Film Studies
- Major
- Minor
As a Film Studies major you will be immersed in a rigorous study of the art of cinema that emphasizes critical and creative thinking. You’ll watch, analyze, discuss and write about films from the world over and you will graduate with a deep knowledge of the moving image and its cultural, historical and socio-political traditions.
Program Highlights
- 10-12 film courses each semester, including regular new topics courses designed to keep the curriculum lively and fresh.
- A truly global perspective, not limited to a single course; instead most of our courses will draw upon films from around the world.
- Our student-centered program means that faculty and students work closely together and you choose your own faculty adviser.
- Our curriculum is flexible and transfer-friendly and we keep prerequisites to a bare minimum.
- This discipline is also available as a minor to complement other majors.
Program Distinctions
- Ranked No. 15 in the nation for Best Film Degree Program by Intelligent
- Alumni have found success in a wide range of careers from production and post-production to media education, public relations, gaming and film criticism.
- Alumni have gone on to get M.F.A, M.B.A., PhD. and law degrees, reporting back that our film program prepared them well for graduate studies.
- The International Film Series, curated by our own Professor Felip Costaglioli, has served as Central Minnesota’s premier foreign cinema showcase since 1996.
- Two competitive merit scholarships each year: The Ronald G. Perrier Film Scholarship ($1,000-$1,500) and Dale and Gretchen Swanson Film Scholarship ($500-$1,000).
- Our program undergoes a comprehensive external review every six years. Our most recent team of reviewers found that our students reported “startlingly" high satisfaction with the major.
Student Organizations
- CineScope
- UPB Films Committee
Popular Careers
- Media Education
- Media Criticism
- Advertising/Marketing
- Social Media Director
- Moving Image Preservation and Restoration
- Film Festival Director/Curator