Film Studies Minor

Communication student smiling in the Research, Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurial Center.

Film Studies Minor: Exploring Film as Art and Social Commentary

The Film Studies Minor invites students to explore film as a unique medium with its own history, narrative structures, and cultural significance. This program promotes critical thinking about how films are consumed as popular entertainment.

The minor begins with a foundational course that introduces film analysis, covering key components and terminology. Students will study film theory and learn to analyze films across various disciplines, including literary theory, philosophy, political science, and cultural studies.

By completing this minor, students will gain a deeper understanding of film as an art form and a medium for social commentary. They will explore the social, historical, and economic contexts of film, examining both mainstream and alternative cinema, including international films and documentaries.

Program Highlights

  • Required courses - 18 credits
  • Explore film's history and cultural significance across various fields
  • Develop tools to analyze both mainstream and alternative cinema
  • Investigate the factors shaping film as a medium for social commentary

Course Requirements

Program Description

The Film Studies Minor promotes the interdisciplinary examination of film as a unique media form with its own particular history, narrative elements, industrial structure, and profound political and cultural importance in contemporary society. The goal of this program is to enable students to think critically about the usual modes of consumption through which film is typically received as popular entertainment.

The cornerstone of the program is a required lower-division course introducing the study and discussion of film through recognition and awareness of its various compositional elements and the specific terminology used in film studies. Through a variety of interdisciplinary courses in film, students will acquire an understanding of film theory and the ability to read film as primary material for analysis through such disciplines as film theory, literary theory, philosophy, political science, history, foreign languages, cultural studies and others.

Students completing a Film Studies minor will complement their majors with a basic understanding of film as an art form and a powerful medium of social provocation. They will understand the social, historic, and economic contexts for film, as well as the nature of mainstream film production and distribution, and issues surrounding the burgeoning growth of alternative film, international film, documentary film, art film, video art, and Internet distribution. Along with canonical and top-grossing film, curriculum will include smaller movies made by and for specific interest groups, such as ethnic, sexual, religious, or political minorities.

Perhaps most importantly, the Film Studies minor will provide students with the tools to analyze and reconsider film from a number of critical and creative perspectives, broadening their ability to appreciate, interrogate, and comprehend the most popular art from of the last century.

Required
Elective - 15 Credits

At least one 300-level course is required to complete the minor

What Can You Do With a Film Studies Minor?

A Film Studies minor can open up various career paths and opportunities, including:

  • Film Archiving and Preservation
  • Film Production
  • Event Coordination
  • Marketing and Public Relations
  • Media and Film Criticism
  • Screenwriting
Communication student smiling with laptop.

Engage in Hands-On Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom

At Westfield State University, you’ll engage in hands-on learning experiences that extend far beyond the classroom. Take advantage of our on-site television studio, radio station, and student newspaper to bring your ideas to life. Get involved in campus activities or pursue internships in the local community and beyond. Discover experiences that enhance your education and set you up for success!

Two students on the set for As Schools Match Wits in the campus TV studio.

Related Programs

Request Information

We’re here to answer your questions and deliver the support you need along your academic journey. Please provide your contact information and area of interest, and we’ll be in touch shortly.

Film Studies Minor