Film & Media Studies, B.A.
View ChecksheetMinimum Total Credit Hours: 120
Major Hours: 39
Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 48
Upper-Division Hours Within Major: 18
Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00
Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.50
Program Code: B429
Major Requirements
- Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or Dodge College of Arts & Sciences Requirements
- A grade of “C” or higher must be earned in each course presented for major credit.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| FMS 1013 | Introduction to Film and Media Studies | 3 |
| FMS 2013 | Film and Media History to 1960 | 3 |
| FMS 2023 | Film and Media History: 1960 to Present | 3 |
| FMS 2033 | Writing About Film | 3 |
| FMS 3213 | Media Theories & Methodologies | 3 |
| FMS 4013 | Capstone in Film and Media | 3 |
| Creative Skills Requirement | ||
| Choose one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Narrative Production Basics | ||
| Digital Cinema Production | ||
| Editing: History, Theory, Practice | ||
| Topics in Film and Media Production | ||
| Topics in Writing for the Screen | ||
| Feature Screenwriting | ||
| Electives | ||
| Choose six courses from any FMS course not used to satisfy Core or Creative Skill Requirements 2 | 18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 39 | |
| 1 | Appropriate ART, DRAM, or JMC courses may be used to fulfill this requirement with approval of the FMS Academic Advisor. |
| 2 | Additionally, FMS maintains a list of Guided Electives, courses offered in other departments that have been approved for FMS Major credit. The list may be accessed online at http://www.ou.edu/cas/fms.html or in the FMS office. |
Notes
- At least 12 hours of courses in Creative Skills and Electives for FMS Major must be taken at the Upper Division level.
- No more than 15 JMC credit hours may be counted toward the Film and Media Studies major.
General Education and College Requirements
Courses for fulfillment of General Education and Dodge College of Arts & Sciences requirements must be from the approved General Education course list published in the Class Schedule or at http://www.ou.edu/gened/courses. Courses graded P/NP will not apply.
UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication | ||
| English Composition (6 hours) | ||
| ENGL 1113 | Principles of English Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 1213 | Principles of English Composition | 3 |
| or EXPO 1213 | Expository Writing | |
| Language (0-13 hours in the same language) | ||
| The college requirement cannot be met by high school coursework. | ||
| Beginning Course | 0-5 | |
| Beginning Course, continued | 0-5 | |
| Intermediate Course (2000 level) 1,2 | 0-3 | |
| Mathematics (3 hours) | ||
| Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list | 3 | |
| Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, including one laboratory component) | ||
| Biological Science | ||
| Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: BIOL, HES, MBIO, or PBIO 1 | 3-4 | |
| Physical Science | ||
| Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: AGSC, ASTR, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, GPHY, METR, or PHYS 1 | 3-4 | |
| Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours) | ||
| P SC 1113 | American Federal Government | 3 |
| Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list | 3 | |
| Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities (18 hours) | ||
| Artistic Forms | ||
| Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list | 3 | |
| Western Culture | ||
| HIST 1483 | United States to 1865 | 3 |
| or HIST 1493 | United States, 1865 to the Present | |
| Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483/1493) | 3 | |
| World Culture | ||
| Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list | 3 | |
| Additional Core IV Upper-Division Arts & Humanities courses | ||
| Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,3 | 3 | |
| Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,3 | 3 | |
| Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours) | ||
| Choose one course | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 56 | |
| 1 | College of Arts and Sciences Requirements: college requirements are not automatically fulfilled by a previous degree. |
| 2 | One course at the intermediate level or demonstrated competency at that level |
| 3 | 6 upper-division hours, 2 courses, at the 3000- 4000-level. Must be outside the major. |
Free Electives
Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 48 upper-division hours.
Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements
Arts and Sciences Hours: At least 80 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BA degree. At least 55 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BS degree.
Pass/No Pass Enrollment: A maximum of 16 semester hours of free elective credit may be attempted under this option.
Individual Studies (e.g., courses titled “Independent Study”): A maximum of 12 total semester hours may be counted toward graduation, excluding Honors Reading and Honors Research.
P.E. Courses: No physical education activity courses will be counted toward the 120 semester hours of acceptable credit for graduation.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:
- At least 15 of the final 30 hours applied toward the degree or at least 50 percent of the hours required by the institution in the major field must be satisfactorily completed at the awarding institution.
- At least 15 semester hours of upper-division major work must be completed in residence at OU.
- OU correspondence courses are not considered resident credit.
Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum over all 2.00 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU. Some schools and departments of the College have higher minimum grade point averages required for their students.
Special Degrees: Students may qualify for an Honors degree (cum Laude, Magna cum Laude, or Summa cum Laude) by completing specific requirements of the Honors College. A degree will be earned with Distinction if the student completes at least 60 semester hours at OU with at least a 3.60 combined retention GPA and OU retention GPA. A degree will be earned with Special Distinction if the student completes at least 60 semester hours at OU with at least a 3.90 combined retention GPA and OU retention GPA.
Suggested Semester Plan of Study
This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with Dodge College of Arts and Sciences and/or Department of Film and Media Studies academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy University, College of Arts and Sciences, and Film and Media Studies major requirements.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 1113 | Principles of English Composition (Core I) | 3 |
| FMS 1013 | Introduction to Film and Media Studies (Core IV - Artistic Forms) | 3 |
| Math (Core I) | 3 | |
| P SC 1113 | American Federal Government (Core III) | 3 |
| Beginning Language (Core I) | 5 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213 |
Principles of English Composition (Core I) or Expository Writing |
3 |
| FMS 2023 | Film and Media History: 1960 to Present | 3 |
| Beginning Language continued (Core I) | 5 | |
| First Year Experience (Core V) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| First Semester | ||
| FMS 2013 | Film and Media History to 1960 | 3 |
| Intermediate Language | 3 | |
| Natural Science with lab (Core II) | 4 | |
| World Culture (Core IV) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, lower-division | 1 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| FMS 2033 | Writing About Film | 3 |
| HIST 1483 or HIST 1493 |
United States to 1865 (Core IV) or United States, 1865 to the Present |
3 |
| Natural Science without lab (Core II) | 3 | |
| Western Culture (Core IV) | 3 | |
| Social Science (Core III) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| First Semester | ||
| FMS 3213 | Media Theories & Methodologies | 3 |
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, lower-division | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Creative Skills 1 | 3 | |
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Elective, upper-division 1 | 3 | |
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Elective, upper-division 1 | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| FMS 4013 | Capstone in Film and Media | 3 |
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Elective, upper-division 1 | 3 | |
| Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Elective, upper-division 1 | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | Film & Media Studies Major Requirement: Guided Electives — 18 hours chosen from the list of Guided Electives maintained by the department. At least 12 hours of the Creative Skills and Guided Electives courses must be Upper Division. No more than 15 credit hours of JMC coursework may be used in the FMS major. |