Honors in Film Studies

hands typing on laptop keyboard

Film studies majors are eligible to complete a project to earn Departmental Honors.

Understand the Process

Departmental Honors recognize outstanding achievement and are earned by students undertaking either independent research and scholarship or independent production work beyond what is normally included in program courses. Students seeking honors in film studies complete a two-semester honors project during their final year on topics of their choice with faculty advisers of their choice. Successful completion of the program will be acknowledged by public recognition and noted on the student's permanent academic record as “Honors in Film Studies.”

Honors Project Details

Eligibility Requirements

  • you must be a declared film studies major
  • you must have completed a minimum of two critical studies courses at the 300/400 level (for thesis projects) or two production courses at the 300/400 level (for production projects)
  • you must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 in the film studies major and an overall GPA of at least 3.0 or consent of the film studies faculty

Honors Project Requirements

Applications to complete honors projects is initiated by the student. Interested students should discuss their idea for an honors project with the program director, their academic advisor, and/or a film studies faculty member.

Work on honors projects takes place over two semesters. Students enroll in FILM 491 for the first semester, which typically involves research on the honors project topic (thesis or screenplay) or preproduction work (short film). Students must earn a grade of B or higher in FILM 491 in order to continue with the project. Students enroll in FILM 492 for the second semester, which is spent completing the work for the project.

Film Studies Focus

Honors projects with a film studies focus consist of an honors thesis paper. The thesis should deal with a subject not treated in film studies courses or should treat in significantly greater depth a subject that is part of a regularly scheduled course. Such projects are typically 30-50 pages in length. The thesis should be scholarly, with potential for application to a candidate's post-graduation career focus or planned graduate degree studies.

Production Focus

Honors projects with a production focus consist of either a feature-length screenplay or a short film (15-20 minutes). Both types of project should be professional quality, with potential for application to a candidate's post-graduation career focus, including film festival submissions, or else to a candidate's planned graduate degree studies.

Approval Process

Honors project topics for both theses and screenplays/short films must be approved by the Film Studies Advisory Committee. The Film Studies Advisory Committee also reviews the completed projects to determine whether they will receive departmental honors.

See the Honors Project Timeline tab for more details and important dates.

For further information, contact Rosalind Sibielski

Procedure & Important Dates

Honors Project Preliminary Proposal-Thesis, Screenplay, or Short Film

Students must submit a two-to-three-page preliminary proposal to film studies faculty in the semester preceding the anticipated beginning of work on the honors project. Although certainly open to change and development, proposals should be more than just statements of interest and should reflect extended thought about the topic and at least an initial awareness of relevant resources in the field.   

Deadline

By April 15 for projects beginning in the Fall Semester and December 1 for projects beginning in the Spring Semester.

Revised Proposal-Honors Thesis-FILM 491

After researching and refining their project topic in FILM 491, students must submit a revised proposal detailing the scope of the project, the thesis statement, and the points of analysis, as well as a bibliography of research sources.

Deadline

Revised proposals must be submitted by December 1 for projects begun in the Fall Semester and April 15 for projects begun in the Spring Semester.

Revised Proposal-Honors Production Project-FILM 491

  • Screenplay Project: After researching and refining their screenplay concept in FILM 491, students completing a feature-length screenplay must submit a one-sheet, a beat sheet, and a treatment for the screenplay.
  • Short Film Project: After scripting their film and completing all pre-production work in FILM 491, students completing a short film project must submit the final draft of the script, a lookbook, a production budget and schedule, a shot list, and overhead diagrams.
Deadline

Materials must be submitted by December 1 for projects begun in the Fall Semester and April 15 for projects begun in the Spring Semester.

Final Draft of Thesis-FILM 492

In order to ensure that honors thesis candidates are able to participate in year-end awards ceremonies and are listed in the Commencement program as honors graduates, students must submit a final copy of their thesis to their faculty advisor by the deadline. All theses are evaluated by film studies faculty on the Film Studies Advisory Committee, who determine whether or not the thesis has met the criteria to be awarded departmental honors.

Deadline

By April 15 in the Spring Semester and December 1 in the Fall Semester. 

Final Draft of Screenplay/Final Cut of Short Film-FILM 492

In order to ensure that honors production project candidates are able to participate in year-end awards ceremonies and are listed in the Commencement program as honors graduates, students must submit a final copy of their screenplay or a final cut of their short film to their faculty advisor by the deadline. All production projects are evaluated by film studies faculty on the Film Studies Advisory Committee, who determine whether or not the screenplay or film has met the criteria to be awarded departmental honors.

Deadline

By April 15 in the Spring Semester and December 1 in the Fall Semester.

Rhode Island College entrance

Contact

Film Studies Program

If you’re interested in filmmaking, movie reviewing, or other careers related to the entertainment industry, then you might be interested in a film studies major or minor.