The Cinema & Media Studies Division offers foundational education in the cultural, artistic, political and commercial contexts of media creation, production, circulation and consumption. Students of this pioneering program develop a deep understanding of how technology, business, art, politics and history shape and respond to media at regional, national and global scales. Training at this historic department has taken its graduates to key positions at leading studios, universities, and media organizations in the US and around the world.
Our Cinema and Media Studies BA, MA and PhD program fall under the CIP code: CIP code 50.0601: Film/Cinema/Media Studies.
The Division is known for the varied expertise of its faculty, the program’s interdisciplinary affiliations, and its wealth of institutional resources:
CAMS Grad Discusses Inspiration Behind Design of "Spotlight" The CAMS Undergraduate Journal of USC
Taylor Crawford
Alumni Profile
The Chair of Cinema & Media Studies Discusses the Program and the Field
Priya Jaikumar
Faculty Profile
The SCA Diversity Council Honors CAMS Student with Award
Diversity Awards
Program Profile
A Bachelor of Arts in Cinema & Media Studies offers an education in the cultural, historical, and narrative constructs of both new and traditional media. As a result, students develop the academic foundation necessary to excel in an industry that is constantly evolving and graduate with the broad tools and knowledge necessary to work in a variety of fields.
A Master of Arts in Cinema & Media Studies offers a comprehensive examination of the cultural, artistic, and commercial contexts of media creation, consumption, and scholarship. Graduates from the MA in Cinema & Media Studies develop a sophisticated understanding of how creative expression, technology, business, politics, history and ideology are interlinked within American and international media trends. MA alumni have embarked on successful careers in the film and media industries, higher education, non-profits, curating, criticism and archiving.
Established in 1959 as the first PhD program of its kind, the Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema & Media Studies remains at the forefront of scholarly work in the cinematic arts. Students tailor their curriculum to their own creative and scholarly interests under the guidance of SCA's world-renowned faculty. Past PhD recipients have published award-winning books and essays, secured tenured positions at the most prestigious universities in the world, and have become influential public intellectuals in a variety of fields.
The Division of Cinema & Media Studies
USC School of Cinematic Arts
Program Coordinator
University Park, SCA 319
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211
Phone: 213.740.3334
mediastudies@cinema.usc.edu
