Film & Media Studies, B.A.

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Minimum 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; students must maintain a combined and OU major GPA of 2.50
Core Requirements
FMS 1013Introduction to Film and Media Studies3
FMS 1313Film Production Foundations3
FMS 2013Film History & Theory to 19603
FMS 2023Film History and Theory: 1960 to Present3
FMS 2033Writing and Career Workshop3
Major Electives
Choose eight courses (24 hours) not used to satisfy Core Requirements 124
Total Credit Hours39
1

Major Elective requirements:

At least 18 hours must be taken at the upper-division level (3000-/4000-level)

No more than 9 hours (3 courses) of Interdisciplinary Major Electives, courses offered in other departments that have been approved for FMS Major credit, may be used toward the FMS major (at least 15 hours of FMS courses not used to satisfy Core Requirements). A full list of FMS courses can be accessed in the department's course catalog

Notes

  • For the most current list of course offerings, please consult the Department of Film and Media Studies. 

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/coursesCourses graded P/NP will not apply.

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-13 hours in the same language)
The college requirement cannot be met by high school coursework.
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Intermediate Course (2000 level) 1,20-3
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
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 13-4
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 13-4
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities (18 hours)
Artistic Forms
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture
HIST 1483United States to 18653
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 list3
Additional Core IV Upper-Division Arts & Humanities courses
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours56
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.
 

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.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit 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
Beginning Language (Core I) 5
Free Elective, lower-division 1
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
Beginning Language continued (Core I) 5
FMS 1313 Film Production Foundations 3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours17
Sophomore
First Semester
FMS 2013 Film History & Theory to 1960 3
Intermediate Language (Core I) 3
Natural Science with lab (Core II) 4
World Culture (Core IV) 3
Social Science (Core III) 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
FMS 2033 Writing and Career Workshop 3
FMS 2023 Film History and Theory: 1960 to Present 3
HIST 1483
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
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
Film & Media Studies Major Elective 1 3
Film & Media Studies Major Elective 1 3
Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Core IV) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, lower-division 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 1 3
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 1 3
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 1 3
Arts & Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Core IV) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 1 3
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 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 Hours15
Second Semester
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 1 3
Film & Media Studies Major Elective, upper-division level 1 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours120
1

Film & Media Studies Major Electives — 24 credit hours chosen from the list of Major Electives maintained by the department. At least 18 hours of the Major Elective courses must be Upper Division. No more than 9 credit hours of Interdisciplinary Major Electives may be used in the FMS major (at least 15 hours of any FMS course not used to satisfy Core Requirements).