The Department of Cinema Studies is one of the first university departments devoted to the history, theory, and aesthetics of film and the moving image. The approach to cinema is interdisciplinary and international in scope and is concerned with understanding films in terms of the material practices that produce them and within which they circulate. Film has been the primary object of study in the past; however, in recent years, the department has expanded to include other media that fall within the realm of sound/image studies (e.g., broadcast television, video art, and on-line technologies).
Four degree programs are offered in the department: the B.A. in Cinema Studies, the M.A. in Cinema Studies, the M.A. in Moving Image Archiving and Preservation, and the Ph.D. in Cinema Studies. The bachelor's degree is conferred through the Tisch School of the Arts, and the master's and doctoral degrees are conferred through the Graduate School of Arts and Science. Students in the M.A. and Ph.D. programs also have the opportunity to complete a Certificate in Culture and Media (incorporating documentary production coursework), in conjunction with the Graduate Department of Anthropology.
Most courses in cinema studies include extensive film screenings that are supplemented by a weekly cinematheque. Students also have access to extensive film and film-related resources in the department's George Amberg Film Study Center. In addition, the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library houses a substantial video collection that is located in the Avery Fisher Center for Music and Media. Other New York City institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Library of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and the Anthology Film Archives offer further invaluable resources for the film student.
