Film and Media Studies
60 courses · UC Irvine · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026
FLM&MDA 75 Media and Identities
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement
Examines how media give expression to cultural and social identities, through onscreen representations and behind-the-scenes practices. Studies how media reflect and influence cultural politics.
FLM&MDA 76 Global Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement
Examines global media, including different approaches to their study, focusing on how film, television, streaming, and digital media circulate across borders and shape cultural identities, industries, and power relations.
FLM&MDA H80 Honors Seminar: Race Sport Media
- Units
- 4
Honors seminar examining the intersection of race, sports, and media in everyday U.S. popular culture (film, TV, advertising, gaming, social media) and political culture.
FLM&MDA 85 Introduction to Film and Visual Analysis
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfaction of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement
Introduces the language and techniques of visual and film analysis. Teaches students to analyze the moving image; emphasize framing, camera movement, and sound; and conveys how editing produces meaning, reproduces historical ideologies, fosters or disrupts narrative, and cues spectators. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 86 Introduction to Television Analysis
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfaction of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement
Introduces critical approaches to the study of television from a range of theoretical perspectives. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 87 Introduction to New Media and Digital Technologies
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement
The study of digital media, computer-mediated communication, and Internet cultures, from historical and theoretical perspectives. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 101A History of Film I: The Silent Era
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
The aesthetic, industrial, and socio-historical developments of cinema in the U.S. and internationally from its invention to the adoption of synchronous sound. Includes early exhibition, developments in narrative and editing, the formation of the studio system, and avant-garde film movements. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 101B History of Film II: The Studio Era
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
The aesthetic, industrial, and socio-historical developments of cinema in the U.S. and internationally from the 1930s through the 1960s. Includes the Hollywood studio system, propaganda films, Italian neorealism, post-war Japanese cinema, and the French New Wave. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 101C History of Film III: The Contemporary Era
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
The aesthetic, industrial, and socio-historical developments of cinema in the U.S. and internationally from the late 1960s to the present. Includes New Hollywood and independent U.S. films, ethnic cinemas, postcolonial cinemas, East-Asian new waves, and digital filmmaking. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 101D History of Radio and Television
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
The aesthetic, industrial, and socio-historical development of radio and television. Includes rise of broadcasting, transition to cable, and emergence of streaming. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 101E History of Digital Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
The aesthetic, industrial, and socio-historical development of digital media. May include history of video games, computing, and social media. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 110 Film and Media Theory
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85 and FLM&MDA 86 and FLM&MDA 87 and (FLM&MDA 101A or FLM&MDA 101B or FLM&MDA 101C or FLM&MDA 101D or FLM&MDA 101E). Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Survey of major directions in film and media theory. Various theories of mass culture, realism, auteurism, semiotics, feminism, cultural studies, and theories of other media, with an emphasis on developing the student’s ability to analyze and articulate a theoretical argument. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 111 Film and Media Theory and Practice
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85 and FLM&MDA 86 and FLM&MDA 87 and FLM&MDA 120A and (FLM&MDA 101A or FLM&MDA 101B or FLM&MDA 101C or FLM&MDA 101D or FLM&MDA 101E). Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Seminar focusing on issues in film and media production and editing. Reading and exercises to understand aspects of film and media production (montage, sound, film movement, directing, and mise en scène), and how ideology works in tandem with style.
FLM&MDA 112 Topics in Genre Study
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Critical approaches to the serial productions we call "genre" films such as westerns, weepies, musicals, horror films, and others; televisual genres such as sitcoms, drama, comedy, news, docudrama, police; Internet categories such as chat-rooms, listservs, Web pages.
FLM&MDA 113 Topics in Narrative/Image
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
What relations do sound, image, and story assume in film, television, video, and Internet narratives? In what ways do these media interact with and borrow from each other and traditional story-telling media? How have the new media explored non-narrative strategies?
FLM&MDA 115 Topics in Authorship
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Theoretical and analytical discussions of visual media authorship, focusing on case studies of directors, producers, scriptwriters, and film, video, and digital artists.
FLM&MDA 117A Introduction to Screenwriting
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Introduction to the technique and format of the screenplay, with a particular focus on its three act structural elements: coverage, treatment, and 60 beat outline. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 117B Intermediate Screenwriting
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 117A. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Exercises in the development of screenplays, with emphasis on formal and structural considerations of character development. Students work with the hero structure and other character development methodologies, such as method acting. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 118A Writing Television I
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 86. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Introduction to the technique and format of the television screenplay. Focuses on character, storytelling, structure, and scene development; culminating in a one-hour drama series treatment and first act of the pilot.
FLM&MDA 118B Writing Television II
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 118A. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Intermediate-level screenwriting class exploring the one-hour television drama format. Students write and workshop an original pilot, continuing work started in 118A, and finish a complete draft of the pilot script.
FLM&MDA 120A Basic Production
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Introduction to the basic apparatus of video/film production. The elementary essentials of production, including the use of camera and lenses, lighting, editing, and sound. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 120B Intermediate Production
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 120A. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Students work on individual and group projects, utilizing skills and insights introduced in Film and Media Studies 120A. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 120C Production Workshop
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 120B. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
As film and video are collaborative media, students form production groups and ultimately produce final 10-15-minute film/video projects. Materials Fee
FLM&MDA 130 Multicultural Topics in the Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Investigation of media representations of gender, race, and sexuality in the United States. Topics include media images of and by one or more minority groups in the United States, including African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicano/Latinos, Native Americans, gays, and lesbians.
FLM&MDA 139W Writing on Film and Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85 or FLM&MDA 86 or FLM&MDA 87. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Writing on cinema, television, and/or digital culture, emphasizing identification of reliable sources, close readings, addressing academic, professional, and/or popular audiences. Requires at least 4,000 words of assigned composition.
FLM&MDA 143 Critical Theory of Television
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 86. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Introduction to critical, theoretical, and scholarly understandings and analyses of television, which offer in-depth analyses of television programming, audience reception practices, and industry strategies of address.
FLM&MDA 144 Studies in New Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 87. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Advanced analysis of the technologies, texts, theories, and cultures of computers, video games, networks, or platforms.
FLM&MDA 145 Topics in Popular Culture and Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Considers the forms, ideologies, consumption, and marketing of popular entertainment and technologies. May focus on cultural studies methods, transnational approaches, and synergy between media.
FLM&MDA 146 Topics in Sound Studies
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Focuses on the production, theories, and meanings of sound recordings, music, and/or audio technologies. Topics may include the cultures of popular music and audio devices, music television, and theories of film sound.
FLM&MDA 151 Topics in Documentary and Experimental Film and Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Examines nonfiction and/or experimental cinemas and media, such as documentary, the historical avant-garde, video art, and activist media. Students consider the specific aesthetics and ideologies of forms distinct from narrative feature films.
FLM&MDA 160 National/Regional Cinemas and Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
National schools, period styles, or cultural movements beyond U.S. cinema, as defined by national borders or by geographic regions, such as Latin America. May be approached from a comparative perspective.
FLM&MDA 161 Global/Transnational Cinemas and Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Analyzes the multinational production, circulation, and reception of film and media texts beyond singular national borders or specific geographic regions. Topics may include transnational co-productions, exports, and diasporic reception.
FLM&MDA 162 Topics in US Cinema
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Explores the modes of production and distribution, aesthetics, and contexts that have shaped cinema in the United States. Topics may include classical Hollywood, American independent cinema, or periods such as 1970s cinema.
FLM&MDA 185 Topics in Television and New Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 86 or FLM&MDA 87. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Advanced seminar focusing on special topics in television and new media. Past examples have included courses on media marketing and brand identity; television and sound; game theory; and other issues related to popular culture, broadcast media, and new media technologies.
FLM&MDA 190 Special Topics in Film and Modern Media
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Special issues concerned with film and media history, theory, and criticism.
FLM&MDA 191 Special Topics in Critical Practice
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 85. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Integrates critical analysis, historical, and theoretical methods with creative projects to illuminate film and media production and industries. May include courses in adaptation, writing television, media activism, writing the short film, performance studies, and movie title sequences.
FLM&MDA 192 Special Topics in Advanced Film Production
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 120A. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Focuses on special topics in production. Culminates in final 6-10-minute group film projects. Topics include producing, acting, and/or directing in short films, experimental films, documentaries, television, and other media.
FLM&MDA 193 Special Topics in Advanced Screenwriting
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 117A or FLM&MDA 118A. Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Focuses on special topics in screenwriting. Topics include adaptation, alternative screenwriting, writing the first feature, act two construction, and rewriting.
FLM&MDA 194 Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies
- Units
- 4
Interdisciplinary approaches to special issues concerned with film and media history, theory, and criticism.
FLM&MDA 197 Professional Internship
- Units
- 2-4
Professional internship in the film, broadcast, and/or digital media industries designed to provide students with closely supervised professional experience to enhance their understanding of media from industrial, historical, and critical perspectives. Journal and final report required.
FLM&MDA 198 Creative Project
- Units
- 2-4
- Prerequisite
- (FLM&MDA 85 and FLM&MDA 117A and FLM&MDA 117B and FLM&MDA 117C) or (FLM&MDA 120A and FLM&MDA 120B and FLM&MDA 120C). Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement. Recommended: FLM&MDA 101A
Creative project in screenwriting, filmmaking, videomaking, or Web or internet design intended to provide advanced production and creative writing training beyond the Film and Media Studies 117A-B-C or 120A-B-C series. Final project required.
FLM&MDA 199 Directed Research
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of the Lower-Division Writing requirement
Directed reading and research under supervision of a faculty member in topic areas not covered by regular course offerings. Final research paper required.
FLM&MDA 285A Film Studies: Theory and Methods
- Units
- 4
Examines canonical texts and explores current directions in film studies.
FLM&MDA 285B Television Studies: Theory and Methods
- Units
- 4
Examines canonical texts and explores current directions in television studies.
FLM&MDA 285C Digital Media and Game Studies: Theory and Methods
- Units
- 4
Examines canonical texts and explores current directions in digital media and game studies.
FLM&MDA 286A Film and Media Studies Historiography
- Units
- 4
Approaches to film and media studies historiography.
FLM&MDA 286B Media/Power/Culture
- Units
- 4
Approaches to the study of power and culture in relation to film and media.
FLM&MDA 286C Methods and Research Design
- Units
- 4
Explores a range of research methods and trains students to design original research projects.
FLM&MDA 287 Practicum in Pedagogy
- Units
- 1
Students learn best practices for teaching film and media studies.
FLM&MDA 288A Practicum in Professionalization I
- Units
- 1
Students learn best practices for film and media studies professionalization.
FLM&MDA 288B Practicum in Professionalization II
- Units
- 1
Students learn best practices for film and media studies professionalization.
FLM&MDA 288C Practicum in Professionalization III
- Units
- 1
Students learn best practices for film and media studies professionalization.
FLM&MDA 291 Graduate Seminar in Film and Media Studies
- Units
- 4
Studies in selected areas of film and media studies. Topics vary each quarter.
FLM&MDA 292 Graduate Seminar in Film and Media Critical Practice
- Units
- 4
Integrates critical analysis, historical, and/or theoretical methods with creative projects. Topics vary each quarter.
FLM&MDA 295 Directed Reading
- Units
- 4
Directed reading on a specific topic agreed upon by student and instructor.
FLM&MDA 296 Reading for the Preliminary Examination
- Units
- 4-12
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 285A and FLM&MDA 285B and FLM&MDA 285C and FLM&MDA 286A and FLM&MDA 286B and FLM&MDA 286C
Directed reading in preparation for the preliminary exam.
FLM&MDA 297 Prospectus Research
- Units
- 4-12
Research and writing of the dissertation prospectus.
FLM&MDA 298 Prospectus Writing Practicum
- Units
- 4
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 285A and FLM&MDA 285B and FLM&MDA 285C and FLM&MDA 286A and FLM&MDA 286B and FLM&MDA 286C
Offered spring quarter each year and taught in a workshop format. Assists students with the preparation and revision of the dissertation prospectus.
FLM&MDA 299 Dissertation Research
- Units
- 4-12
- Prerequisite
- FLM&MDA 298
Research and writing of the dissertation.
FLM&MDA 399 University Teaching
- Units
- 4
Limited to Teaching Assistants.