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Who
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What

What is a film studies certificate?
A certificate is a specialized, compressed program that awards the student a physical certificate as well as a note of completion on their transcripts. It is not a major or a minor, but a smaller, more focused area of study that translates well into professional development and continuing education. The film studies certificate at FIU has a comprehensive focus on various aspects of film such as its history, different genres, auteurs, the elements of film, etc. The film studies program allows students to choose 12 credits, facilitating a tailored experience for those seeking the certificate. The courses offered are not limited to English or Film classes only, but can be found in various otherhumanities departments.

What are these internships I keep hearing about?
Many students choose to fill out their education with internships either within the program or with local businesses and film-related non-profit organizations. For more information regarding internships students can go here.


Who

Who can register?
Any student in any major is welcome to enroll in the film studies program!

The film certificate is used as an interdisciplinary study. Film as a medium of communication has contributed and transmitted culture and language and can be used to both depict human experience and influence human behavior. As a result of the many ways in which film as an art form can be viewed, a film certificate can enhance interdisciplinary connections among Modern Languages, English, Sociology, Anthropology, Architecture, Visual Arts, Journalism, Broadcast Media, History, Area Studies and other departments.

Can I get a certificate if I already graduated?
Yes, as long as the you have a bachelor’s degree you can simply enroll as a non-degree seeking student and complete the required courses. Even if your bachelor’s degree is from a university other than FIU, you can get a film studies certificate from our program. And, the certificate is available fully online, as well.

If you completed the requirements before you graduated but did not enroll or did not submit graduation paperwork to the certificate director, you can still get the certificate. Just contact us.

Students who have already graduated and wish to enroll as non-degree seeking students must complete the entire registration form, which can be found here. If your bachelor’s degree is from a school other than FIU, you will also be asked to provide official transcripts. Please contact the director for more.


How

How do I fulfill the requirements?
This program will require 18 credit-hours (6 courses) including a 6 credit core and 12 credits of electives:

Core Courses
FIL 3006 Introduction to Film Studies
ENG 4121 History of Film

Electives
2 film-related courses outside the English Department
2 film-related courses inside or outside the English Department

All courses must be at the 3000 level or above. Students can consult with the adviser of the certificate program for details, including current or other course offerings. Or they can go for a list of current, and past course offerings.

In general, any classes where at least half the instruction is directly related to film or to the art and technology of the moving image (e.g. 2D animation) can count toward the certificate. If you have taken or are considering a class that you believe might count, feel free to contactthe director.

How do I register?
In order to register for a film studies certificate students must complete the Change of Program form. If you just fill out the top line, we can take it from there!

After completing the above form, please email the application to program director,Dr. Andrew Strycharski

How do I graduate with the certificate?/What do  I need to do to graduate?
The film certificate is not meant to be a standalone certificate, rather it acts as a complement to a bachelor’s degree. Students must have a bachelor’s degree in order to receive a certificate. What this means is that in order to award a certificate student must wait until after their bachelor degree is posted on my.fiu.edu. Then get a copy of your transcript that shows your degree is posted, highlight all the courses that fulfill the film studies certificate on the unofficial transcript, and submit the transcript to Professor Andrew Strycharski.

Professor Strycharski’s office is located in DM 468 B, students can drop their unofficial transcripts in his mailbox. You can also email him a copy of the transcript with your film courses highlighted instead.

What happens after I submit the transcript?
It typically takes a few weeks to process the certificates. Your certificate will then be posted to your FIU transcript (congratulations!) and a diploma will be mailed to Dr. Strycharski. He will contact you when he receives the diploma and you can either come in to pick it up or request to have it mailed to you.


Where

I want to get the certificate fully online. Is that possible?
Yes! The certificate is available fully online. This also means that students who are not fully online can choose to make the certificate seeking experience a hybrid one (choosing a mix of on-campus and FIU online classes). The options are very flexible.

Where is the film studies office?
The film studies program office, aka Dr. Strycharski’s office, is DM 468B. If you wish to set up an appointment or want more information, feel free to use the contact form right below this.


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Florida International University