Cinema and Media Studies, BA

The new Department of Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Pennsylvania is a hub for humanistic inquiry into film, television, audiovisual artworks, material texts of various kinds, digital media, as well as environmental media.

The intellectual core of the undergraduate program places an emphasis on the history, intellectual and formal analysis of film and media practice. Students are exposed to screenwriting and production as well as to film and media theory, engaging critically with the study of national and global film movements as well as with the long history of all manner of media. Our robust internship program for undergraduate students allows them to gain experience working with some of the most exciting film festivals, distributors, agencies, management and production companies in the business today.

CIMS is proud of its ambitious public-facing programming, including screenings, lectures and workshops. We regularly host artists, filmmakers and scholars while collaborating with the various film clubs at Penn and film festivals across Philadelphia. Our programs at the Cannes Film Festival and in London allow students the opportunity to explore theater, art, culture and investigate how film functions in the context of celebrity culture and international marketing.

The University of Pennsylvania has long been home to innovative approaches to moving images and other media, dating back to Eadward Muybridge's influential and controversial animal locomotion studies of 1886. The Core Faculty and Graduate Group in Cinema & Media Studies recognizes the vital importance for humanities education to be able to think historically and critically about the operations, ethics, aesthetics and interactions of media ranging from stone tablets to digital infrastructures and machine learning.

We believe that global and comparative approaches to studying media and cinema require an understanding of specific national and regional frameworks, including a comprehension of the histories of literature and art in particular regions and cultures. Our affiliated faculty in the Graduate Group belong to various language and literature departments as well as to History of Art, Anthropology and the Weitzman School of Design. Our faculty members, regardless of specialization, are committed to providing our students with training that spans the often-divisive categories of cinema and media; theory, history, and practice; traditional scholarly writing and multi-modal methods.

The minimum total course units for graduation in this major is 32. Double majors may entail more course units.

For more information: http://cinemastudies.sas.upenn.edu/undergraduate/major

For information about the General Education requirements, please visit the College of Arts & Sciences Curriculum page.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

Sample Plan of Study