On and Off Screen: The Cinema and Media Studies Minor at Valparaiso University

Abstract

Tomasik examines the curricular design of the interdisciplinary minor in Cinema and Media Studies (CMS) at Valparaiso University. In the context of other New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) institutions, Valparaiso’s CMS minor stands out in its insistence on both the critical and production sides of cinema studies. Early discussions of the minor highlighted the integrated study of both product and production as a defining feature of CMS. The minor focuses on a complicated art form that mixes a variety of media, both images and sound. Cinema studies also reflect trends in web-based interfaces that increasingly rely on video instead of text. The CMS minor thus channels the traditional critical modes of the liberal arts while engaging topical questions about the modern world and encouraging experiential learning through practical application.