School for Studies in Art and Culture
423 St. Patrick’s Building
613-520-2342
http://carleton.ca/fi lmstudies
- M.A. Film Studies
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M.A. Film Studies (thesis and research essay MAs only) with Specialization in African Studies (Specialization requirements listed under African Studies )
M.A. Film Studies
About the Program
The School for Studies in Art and Culture offers a program of study and research leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Film Studies. Priority is given to critical and historical concepts and methods pertaining to the study of media technology and aesthetics; national and transnational cinemas in their global contexts; Canadian and Quebec cinema; animation and new media; and film's relationship to literature, theatre, music and the visual arts.
Academic Regulations
See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
A standing of B- or better must be obtained in each course counted towards the master's degree.
Admission Requirements
The minimum requirement for admission to the Master's program in either a full-time or part-time capacity is a B.A. (Honours) or the equivalent in film studies or a related discipline with high honours standing. Related disciplines might include mass communication, art history, literature, Canadian studies, women's studies, and history. Applicants without a background in film studies may be required to take a maximum of two full credits from designated courses in the undergraduate Film Studies program in addition to their normal M.A. program requirements.
Applicants who lack an Honours degree, but who have a three-year degree in film studies or a related discipline with a minimum standing of B+, may be admitted to a qualifying-year program. Students who complete the qualifying-year requirements with high honours standing or better will be considered for admission to the master's program. The regulations governing the qualifying-year are outlined in the General Regulations section of this calendar.
Program Requirements
Students enrolled in the Film Studies M.A. must select one of the following two program streams:
- 3.0 credits plus a 2.0 credit Thesis
- 5.0 credits Intensive stream
Thesis Stream
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | ||
| FILM 5000 [1.0] | Directions in Film Theory and Film History (core seminar) | 1.0 |
| 2. 2.0 additional credits (see Note, below) | 2.0 | |
| 3. 2.0 credits in: | ||
| FILM 5909 [2.0] | M.A. Thesis | 2.0 |
| Total Credits | 5.0 | |
Note: In choosing the 2.0 additional credits beyond the core seminars and the comprehensive exam, students may take 0.5 credits of coursework outside the Film Studies program subject to the approval of the Graduate Supervisor.
Intensive Stream
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | ||
| FILM 5000 [1.0] | Directions in Film Theory and Film History (core seminar) | 1.0 |
| 2. 0.5 credit in: | ||
| FILM 5910 [0.5] | M.A. Comprehensive Examination | 0.5 |
| 3. 0.5 credit in: | ||
| FILM 5805 [0.5] | Professional Workshops | 0.5 |
| 4. 2.0 additional course credits, 0.5 credit of which can include one of: | 2.0 | |
FILM 5801 [0.5] | Graduate Internship | |
| (see Note, below) | ||
| 5. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
FILM 5908 [1.0] | Research Essay | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 | |
Note: In choosing the two additional credits beyond the core seminars and the comprehensive exam, students may take 0.5 credits of coursework outside the Film Studies program subject to the approval of the Graduate Supervisor.
Guidelines for Completion of M.A. Film Studies
- Full-time students in the thesis stream are expected to finish all requirements for the degree, with the exception of FILM 5909, during their first two terms of study, and part-time students by the end of the fifth term. The thesis requirement is designed to take two or three additional terms.
- Full-time students in the intensive stream are expected to finish all requirements for the degree, with the exception of FILM 5908 and FILM 5910, during their first two terms of study, and part-time students by the end of the fifth term. Full-time students are expected to complete the research essay by the end of the third term and part time students during the sixth term. Full-time students are expected to write the comprehensive exam during the third term and part-time students during the sixth term.
Thesis/Research Essay Proposal
- Students in the thesis stream will submit a detailed thesis proposal to the Film Studies Graduate committee no later than May 1 of the first year of registration for students enrolled full time and no later than the middle of the fifth term of registration for students enrolled part time.
- Students in the intensive stream will submit a research proposal that has been accepted by their research essay supervisor for approval no later than May 1. The topic should concern research undertaken after admission into the program.
Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination will cover basic factual information concerning film history and the history of film theory, and questions relating to film theory and historiography, the critical debates in film studies, and approaches to film analysis. It will normally be undertaken during the Spring Term. A student may opt to write this exam during the Summer Term provided permission is granted by the Graduate Supervisor. Method of evaluation by letter grade.
Language Requirements
A reading knowledge of French (or another language approved by the Film Studies Graduate Supervisor) is required.
M.A. Film Studies with Specialization in Digital Humanities
Thesis Stream
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
FILM 5000 [1.0] | Directions in Film Theory and Film History | |
| 2. 1.0 additional credit | 1.0 | |
| 3. 2.0 credits in: | 2.0 | |
FILM 5909 [2.0] | M.A. Thesis | |
| 3. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| 4. 0.5 credit in DIGH (DIGH 5011, DIGH 5012, or annually-listed DIGH course) | 0.5 | |
| 5. 0.0 credit in DIGH 5800 | 0.0 | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 | |
Intensive Stream
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
FILM 5000 [1.0] | Directions in Film Theory and Film History | |
| 2. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
FILM 5910 [0.5] | M.A. Comprehensive Examination | |
| 3. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
FILM 5805 [0.5] | Professional Workshops | |
| 4. 1.0 additional credit (0.5 credit of which can include one of FILM 5801) | 1.0 | |
| 5. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
FILM 5908 [1.0] | Research Essay | |
| 6. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| 7. 0.5 credit in DIGH (DIGH 5011, DIGH 5012, or annually listed DIGH course) | 0.5 | |
| 8. 0.0 credit in DIGH 5800 | ||
| Total Credits | 5.0 | |
Film Studies (FILM) Courses
Directions in Film Theory and Film History
Recent developments in film theory and history, with emphasis on the themes and concepts informing the development of the discipline of film studies.
Directed Readings and Research
Tutorials designed to permit students to pursue research on topics in film studies which have been chosen in consultation with members of faculty.
Special Topics
Selected topics in film studies not available in the regular course program.
Cinema and Technology
Selected aspects of the technological development of cinema, with emphasis on the impact of technological advances on film historiography and critical analysis.
Topics in Film History
Aspects of the history of cinema, with emphasis on periods, film movements, styles, genres and comparative approaches to national, regional and/or world-wide trends.
Issues in World Cinema
Study of the theoretical and methodological issues raised by the concept of world cinema. Topics may include nationalism, transnationalism, translation, cosmopolitanism, local and regional vernaculars, co-productions, film festivals, multinational corporations and other phenomena associated to globalization.
Topics in Hollywood Cinema
Examination of Hollywood cinema relative to recent research into Hollywood's impact on film aesthetics, technology, economics and culture.
Critical Perspectives on Canadian Cinema
Current critical and historical approaches to Canadian film, with emphasis on institutions, aesthetic traditions and cultural practices.
Studies in Authorship
Examination of the work of one or two filmmakers, with a concern for recent ideas about the concept of authorship and the formation of artistic and critical reputations.
Advanced Film Analysis
Issues and approaches to the detailed analysis of particular film texts. Work in narratology, hermeneutics, discourse analysis, psychoanalysis, deconstruction and semiotics will provide the methodological background to the study of individual films.
Topics in Culture, Identity and Representation
Current critical approaches to the study of identity in cinema. Topics will vary from year to year, and may include race, ethnicity and sexuality, and the geopolitical implications of colonialism and post-colonialism.
Studies in Genre
The theory and practice of film genres will be the object of study in this course.
Topics in Animation
Institutional histories, the work of individual animators, modes of production, and the social function of animation represent topics to be covered by this course.
Graduate Internship
This course provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience by working on film-related projects under the supervision of staff at a museum, gallery, archive, exhibition venue or government agency. Graded SAT/UNS.
Professional Workshops
Introduction to film-related careers through direct contact with professionals involved in film archiving, curatorship and film festival programming, cultural policy and media arts funding. Graded SAT/UNS.
Research Essay
Individual project on a topic of the student's choice involving research undertaken after admission into the program and supervised by a faculty member.
M.A. Thesis
M.A. Comprehensive Examination
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca