Cinema and Media Studies, PhD
The Department offers a full-time Ph.D. program. Comprehensive in the range of specializations, the program is intellectually dynamic and rigorous. Our Ph.D. program prepares students for full participation in the profession as scholars and teachers of Cinema and Media Studies, broadly conceived. The Ph.D. provides students with training in a variety of global and comparative approaches to studying diverse national cinemas and a variety of media institutions and art practices. We are committed to an advanced humanities education to address our shared need to be able to think historically and critically about the structures, operations, ethics, aesthetics, and interactions of cinema and media.
Our departmental ethos reflects our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment that is at once rigorous and nurturing. We expect our graduate students to be full members of the Department and encourage them to take an active role in the intellectual and social community of the University by attending colloquia, screenings, roundtables, discussions, and events in the Department as well as across campus.
Curriculum
Required Courses
The total number of course units required is 16.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Course Units | |
| CIMS 6001 | Theory and Methods | 1 |
| 3 Seminar Courses | 3 | |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| 4 Seminar Courses | 4 | |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CIMS 8001 | Pedagogy Course | 1 |
| 2 Seminar Courses | 2 | |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| 3 Seminar Courses | 3 | |
| Qualifications Exam | ||
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CIMS 8500 | CIMS Fields List | 1 |
| Field Exam | ||
| Course Units | 1.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| CIMS 8510 | Dissertation Proposal | 1 |
| Course Units | 1.00 | |
| Total Course Units | 16.00 | |
Teaching Requirement
Four semesters of teaching are required.
Language Requirement
In addition to a command of English, students must demonstrate reading knowledge in a minimum of one research language relevant to the particular subfield being studied. More languages may be required by the proposed field of study, and the program strongly encourages multiple language acquisition. The specific languages required for each student will be determined by the student and the student’s faculty advisor in consultation with the Graduate Chair. As Digital Humanities is becoming such a large part of our new department, we will also consider programming languages as needed.
Qualifications Evaluation
At the end of the second year, students will select one paper from those they have written in their first year of study, substantially developing it over the course of two further semesters in dialogue with their advisor and two additional members of the Graduate Group. This group of three faculty members constitutes the Qualifications Examination Committee. Students will work on the paper throughout the first semester of their second year. In the spring semester of their second year, the student will present their paper to the committee, followed by a discussion. The Qualifications Exam assesses a student’s ability to write a coherent research paper of publishable quality. The student’s grade (High Pass/Pass/Fail) will be recorded, and both the student and the SAS Graduate Division will be notified of the outcome of the evaluation.
Field Exam
The field exam is a two-hour oral exam, which will take place at the end of the fall semester of the student’s third year. It consists of questions about the student’s lists, fields, and write-ups. The student will be given these questions in the form of two separate closed-book three-hour exams that will be taken a week apart from each other. The Fields Committee will then meet with the candidate to discuss the written answers and offer feedback.
Candidacy Examination
A Ph.D. Candidacy Examination will be held after the candidate has completed all required coursework, including language requirements and attendance at the CIMS colloquium. The candidacy exam, which will be both oral and written, entails the successful defense of a Dissertation Proposal with the Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee will meet with the student to discuss the proposal for a two-hour session sometime in mid- spring semester of the third year. Feedback will be provided to the student and the student may be asked to make revisions to the proposal. The final version of the dissertation proposal must be submitted by the last day of classes of the Spring semester.
Dissertation Defense
Upon completion of the dissertation, students will present an overview of their research project to faculty and peers. This presentation will be followed by a closed conversation among the student, the dissertation committee (who will have received the complete dissertation several weeks earlier), and the graduate chair. This will allow faculty members formally to evaluate the project formally and to give feedback on how to develop the project in the future.
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.