prospectus. 

Since faculty are employed on a nine-month year, they are normally unavailable for teaching, mentoring, or consultation responsibilities during the summer.

Ph.D. Dissertation Defense.

Upon completion of the writing of the dissertation based on original research, the student will defend the work orally before the dissertation committee at a forum open to the public. Submission of the completed dissertation to the entire dissertation committee must be made at least one month in advance of the defense date. See  Graduate Program Handbook  for more details on the Dissertation and Defense.

II. PH.D.-ONLY REQUIREMENTS

The Ph.D.-only degree is for those students who hold an M.A. or M.F.A. degree in Film and Media Studies or a closely-related discipline. Forty-four (44) units of coursework are required (eleven 4-unit courses), including the six graduate core courses. In addition, there is a foreign language proficiency requirement that must be satisfied before advancement to candidacy (see above for details on both requirements). Expected time for advancement to Ph.D. candidacy is seven quarters (two years plus one quarter).

The procedures governing the Ph.D Committee, Prospectus, Written Exam, Oral Exam, and Oral Dissertation Defense are indicated above (but occur one year sooner than in the M.A./Ph.D.).

Exam Policy Guidelines

The guidelines for the m.a. exam are as follows:.

• Each candidate for the M.A. degree will nominate a M.A. Exam Committee Chair and select the members of the Committee.
• Committees are comprised of three faculty members, two of whom, including the chair of the committee, must be Department of Film and Media Studies graduate faculty and Academic Senate members. Affiliated faculty and non-affiliated faculty from other departments may serve on the committee with prior approval from the Department Chair and Graduate Studies Director.
• Committees must be determined, and Master’s Form I submitted to the Department’s Graduate Program Advisor, by Friday of the fourth week of Winter quarter of the second year. Form I can be found under “Forms and Petitions” on the Graduate Division website www.graddiv.ucsb.edu. [Do not submit form to Graduate Division.]
• Candidates for the M.A. will work with the exam committee to select two papers by the student that will provide the subject of the exam. It is expected that both papers will be substantially revised and polished to approximate “publishable standard” prior to the exam in consultation with their chair and committee .
• It is the responsibility of the student to communicate with committee members, whether individually or as a group, prior to the exam to determine the date of the oral exam and the focus and direction of revisions.
• Candidates must provide the committee members with the revised papers that will be the subject of evaluation for the Master’s exam no later than two weeks prior to the exam date .
• The duration of the exam will be no longer than two hours. The exam has two parts: an initial formal presentation by the student of approximately 20-30 minutes to be followed by questions from the committee and responses by the student.
• Candidates will be expected to discuss the subject matter of each paper and its context within the field. The student will not read aloud his or her papers as part of the exam, nor simply repeat ideas in the papers, since it is assumed that the essays will have been read in advance by committee members. The student’s presentation should reflect on the larger issues raised by the two papers, discuss them in the context of research in the field, and address the possibilities for further research.
• All of the candidates must have completed their exams by the end of the fourth week of Spring quarter of their second year.
• The student will be informed of the results of his or her exam at the end of the exam. There are three outcomes: Pass, Fail, and Revisions Required. A student who does not pass the exam or who is required to further revise essays, must resubmit papers to the committee within six weeks of the date of the exam.
• Students who complete the M.A. work and pass the oral exam with sufficient distinction will be invited to continue working toward the Ph.D.

The guidelines for the Ph.D. exam are as follows:

Written qualifying examination  , the written qualifying examination will be administered by the student’s doctoral committee. ph.d. written exams will conform to the following standards:.

• The exam should be structured to test the student’s knowledge, research skills, problem solving skills and their ability to do academic work. The content of the questions is designed to combine general Film and Media Studies disciplinary foundations and emphases, ad the student’s systematic area of study. The questions will be coordinated and reviewed by the chair of the committee before being given to the student. 
• 3 days, 3 exams, answer 1 of 2 questions per day. Student should be given 24 hours to answer each day’s questions.
• Students may refer to all resources that will assist with their work during the allotted time period for each question, and the department will provide special assistance, as needed, for disabled students. 
• Questions will to be given in advance.
• The typewritten response will be twelve to twenty double-spaced pages in a 12-point font for each question. To aid in preparation for the examination, the student in consultation with the dissertation committee will develop reading lists for each of the three areas. The reading lists are primarily a guide for study, and should not be interpreted as a catalogue of required knowledge. Consult with the chair of your committee for additional suggested reading.

The written qualifying examination will normally be administered in the fall quarter of the 3rd year for Ph.D.-only students, or fall quarter of the 4th year for MA/Ph.D. students. Following administration of the examination, the faculty will evaluate the student’s performance in each section. An unsatisfactory section of the examination may be repeated once, in the same quarter, or the quarter immediately following the receipt of the written evaluation.

Oral qualifying examination  , having successfully completed the diagnostic interview, written comprehensive examination and dissertation prospectus, the student’s doctoral committee will conduct an oral qualifying examination. graduate division regulations require that three consecutive quarters of residence must be completed prior to taking the oral qualifying exam. thus, the oral exam will normally be taken in the 4th, 5th, 6th quarters of residence. the general objective of this examination is to ensure that the student possesses the full knowledge and competence required to carry out his or her dissertation research. thus, the examination will emphasize (but not necessarily be limited to) the systematic and technical areas relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation research. following the examination, the committee members shall vote “pass”, “pass with conditions” or “fail” on the student’s level of preparation. a majority of passing votes will be required for advancement to candidacy. this examination is usually open only to voting committee members. .

Rev. 09/17/20

213 Autobiographical Screenwriting

Explores the creative process in autobiographical screenplay construction through writing exercises as well as film viewing. Seeks innovative means of character and story development including but not limited to Internet personas and autobiographical tourism. Offered concurrently with Film Studies 113AU.

220 Critical Analysis and Method

Examines a range of methodologies and critical approaches to the study of film and media, with the specific topics chosen by the instructor.

222AA-ZZ Special Topics in Film Analysis

Close examination of an element of film style–such as, sound, color, or camera movement–and its impact on interpretation.

223 Black Film Criticism

Explores the social, cultural, aesthetic and economic contexts of black critical writing on film over the past century. Studies the black critique of racial representation in Hollywood and other cinemas, the black independent cinemas, and black spectatorship.

226 National Cinemas

Close analysis of theories of nation, nationalism, and national cinema, with a focus on the contentious relations between culture, history, media capital and the state. Topics include evolving genres, styles, movements and institutions; local lifeworlds and cultural difference within a post-national context; and the spectral nature of contemporary national formations. Offered concurrently with Film Studies 187AA-ZZ.

230 Philosophy of Film History

Studies works and concepts in philosophy of history that have informed the researching and writing of film and media history. Will also consider the ways in which film and media texts have extended debates about and concepts of historiographic practice.

231 Media Historiographies

Comparative analysis of various historical accounts of cinema, television and digital media that have shaped the field of film and media studies. Emphasis on issues and debates that have dominated efforts to write rigorous, methodologically explicit histories of different media.

232AA-ZZ Special Topics in Film and Media History

Close examination of a topic in film and/or media history.

234 History, Memory and Media

Explores how visual and acoustic media have influenced the writing of public histories and the formation of collective memories, and the possibilities and limitations of representing historical events in both fiction and nonfiction audio-visual forms.

240 Film Theory

Examines the history and rhetoric of thinking about the ontology, epistemology, ideology, and aesthetics of film.

241 Television and Digital Media Theory

Explores important theoretical writings concerning electronic and digital media. Course readings will define the unique properties of these mediums, consider their ontological status, and discuss how they differ from one another and other cultural forms.

242LA Film Theory and Practice in Latin America

Studies the history, works, ideologies, and concepts in film theory produced in Latin America with emphasis on the global and regional flow of ideas. Course readings include foundational texts, key sources of influence, as well as the screening of significant works.

243AA-ZZ Special Topics in Critical Thinkers

Explores in depth the work of one particular thinker relevant to the field of media and cultural studies, for example, Freud, Barthes, Benjamin and others.

247 Feminism and Media Theory

An intellectual history of feminist film and television theory from the 1970s to the present. Course readings are discussed in relation to gender representations in various screenings. Areas covered include psychoanalysis, structuralism, poststructuralism, queer theory, and cultural studies.

249 Postcolonial Media Theory

Studies colonial ideologies and representations, and postcolonial challenges and negotiations, with emphasis on concepts such as imperialism, Eurocentrism, Orientalism, Third Cinema, hybridity, voice and identity. Interrogates the institutions, frameworks and processes involved in the production of knowledge.

250 Cultural Theory

Explores key ideas, issues, and developments in cultural studies and critical theory through close readings of primary texts. Possible approaches include the Frankfurt School, the Birmingham School, Freudianism/Lacanianism, semiotics/structuralism, and postmodernism/post-structuralism.

251 Theory and Practice of Popular Culture

Surveys contemporary approaches to the study of popular culture. Readings include theorists who have critically engaged the Frankfurt School, who have written before and beyond the Birmingham School, or who have taken a comparative international perspective. May be offered concurrently with Film Studies 190PC.

252PM Political Media: Social Media Activism and Platforms

Explores aspects of film and media studies’ evolution in the wake of the influential (and elastic) digital humanities (DH) turn during the early 2000s. Propelled in large measure by the advent of YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, WeChat, Tumblr, and other social media platforms, citizen journalism, hashtag activism, remix and meme cultures, digital media technologies in the 21st century require new epistemologies to understand some new modes and codes of interactive media production, consumption, and circulation. Thus, we will interrogate humanistic approaches to video game studies contemporary media studies that have expanded to include software, code, and platform studies that too often bifurcates DH into oppositional camps of so-called “makers” and “talkers.” In this vein our seminar will also explore political economies of social media activism and diffusion among diverse population blocs (local and global) and modern political movements/organizations such as MoveOn.org, Obama for America, Netroots Nation, American Crossroads, the Tea Party, Wikileaks, Black Lives Matter, the Woman’s March, among others. As we approach 2020, a consequential electoral cycle in U.S. politics, this seminar is particular timely.

262AA-ZZ Special Topics in Film and/or Media Globalization

Close examination of a topic in the globalization of film and/or media.

267 Media Industries

This course examines the business strategies, political economy, regulatory dimensions and cultural products of contemporary media industries. A focus on the dynamics of globalization, convergence and new technologies grounds our exploration of the interconnected industrial, economic and cultural/artistic aspects of film, television, and digital media.

268 Paradigms of Globalization

Analysis of various theories of globalization, with specific focus on ‘global media.’ Interrogates the ways in which transnational networks and flows of capital, information, technology, people, representations, aspirations and actions are constitutive of contemporary life.

295I Professional Internship

501 teaching assistant practicum, 593 programming and curation.

Graduate students from any department are eligible to enroll in this one- or two-unit course. The course is offered in the fall and winter quarters: in the fall, we will discuss the basics of curation and individual programs; in winter, we will focus on larger questions of series programming and seriality. In each quarter, students will examine broader issues related to curation, including the construction of cultural value, economics of prestige, audiences and publics, the questions of pleasure. Students will have the opportunity to propose programs for the Pollock Theater and related Carsey-Wolf Center research events. The course aims to foster the skills needed to create effective public and academic events through class discussions of methodological issues. If students want to take the course for elective credit toward the Film and Media Studies Ph.D., they must register for 2 units in each of the two terms.

594AA-ZZ Special Topics in Film and Media

595aa-zz group studies, 596aa-zz directed reading and research, 597 ma orals and phd exam preparation, 598 preparation for dissertation prospectus, 599 dissertation research and writingcritical, graduate faqs (frequently asked questions), fall 2024 application portal opens on september 1, 2023 fall 2024 graduate application deadline: december 1, 2023, do you have a terminal master’s program.

We do not have a terminal master’s program.  Our two programs are either an MA/PhD or PhD program.

Do you admit students in any quarter other than Fall?

Should i contact the faculty i’m interested in working with before i send in my application.

The Graduate Admissions Committee makes final admissions decisions, not individual faculty. Please wait for contact from faculty after you have submitted your application, which means you should clearly share your connections within your application to your faculty of interest’s research. Our website provides information on our faculty, including their CVs and current research projects.  Please review our faculty and include in your Statement of Purpose how faculty of ours align with your research interests and goals. If you are admitted, our program is small enough that you will have the opportunity to work closely with numerous faculty members. You also will have plenty of opportunities to meet with and talk to individual faculty once you are admitted and before you have to make a decision about joining our program.

How long does it take to graduate with a PhD?

If you enter with a bachelor’s degree, it is a 6-year program, with most students receiving their M.A. degree at the end of the second year.  For students entering with a master’s degree, it is a 5-year program.

I’m an international applicant – do I need to take the TOEFL?

It depends.  If you have received a degree from an English-only university, then the TOEFL requirement is usually waived, but it may need to be confirmed that it is on the approved list for acceptable English-speaking universities. Applicants who receive a degree in the U.S. do not need to take the TOEFL. Applicants who have not received a degree in the U.S. or at an un-approved English-only university must take the TOEFL.

Do you need official transcripts?  Is there anything I should mail to the department during the application process?

Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to your application.  Please be sure to black out the first five digits of your social security number if it is present on your transcript.  If you are admitted into our program, the Graduate Division will require official transcripts after you have signed the SIR (Statement of Intent to Register). We no longer require that any paper documents be sent to our office, including transcripts.  If paper documents are sent to our office, they will be shredded.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to upload all required materials to the application system online by the deadline.

How long should my Statement of Purpose, Contribution Statement, and Writing Sample be?

The lengths for the Statement of Purpose and Personal Contributions/Achievements should be 2 pages each, with 12-point font size.  A writing sample is required, 15 – 20 pages in length. The CV is a separate document from the Statement of Purpose, Contribution Statement, and Writing Sample. 

My bachelor’s (or master’s) degree is not in Film and Media; will the Admissions Committee consider my application?

The Department is interested in applications from individuals with a variety of backgrounds. Individuals are considered if they have well-developed research interests that align with Film or Media Studies.

Do you accept international students?  What about funding?

Yes, we do admit international students.  Funding for international students is the same as domestic student funding with respect to out-of-state tuition costs and is paid for by the department and the university.

I can’t afford the application fee.  Is there any fee waiver program?

Yes, the Graduate Division has a first-come, first-served fee waiver program for qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Be sure to apply for the fee waiver, located within the online application ( UCSB Online Application ), as soon as possible because there is a limited amount of fee waiver funds available.

What kind of funding do you offer, if any?

Students admitted into our program receive full funding during their time in the program when in good academic standing. Funding includes:  tuition, out-of-state tuition (including international students), health insurance, campus-based fees, and guaranteed 50%-time employment during the academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring), which results in a monthly paycheck.  Academic good-standing is required.

How do I apply for a fellowship?

Applicants do not self-nominate for recruitment fellowship opportunities at UCSB.  The university provides recruitment fellowships for which the department’s Graduate Admissions Committee nominates based on the pool of applicants.  If you are nominated and approved for a fellowship, the Graduate Program Director,  Dr. Naoki Yamamoto , will let you know.

Please contact our Graduate Advisor, at [email protected] for email questions or to schedule a time for consultation or advising via Zoom.

Graduate Schedule

M.A. Committee must be constitued and form submitted by end of 4th week of Winter.

M.A. Oral Exam taken by end of 4th week of Spring.

Dissertation Committee must be constituted and form submitted by end of 4th week of Spring.

Dissertation topic and exam areas must be chosen by Spring.

Reading lists formulated by 10th week of Spring.

Language Requirement met by end of Spring.

All coursework completed by end of Spring

Prospectus submitted by 1st day of Fall.

Qualifying Exams taken by end of 3rd week of Fall.

Prospectus Defense completed by 7th week of Fall.

Ph.D. (5-year) Completed by end of Spring.

Ph.D. (6-year) Completed by end of Spring.