Faculty of Arts

 Cinema Studies

Table of Contents

Subject Lists
    Subject descriptions
        First Year
        Second and Third Year
        Fourth Year

Cinema Studies deals with the interpretation, history, and theory of cinema, television, and new visual media such as computer games and multimedia. The program aims to provide students with various skills with which to understand one of the most dominant forms in twentieth century culture. Like Art History, it places particular emphasis on viewing and analysis, so that film, video and television screenings are an integral part of the programme.

Career opportunities for Cinema Studies graduates are to be found in education and research, and in the arts and the film industry as administrators, media professionals, editors, reviewers, film critics and film archivists.

Cinema Studies is taught within the Department of Fine Arts (Art History and Cinema Studies) which offers a wide range of Cinema Studies subjects. These include the areas of film history, Hollywood cinema, art cinemas, Australian cinema, genre studies (horror, comedy, film noir, the love story, etc.), television, cross-media forms and interactive technologies, and film theory, including theories of spectatorship, gender, and sexuality. The Department also offers a program in Art History.

 1. Prerequisites

There are no specific prerequisites for Cinema Studies first-year. Applicants must meet the admission requirements for entry to the Faculty of Arts. The prerequisite for Cinema Studies subjects offered at second/third-year level is normally 111-105 Introduction To Cinema A: Classical Hollywood and Art Cinema. The prerequisite for a subject offered at third-year only level or at third and fourth-year levels is normally 33 points at second/third-year in Fine Arts subjects.

 2. Requirements for a major in Cinema Studies

A major in Cinema Studies consists of at least five subjects completed at second/third year level in the Department of Fine Arts (Art History and Cinema Studies) at least three of which must be Cinema Studies subjects, totalling 83.3 points.

 3. Entry to Honours

The prerequisite for entry to fourth-year honours in Cinema Studies is the completion of all the requirements for the pass degree with a major in Cinema Studies with an average grade over the major of H2B or higher. Entry to fourth-year honours requires the approval of the Head of Department and Faculty.

 4. Honours requirements

 4.1. Cinema Studies Pure Honours

Students undertaking Pure Honours in Cinema Studies must complete:

• 111-499 Cinema Studies Honours Thesis, and;
• four single-semester Cinema Studies honours subjects, which must include 111-421 Contemporary Film Theory.

A Fine Arts Department Art History subject may be substituted for one of these subject to approval from the course coordinator. 106-448 Consumerism, Spectatorship and Gender: Theorising Visual Fascination may be substituted for one of these subjects with the approval of the Head of the Fine Arts Department.

 4.2. Cinema Studies and Art History Combined Honours

Students undertaking Cinema Studies and Art History Combined Honours must complete:

• 111-499 Cinema Studies Honours Thesis, and;
• two single-semester Cinema Studies honours subjects, which must include 111-421 Contemporary Film Theory; and
• two single-semester Art History honours subjects.

 4.3. Cinema Studies Combined Honours

Students taking Cinema Studies Combined Honours must complete:

• two single-semester Cinema Studies honours subjects, which must include 111-421 Contemporary Film Theory (33.3 points); and
• 111-499 Cinema Studies Honours Thesis, or a thesis in the combining department (33.3 points) and;
• subjects from the combining department according to the requirements of that department (33.3 points).

, which must include 111-421 Contemporary Film Theory.

 5. Opportunities for further study

A degree in Cinema Studies can lead to Postgraduate Diplomas in Art History and Cinema Studies, Art Curatorship & Museum Management, Tourism & the Visual Arts. An Honours Degree in Cinema Studies can lead to Postgraduate Diplomas in Art Curatorship & Museum Management or Tourism & the Visual Arts, and to MA or PhD degrees.

 6. For more information

For further information please contact:

Subject descriptions

First Year

Second and Third Year

Fourth Year

Status:                   Official 1998
Last Modified:            Tuesday October 21 17:09
SGML to HTML Conversion:  Information Technology Services
Authorised by:            Academic Registrar
Email Enquiries:          Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au