For Majors

Applying

Film Studies is a much sought-after major, and our limited resources require us to place restrictions on admission. Students who are considering a Film Studies major must consult with the department chair by the end of the first semester of their sophomore year in order to receive advising regarding the major and application materials.

To be accepted into the Film Studies major, students are required to have completed two gateway courses, Film 304: History of Global Cinema and Film 307: The Language of Hollywood: Styles, Storytelling, and Technology, with a suitable grade in both. These courses introduce students to the film history canon and provide them with a foundation in narrative and stylistic analysis. In addition, students applying for the major must have an overall grade average of B (85.0) or better at Wesleyan, and must complete a written application at the end of January their sophomore year. Students applying for the major who have met these requirements are automatically accepted into the major.

We encourage students who are interested in the Film Studies major to complete the gateway courses by December of their sophomore year, in order to facilitate application to the major. Those applicants who take Film 304 or Film 307 in the spring semester of their sophomore year will have to declare another major before they can be considered for admission to Film Studies, as their admission requires the completion of both courses with a suitable grade.

Because of the prerequisites and major requirements, students transferring to Wesleyan beginning their junior year are not able to declare the Film Studies Major.