Courses in Cinema & Media Studies PhD

Each student must take a minimum of 13 1/2 courses during the first six quarters of residence. These required Ph.D. Core Courses must be completed during the first year of residence:

215

Theory and Method

211B

Historiography

273

Contemporary Film and Television Criticism

In their second year, students must take 274: Research Design, which is required in both the fourth and sixth quarters, and an independent study in the area of their dissertation in the fifth quarter. In addition to the core sequence, 496: Practice of Teaching Film and Television is required (normally in the first quarter of residence).

496

Practice of Teaching Film and Television

274

Research Design

Students select an additional 9 graduate seminars, five of which must be in the Cinema & Media Studies program. The seminars are divided into three areas of concentrations, which might include film theory; narrative studies; film history; American film; European film; non-Western film/television; television studies; media and society; film authors; film genres; film and the other arts; film/television as a business enterprise; film/television production; new media; or other areas, subject to faculty approval. It is expected that the dissertation topic will emerge from one of the concentrations.

Seminars vary from year to year, but are selected from the following list of courses:

203

Film and Other Arts

206A

European Film History

206C

American Film History

207

Experimental Film

208C

Contemporary Film Theory

209A

Documentary Film

209B

Fictional Film

209D

Animated Film

210

Contemporary Broadcast Media

217

Television History

218

Culture, Media and Society

219

Film and Society

220

Television and Society

221

Film Authors

222

Film Genres

223

Visual Perception

224

Computer Applications for Film Study

246

Issues in Electronic Culture

270

Film Criticism

271

Television Criticism

275

Nonwestern Film

277

Narrative Studies

Foreign Language: Mastery of one foreign language is required and must be demonstrated by completing a level five (or higher) foreign language course or by passing a UCLA language examination. The foreign language requirement should be completed by the end of the first year in residence.

Second-Quarter Review: During their second quarter in residence, PhD students must take a Preliminary Oral Examination. The Cinema & Media Studies Faculty Committee evaluates the student's progress to date and determines his or her general fitness to continue in the doctoral program. At this time, the student presents a written Plan of Study to the faculty, including a proposal for grouping the required nine courses into three areas of concentration.

Comprehensive Exams: During their second year in residence, in the first week of the Spring quarter, PhD students must take their Comprehensive Exams. This is a take-home exam, and candidates have four full days to complete the exam, which consists of 6 areas. Three areas are required - American Film History, Historiography, and Contemporary Film Theory. The other three are selected by the student, subject to faculty approval. Generally, the three optional areas are related to the student's three areas of concentration.

Prospectus Reviews: After successful completion of the language and course requirements as well as the PhD Comprehensive Examination, PhD students present a dissertation prospectus to the Cinema & Media Studies Faculty Committee for review. Each student meets with the Committee to discuss the merits and feasibility of the dissertation and the proposed composition of the Doctoral Committee. After the Internal Prospectus Review has been passed, the student takes the Oral Qualifying Examination before his or her Doctoral Committee. This exam is devoted to the merits and feasibility of the dissertation prospectus; it is not a continuation of the written Comprehensive Exam. Once these exams have been satisfactorily completed, the student advances to Candidacy.

Dissertation: Final award of the PhD in Film and Television depends upon completion of a dissertation that demonstrates the ability to complete significant independent research in a historical, critical, or theoretical field of film and/or television studies. Students are expected to complete the dissertation in three to nine quarters.

Normal progress toward the degree is as follows:

1. The Preliminary Oral Examination should be passed and the Plan of Study accepted by the end of the second quarter in residence.
2. The Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations should be passed by the sixth quarter in residence.
3. The Dissertation Prospectus should be approved within the first six quarters of residence.
4. The Dissertation should be filed within three years after Advancement to Candidacy.

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