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Cinema and Media Studies (BA)

Analyze and create impactful media, preparing for careers in film, television, and digital content creation.

Program Type
Bachelor
Faculty
Unit
Location
Program Start
September and January
Program Options
Combined degree
Honours
Major
Minor

Why choose this program?

Our Cinema and Media Studies program embraces today's incredible variety of moving images — from theatrically released films to TV, YouTube, and video games. You’ll take a look at box office Hollywood releases alongside esoteric art films, and explore cinema from across the globe and its many cultures.

Admission requirements

Minimum admission requirements

To be considered for admission to this program, you must meet minimum academic criteria:

  1. Completion of secondary school (Grade 12)
  2. Achievement of the minimum average for your program of choice.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 English (or equivalent course).

Admission to many Dalhousie programs is competitive. This means that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Program-specific admission requirements

  • Minimum overall average: 70%

  • Academic English 12

  • Four additional academic subjects

Financial information

A university education is a significant financial investment. Every student is unique, and so are their financial circumstances. We offer competitive tuition, a robust scholarship and bursary program, and resources and support to help you explore financial options and develop a plan that works for you. 

Program options

The Fountain School offers several ways to study the moving image at the undergraduate level.  

You can pursue a BA Major, Double Major, or Combined Honours degree, or Minor in Cinema and Media Studies. Alternatively, you can pursue a BSc if you combine Cinema and Media Studies with a Science subject for a Double Major or Combined Honours.

The Fountain School of Performing Arts enables its students to engage in experiential learning for academic credit through a placement with an established organization in the field of cinema and media.


The following Cinema and Media Studies program options are offered by Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Connect with an academic advisor after you start your studies to explore options such as:  

  • Bachelor of Arts with Combined Honours in Cinema and Media Studies

  • Bachelor of Arts Major in Cinema and Media Studies

  • Bachelor of Arts Double Major in Cinema and Media Studies 

  • Minor in Film Studies

What you will learn

You’ll be introduced to audiovisual analysis and the language of cinematography, editing, sound, acting, and art direction. Study the history of the moving image from its beginnings to the present day.

Elective courses at the intermediate and advanced level provide opportunities to study specific genres, directors, and national cinemas. You'll also dive into interdisciplinary topics such as narration, narrative in fiction and film, feminist film practices and music and film.

Sample courses may include:

  • Writing About Performance

  • German for Beginners

  • Reading and Writing Stories

  • Film Analysis 

  • Cinema: The French Phenomenon I

  • Videogames: Story, World and Play

  • Film History 1

  • Indigenous Representations in Film 

  • Animated Film

  • Special Topics in Popular Cinema

  • Point of View in the Cinema

  • Artists as Entrepreneurs

Cinema and Media Studies teaches you to think critically about the moving image in its historical, theoretical, and cultural contexts, and to appreciate and watch this exciting visual medium with eyes wide open.

Careers

Whatever your dream job, the Cinema and Media Studies program will be extremely useful to any job in today’s information-based, visually oriented culture. 

You'll be prepared with the critical analysis and writing skills you'll need for future studies at the graduate level or in another subject matter.