Critical Media and Cultural Studies

Navigating a media-saturated and multicultural world requires a combination of traditional liberal arts skills (e.g., critical thinking, cogent writing, and effective speaking) and an in-depth understanding of visual, aural, virtual, and interactive forms of communication.  

This major's curriculum centers on discourses of media and culture. Its distinctive multi- and interdisciplinary approach bridges the social sciences and humanities, providing opportunities for students to explore diverse but complementary perspectives. We aim to cultivate intellectually curious, reflective, and analytical students who can both critically read media and cultural texts and produce oral, textual, and multimedia arguments.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
Ten (10) four-semester-hour courses, and four (4) semester hours in Information Technology (IFT), and one (1) of the following: an academic international experience, an approved CMC internship, or service to campus media. At least eight (8) courses (including all core courses) must be taken at Rollins.

CORE COURSES

Complete ALL of the following.

• CMC 100 Introduction to Media and Cultural Studies (best taken before spring of sophomore year)
• CMC 200 Researching Media and Culture (best taken before fall of junior year)
• ENG 211 Visual Rhetoric for Writers (best taken before fall of junior year)
• CMC 300 Critical Frameworks for Contemporary Culture (best taken before spring of junior year)
• CMC 400 Senior Seminar/Research Practicum (after completion of all other core courses)

Complete ALL of the following.

• Four (4) semester hours in Information Technology (IFT), including IFT 106, IFT 300, IFT 301, and one IFT elective; ART 130 Introduction to Digital Media may be substituted for IFT 300, 301, and the IFT elective (ART 130 students must still complete IFT 106).
• An academic international experience, four (4) semester hours of an approved CMC internship,¹ OR involvement with a campus media outlet (e.g., The Sandspur, R-TV, or WPRK).²
• Five (5) electives in an area of concentration, at least three (3) of which must be 300- or 400-level courses.
  
  Notes:
  ¹See the Career Services website for a list of pre-approved CMC internships. In general, we approve internships with public media (e.g., NPR/PBS), independent media (e.g., Democracy Now, freepress.net), and some alternative media (e.g., the Watermark) as well as social justice organizations (e.g., Amnesty International).

  ²Service to campus media might involve: a) a one year term as editor or staff writer for The Sandspur OR no fewer than five (5) published pieces reflective of CMC; b) a one-year term as director, producer, or board member for R-TV OR no fewer than two (2) original pieces reflective of CMC; c) a one-year term as staff member, DJ, etc., for WPRK OR no fewer than three (3) original pieces reflective of CMC. A portfolio of work is due to the student’s CMC advisor no later than the last day of class in the semester prior to the student’s semester of graduation.

1. International Media. This concentration examines media in international contexts, helping students understand the history, scope, diversity, politics, and economics of global media.

Relevant courses:

ANT 452 Seminar: Cinema and Society in China
CLS 105 Ancient Rome in Contemporary Film and Media
ENG 241 Film and Literature: Post Colonial Film 
INB 215 The Global Entertainment Business
RSN 234 Russia in the Movies
SPN 341 Spanish Film/Cultural Trends
SPN 342 Latin American Film

2. Power and Persuasion. This concentration focuses on links between political discourse, mass media, and public policy. 

Relevant courses:

COM 312 Persuasion Theory
COM 380 Mass Persuasion and Propaganda
ENG 210 Language and Power
PHI 218 Argumentation and Media-Manipulation
POL 315 Topic: Fact and Fiction in Film: War on the Silver Screen
POL 330 Peace and Conflict Studies
POL 370 Comparative Modern Ideologies 

3. Specialized Concentration. We highly encourage majors to work with an approved CMC faculty advisor (contact CMC department chair for a list) to design a specialized area of concentration. Elective choices must be approved by a CMC faculty advisor or the chair of CMC in order to count toward an area of concentration, with the exception of the following CMC electives, which count toward ANY area of concentration.

CMC 398/399/498/499 Independent Study in Media and Cultural Studies
CMC 397 Internship in Media and Cultural Studies
CMC 350 Topics in Media and Cultural Studies
ECO 142 Political Economy of the Media
INT 360 Culture Wars: Ethics, Aesthetics, and Politics
PHI 218 Argumentation and Media-Manipulation
SOC 311 Topic: American Dream in Film and Fiction
SOC 335 Sociological Theory

Other CMC electives sample courses that, with CMC advisor approval, could count toward a specialized area of concentration:

ANT 277 Women and Gender: Middle East and North Africa
ARH 101 Introduction to Visual Culture
ARH 355 Studies: Avant Garde in Europe
CLS 321 Gender and Sex in Antiquity
COM 306 Intercultural Communication
FIL 150 Introduction to Film
ENG 245 Selected Studies in Popular Culture: Films of the 80’s
HIS 235 American Graphic Media
HIS 370 Race and Ethnicity in the United States
PHI 314 Topic: Feminist Theory
PHI 314 Topic: Queer Theory
REL 251 Topic: Portraits of the Modern Jew in American Film and Fiction
SOC 250 Sociology of Gender
SOC 308 The Body in Society
SOC 317 Television and Society
SOC 326 The Sociology of Kurt Vonnegut
SOC 356 The State of Black America
SOC 360 Poverty and Social Welfare
WMS 205 Introduction to Women’s Studies

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED COURSES
If a student wishes to study and/or utilize a particular medium (e.g., film), her/his CMC faculty advisor may recommend one or more additional media history and/or practice courses. These courses are encouraged, but, in general, do not count toward areas of concentration.

Media History
ARH 361 History of Photography
MUS 160 History of Jazz
MUS 165 History of Rock and Roll
THE 203 History of American Film
THE 206 History of Radio and Television
THE 220 History of American Musical Film 

 Practice Courses
ART 130 Introduction to Digital Media
ART 223 Graphic Design I
ART 293 Photography I
ART 300 Photography II
ART 323 Graphic Design II
COM 110 Public Speaking
ENG 273 Journalistic Writing I
ENG 276 Writing for the Future: The Rhetoric of Cyberspace
ENG 373 Journalistic Writing II

Course of Study

CMC 100 Introduction to Media and Cultural Studies: Orients students both to media literacy and to approaches to the study of media and culture, such as political economy, textual analysis, and audience reception. (Pre- or co-requisite course: IFT 300 Digital Video I)

CMC 200 Researching Media and Culture: Explores multiple methods for researching media and culture from a critical perspective. Prerequisite: CMC 100. (Pre- or co-requisite course: IFT 106 Using the Web for Research)

CMC 250/350 Topics in Media and Culture.  Introduces subdisciplines. Varies from year to year. May be repeated for credit.

CMC 300 Critical Frameworks for Contemporary Culture: Presents critical theory (informed by structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstruction, etc.) as a set of tools useful in reading and navigating contemporary culture. Prerequisite: CMC 100. 

CMC 397 Internship in Media and Culture.

CMC 398/399/498/499 Independent Study in Media and Culture.

CMC 400 Senior Seminar/Research Practicum: Involves reading primary research and completing a multimedia project focused on the student’s area of concentration. A research presentation or performance will be required and a service learning application encouraged. Prerequisites: all core courses, plus at least three courses toward area of concentration. Pre- or co-requisite: IFT 301.