Humanities HUM

HUM 3 Introduction to Cinematic Arts, Film, and Television

Units

3

Grading: Standard Letter Grade

This course provides an introduction to the cinema. The course will examine broad questions of form and content, aesthetics and meaning, and history and culture. Using a wide variety of films, filmmakers, and film movements, the course explores the diverse possibilities presented by the cinematic art form. Topics include modes of production, narrative and non-narrative forms, visual design, editing, sound, genre, ideology, and critical analysis. C-ID: (FTVE 105).

Offered: Fall 2026 (4 sections) · Spring 2027 (2 sections)

HUM 4 Introduction to American Cinema

Units

3

Grading: Standard Letter Grade

This introductory course in film studies is a survey of the American film industry as an art form, as an industry, and as a system of representation and communication. The course explores how Hollywood films work technically, aesthetically, and culturally to reinforce and challenge America's national self-image.

Offered: Summer 2026 (1 section) · Fall 2026 (1 section) · Spring 2027 (2 sections)

HUM 6 Contemporary World Cinema

Units

3

Grading: Standard Letter Grade

This class introduces contemporary foreign cinema and includes the examination of genres, themes, and styles. Emphasis is placed on cultural, economic, and political influences as artistically determining factors. Film and cultural theories such as national cinemas, colonialism, and orientalism will be introduced. The class will survey the significant developments in narrative film outside Hollywood. Differing international contexts, theoretical movements, technological innovations, and major directors are studied. The class offers a global, historical overview of narrative content and structure, production techniques, audience, and distribution. Students screen a variety of rare and popular films, focusing on the artistic, historical, social, and cultural contexts of film production. Students develop critical thinking skills and address issues of popular culture, including race, class gender, and equity.

Offered: Fall 2026 (2 sections)

HUM 10 Approaches to Contemporary Film

Units

3

Grading: Option of a standard letter grade or Pass/no pass

Approaches to Contemporary Film examines theories of film criticisms as they apply to films from 1960 to the present. Students learn technical, visual, classical, historical, cultural, ideological, and aesthetic approaches to film and sample from a representative list of foreign and domestic movies. Special emphasis is given to new voices from non-American sources and to emerging voices in American cinema.

Offered: Spring 2027 (4 sections)

HUM 25 Motion Picture Production

Units

3

C-ID

FTVE 150

Grading: Standard Letter Grade

A new version of this course will be effective Fall 2026

This course provides an introduction to the theory, terminology, and process of motion picture production for film and television. Topics include basic cinematography including the operation, function and creative uses of production and post-production equipment, scriptwriting, camera operation, shot composition, lighting, sound recording and mixing, and editing. (C-ID: FTVE 150)

Not on the Summer 2026, Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules.