Film and Media Studies

Overview

From parsing the history of television policy to writing for video games, our students get a unique interdisciplinary education in the historical and social background of the study of film, television, and new media. Our outstanding faculty are engaged in innovative research on topics like globalization, gender studies, queer theory, broadcast studies, intellectual history, new media and critical game studies, history of photography, and national cinema approaches to the analysis of Film and Media Studies, and our courses give our students access to this cutting-edge research. In our production and screenwriting courses, students get hands-on experience creating short films, television pilots, webisodes, computer games, and other visual media.

Career Opportunities

The Film and Media Studies program of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) prepares students for graduate study and professional life in the Film and Media Studies areas. Our students have been admitted to Ph.D. and M.F.A. programs at UCLA, USC, New York University, and the University of Texas at Austin. Film and Media studies majors have gone on to law school and to get Ph.D.s in a variety of fields. Alumni also make careers in all aspects of the entertainment industry, finding work in the film, television, and game industries in Southern California and beyond. Film and Media Studies students find careers in directing, cinematography, editing, journalism, advertising, marketing, and distribution. Our students’ diverse backgrounds have enabled them to work in bilingual or global media outlets. The Department encourages all qualified students to do professional internships.