A Film Track Certificate is awarded to students concentrating in either film/video production or film history/theory who have successfully completed a program of studio and scholarly work. Normally students in this program must complete a film/video production course and a course in film history or theory before being admitted to the program.

To earn this certificate, a student must have the approval of their home department to submit a written critical/historical thesis on a film-related topic or to present a creative film work in fulfillment of the senior thesis. The thesis will be the same for both the home department and the Program in Visual Arts. The Film Track Certificate is not available to students whose home department doesn’t require a thesis (e.g. Engineering).

Students who are not able to submit a creative film thesis to their home department may still concentrate in film/video production by doing the Visual Arts Certificate (or changing their major and entering Program 2).

Course Requirements

Five courses:

a) One course in film/video production (VIS 261/262, VIS 361/362, VIS 462)

b) Two courses in film history (any course listed by the Film Studies Committee) and one Visual Arts seminar in film theory or history.

c) At least two other courses (either in film production or academic courses in film history).

d) Please note: Three cognates are accepted within the above group.

Independent Work

Students must submit one junior project and complete a senior thesis in the field. Junior projects and senior theses may be submitted as historical or theoretical essays or as creative works in film, video, or an installation based on either or both media; see below for specific requirements in each area. These projects will be jointly advised by one faculty member from the Program in Visual Arts and one from the department of the student’s major.

Independent Work in Film/Video Production:

Junior Independent Work:

a) In fall, students must select two advisers, one from the Program in Visual Arts and one from their home department, and complete the Certificate Adviser Approval Form. The Junior Independent Work is done in consultation with the student's advisers and also with the general Visual Arts faculty in “open studio” meetings.

b) The advisers’ spring term grade for the Junior Independent Work represents an evaluation of the entire year's work. The Junior Independent Work is screened in a group show at the beginning of the senior fall semester.

Senior Independent Work—The Creative Thesis:

a) In fall, students select two faculty advisers and complete the Certificate Adviser Approval Form. The creative thesis studio work is done in consultation with the student's advisers, and also with the general Visual Arts faculty in “open studio” meetings.

b) Students present their work at a public screening at the end of the year. The grade for the creative thesis represents an evaluation of the entire year's studio work and is the average of two grades: (1) the grade given by the student's Visual Arts adviser and (2) the grade given by the home department adviser.

Independent Work in Film History/Theory

Junior Independent Work:

a) In fall, students select two advisers, one from the Program in Visual Arts and one from their home department, and complete the Certificate Adviser Approval Form. The Junior Independent Work is done in consultation with the student's advisers.

b) In spring, students present a critical, historical, or theoretical essay on an aspect of cinema demonstrating research skills and familiarity with the literature of the field. The advisers’ spring term grade for the Junior Independent Work represents an evaluation of the entire year's work.

The Senior Thesis:

a) In fall, students select two faculty advisers, one from the Program in Visual Arts and one from their home department, and complete the Certificate Adviser Approval Form. Research should be substantially completed and a chapter outline approved and signed by the advisers by December 1st.    

b) The completed thesis must be submitted in bound copies to the two advisers by April 10. The grade for the senior thesis represents an evaluation of the entire year's work and is the average of two grades: (1) the grade given by the student's Visual Arts adviser and (2) the grade given by the home department adviser.