Program Requirements: Screen Studies

Screen Studies

Undergraduate Program
Clark offers one of the few undergraduate programs in the nation that specializes in screen studies, which deals with arts and artifacts of the moving two-dimensional image, usually combined with sound. It is concerned, in other words, with the study of film, television, video and evolving forms of digital visual media. The program offers both a major and a minor and stresses the importance of a liberal-arts background, for the screen arts touch upon and are affected by all sectors of contemporary culture and society. Screen studies provides a core of basic and advanced knowledge of the screen arts and media while encouraging students to explore diverse connections and influences, ranging from the visual arts, drama, literature and aesthetics to sociology, psychology, history and economics.
Non-majors take screen-studies courses to acquire knowledge that relates to their interests in other disciplines, to gain a better understanding of the roles film and television play in their everyday lives or to understand the importance of the screen media as cultural and artistic forms. Those considering careers in the screen arts or related areas usually major in screen studies. In addition to being of special benefit for those planning graduate study or a career in the communications fields, the major also may be of interest to those seeking a liberal-arts education that speaks directly to questions of contemporary life, culture and the arts. Students interested in film and video production may take the program’s sequence of production courses and gain production experience through professional internships.

Program Requirements: Screen Studies
Students majoring in Screen Studies enroll primarily in courses on the history, theory and criticism of film, television, and other forms of motion picture media. The major consists of 12 credits—with a minimum of 9 credits in Screen Studies. For a course to provide credit toward the major, a letter grade of C or higher must be achieved.

REQUIREMENTS:
Three courses are required without exception:
SCRN 101 Foundations of Screen Studies (formerly Introduction to Screen Arts – to be taken as early as possible)
SCRN107 Introduction to Digital Filmmaking, (formerly Introduction to Video Production), or its equivalent
SCRN114 Writing About Film: Methods of Film Analysis (to be taken after SCRN 101 and as early as possible)

One of three U.S. screen survey courses is required:
SCRN119 History of U.S. Film Until 1950
SCRN120 History of U.S. Film Since 1950
SCRN122 History of American Broadcasting and Electronic Media

One of two international screen survey courses is required:
SCRN121 History of International Cinema until 1960
SCRN124 History of International Cinema since 1960

One course focusing on a national or regional cinema is required:
SCRN224 World Cinema and Global Culture
SCRN246 Studies in Spanish Cinema
SCRN248 Studies in Latin-American Cinema
SCRN249 Studies in Hispanic Cinema
SCRN252 Asian Cinemas
SCRN263 Topics in French Cinema

One course focusing on screen genres is required:
SCRN123 Factual Film and Television
SCRN130 Film Genre
SCRN131 Film Noir
SCRN 215 Science Fiction Film
SCRN 216 Animé
SCRN230 Images of Youth

One course focusing on the theoretical nature of screen arts is required:
SCRN240 Film Authors and Authorship
SCRN231 Film Theory
SCRN261 Critical Perspectives on TV Culture
SCRN284 Film as Narration
SCRN288 Gender and Film

One course that focuses on creativity relevant to the screen arts is required. Students may choose from this list or in consultation with a program advisor:
ARTS120 Introduction to Photography
ARTS121 Intermediate Photography
SCRN108 Screenwriting
SCRN145 Do-It-Yourself Media
SCRN160 Soundtracks
SCRN171 Storytelling through Video Production
SCRN208 Digital Filmmaking - Narrative Fiction
SCRN214 Social and Cultural Documentary Production
TA112 The Creative Actor
TA120 Technical Theater
TA123 Design for Performance                                                                                                                   TA125 Theatrical Design Projects
TA126 The Physical Theater
TA212 Actor as Thinker
TA230 Playwriting SCRN

One capstone course required: Capstone courses require the completion of a major research project.
SCRN290 ReViewing Disney: Race, Class, and Gender in the Animated Feature Film
SCRN291 Variable Topics (course topic will change each time offered)

Two additional courses or credits related to student's interest in Screen Studies.
These can be any two Screen Studies courses not already taken as requirements. Also eligible are elective internships; directed studies; honors thesis; transfer credits in screen fields from other schools that do not duplicate any of the students' courses at Clark; or any select Visual and Performing Arts courses in consultation with a program advisor.