Cinema and Media Studies

Our students analyze moving images from every angle. 

Reels of film

Lights...Camera...Action!

Explore cinema and media theories and techniques in an interdisciplinary minor in Cinema and Media Studies! Cinema and Media Studies students learn how to read and instrumentalize the building blocks of film form to both analyze film and media texts as well as produce and edit media of their own.   

Ranking in the top 5 U.S. media markets, our Boston location offers countless exciting and rigorous internship and career opportunities. Simmons Cinema and Media Studies students go on to jobs in content creation and media production across web, tv, and film, as well as graduate programs in Film, Cinema/Media Studies, Communications, Cultural Studies, and more!

One elective must be a production class. (Production classes are ART 138, ART 139, ART 232, ART 237, ART 239, ART 256, COMM 120, COMM 121, COMM 163, COMM 220, COMM 222, COMM 246, and COMM 262) In addition, at least one elective must be at the 200- or 300-level. No more than two photography classes will be counted toward the minor.


Required Courses:

LTWR195 Art of Film 4
LTWR221 The Critical Lens: Introduction to Film and Media Theory 4

Elective Courses:

ART138 The Poetry of Photography 4
ART139 Color Photography CSI 4
ART232 Advanced Digital Workshop 4
ART237 Advanced Black and White Photography 4
ART239 Art of the Real: Documentary Photography 4
ART249 History of Photography 4
ART256 Approaches in Contemporary Photography 4
AST202 Introduction to Black Popular Culture 4
AST307 Black History at the Movies 4
CHIN214 Contemporary Chinese Cinema 4
COMM120 Communications Media 4
COMM121 Visual Communication 4
COMM124 Media, Messages and Society 4
COMM163 Radio Operations and Podcasting 4
COMM220 Video Production 4
COMM222 Animation 4
COMM246 Digital Imaging for Design 4
COMM262 Media Convergence 4
COMM263 Social Media Journalism 4
COMM323 Digital Cultures 4
LTWR230 Postcolonial Film 4
LTWR327 Psychoanalysis, Race and Sexuality 4
LTWRLTWR 354 Studies in Film: Melodrama 4
LTWR398 Feminist Media Studies 4
FREN314 Topics in French and Francophone Cinema 4
HIST254 History Through Novels & Film 4
HIST329 Film and History Representation 4
HIST374 Modern U.S. History: Digital Humanities 4
MUS165 Music in Film 4
PHIL152 Philosophy Through Literature and Film 4
SPAN314 Hispanic Culture as Seen Through Film 4

Restrictions on Electives

One elective must be a production class Production classes are designated:
ART138 The Poetry of Photography 4
ART139 Color Photography CSI 4
ART232 Advanced Digital Workshop 4
ART237 Advanced Black and White Photography 4
ART239 Art of the Real: Documentary Photography 4
ART256 Approaches in Contemporary Photography 4
COMM120 Communications Media 4
COMM121 Visual Communication 4
COMM220 Video Production 4
COMM222 Animation 4
COMM246 Digital Imaging for Design 4
COMM262 Media Convergence 4
COMM263 Social Media Journalism 4

At least one elective must be at the 200 or 300 level. No more than two photography classes will be counted toward the minor.

Spotlight on Cinema and Media Studies Students and Alums

Clemente Field. Photo Credit: Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez

Photographer Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez '23 Shares Boston's Most Instagrammable Spots

Happy World Photography Day! This event is a worldwide celebration of the art, history, and love of photography. At Simmons, we'd like to celebrate one of our favorite student photographers: Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez '23.