The normative time for the M.A. is two years. Students who lack a background in the discipline may be required to complete one or more additional upper-division undergraduate courses in Film and Media Studies prior to conferral of the M.A. degree.
In the first two years, the student must complete six graduate core curriculum courses and six graduate elective courses for a total of twelve courses (out of the eighteen required for the Ph.D. degree).

By the end of the second year, the student must pass an oral M.A. exam administered by the student's M.A. Committee, based on two research papers written and revised by the student during the first two years of the program.  M.A. committees are comprised of 3 members, of which 2 including the chair must be regular Senate faculty members of the Department of Film and Media Studies.  (Click for more details on Masters Exam Policy Guidelines.)

Students who complete the M.A. graduate work and pass the oral exam with sufficient distinction will be invited to continue working toward the Ph.D. degree.

Media Production Prerequisite.  The media production prerequisite must be fulfilled prior to the awarding of the M.A. degree. It may be satisfied by completing an approved undergraduate or graduate production course (which does not count toward required units), or by submitting a request for a waiver based on production experience arising from the completion of a “substantial single project.”   

B. Doctor of Philosophy – Film and Media Studies

The normative time for the Ph.D. is three years following the successful completion of the M.A.  The student must, sometime between the end of his or her M.A. program and the first year of the Ph.D., investigate and possibly visit potential locations for off-campus research. In the first year of the Ph.D., the student must complete six graduate courses, some or all of which will contribute to the development of the student's emerging research program. By the end of the first year of the Ph.D. (i.e., the third year of the M.A./Ph.D.), each student will have taken and passed a total of eighteen courses.

Formation of Ph.D. Committee and Prospectus.  A PhD committee must have 4 or 5 members.  At least 3 members must be regular Senate faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies.  At least 1 member must be from outside the Department.  Affliliated faculty – for this purpose – are considered to be outside the home department.  The prospectus must consist of an original topic — contributing new knowledge to the field and offer a solid blueprint for the dissertation research.  It should include an extensive rationale for the project, a discussion of methodology, a survey of relevant literature, a bibliography, filmography, and videography, a descriptive table of contents, and a firm, realistic timeline.  The prospectus should be from 3,000 to 4,000 words in length (12-16 pages) not including the biblio/film/videography.

Timeline for Ph.D. Committee, Prospectus, and Qualifying Exam.  By the end of week 10 of Winter  quarter of the third year of the M.A./Ph.D., a student must form a dissertation committee; by the end of week 10 of Spring quarter, he or she must choose three areas of specialization, together with appropriate reading lists and filmographies/videographies, relating to the dissertation topic developed in consultation with the committee; by the end of week 3 of Fall quarter of the fourth year, the student must pass the Ph.D. Qualifying exam; and, by the end of week 7 of Fall quarter of the fourth year, the student’s prospectus must be approved by his or her dissertation committee.  The Qualifying exam and Prospectus approval may occur earlier by arrangement.

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam.  The Qualifying exam will focus on broad questions and the important texts within the three chosen areas of specialization.  The Qualifying exam will consist of a take-home exam, administered over the course of three consecutive days.  The length is 12 to 20 double-spaced pages in a 12pt font for each question.  A choice of two questions for each area will be given, from which the student chooses one.  Questions will be given out day by day.   Each student may choose the order of his or her area exams. 

Nota Bene:  Since faculty are hired on a nine-month year, they are normally unavailable for teaching, mentoring, or consultation responsibilities during the summer.

Ph.D. Oral Prospectus Defense and Oral Dissertation Defense.  By the end of Fall quarter of the fourth year, the student must pass an oral defense of a written prospectus. The student will then file for advancement to candidacy. During the remainder of the fourth year the student will be encouraged to study at a research site abroad or in the U.S. for a period of between three and six months. In the fifth, sixth, and, if necessary, the seventh year, the student will complete the writing of the dissertation based on original research, and then successfully defend it orally before the dissertation committee at a forum open to the public.

Foreign Language Prerequisite.   The faculty believes that establishing a reading knowledge in at least one foreign language is an integral part of graduate training in a field that is international in scope and in a department that seeks to come to terms with the global nature of film and media production, distribution, and dissemination.  Thus prior to advancement to candidacy, a student must pass an examination or have completed coursework as approved by the department that establishes reading knowledge in at least one foreign language.

There are two kinds of requirements for the Ph.D. degree that involve the acquisition of a foreign language.  These requirements are separate and independent.

1.  If expertise in a specific foreign language is necessary or desirable for the purpose of conducting research for a Ph.D. dissertation, a student's Ph.D. committee may require competency in that foreign language.    This foreign language may, but need not, be the same language that is offered to fulfill the general requirement (below).

2.  All candidates for the Ph.D. degree, prior to ABD status, must demonstrate reading "proficiency" or "competency," not necessarily "fluency," in a foreign language.  This is a general requirement for the Ph.D. degree; thus any language courses that a student takes must be in addition to the required 18 Film and Media Studies core and elective courses for the MA/Ph.D. degree or the required 12 Film and Media Studies core and elective courses for the Ph.D.-only degree.  The standard is “reading knowledge.”  There are three ways in which to achieve this level of ability:

(a)  Bilingual or multilingual students will be deemed to have satisfied the foreign language requirement;

(b)  Completion of a language course at Level 6 (i.e., 6 quarters of study) with a minimum grade of B+, or else completion of an upper-division literature course conducted in the foreign language with a minimum grade of B+, or else completion of a reading course for graduate students, e.g. French 6 or 11A-B and German 2G or 6 and Spanish 6, with a minimum grade of B+; or,

(c)  If a member of the Film and Media Studies graduate faculty is agreeable, a student may take an examination under the faculty member's supervision that involves the translation of a 1500 word passage without the use of a dictionary.

(d) Students may take Language Evaluations Exams in the respective Departments of their language choice.  Below is information from four Departments on campus who offer this exam and how to schedule a time to take an exam. 

Italian - A placement exam is given the 2nd Thursday of every month at 2:00 pm, and at other times also, upon demand.  Call to reserve a space to take the exam with the French and Italian Undergraduate Advisor at 805-893-3111.

French - Dr. Schultz evaluates the language levels of anyone above level 3. The student will need to set up a private evaluation with her.  She can be contacted at:  jmschultz@french-ital.uscb.edu

Spanish - Placement exams are given once a month, except during the summer. The contact person is Monica, the Undergraduate Advisor at 805-893-3161.

German - Students can come by anytime during office hours to administered the language evaluation exam, no need to schedule in advance.

II. PH.D.-ONLY REQUIREMENTS

The Ph.D.-only degree is for those students who hold an M.A. or M.F.A. degree in film and media studies or a closely-related discipline.  Forty-eight (48) units of coursework are required (twelve 4-unit courses), including the six graduate core courses.  In addition, there are two prerequisites:  (1) a media production requirement, and (2) a foreign language requirement, both of which must be satisfied before advancement to candidacy (see above for details on both requirements).  Normative time for advancement to Ph.D. candidacy is two years plus one quarter.