Capstone Projects

Students majoring in Film and Media Studies are required to complete a two-credit capstone project.  This capstone project is typically conducted in the Fall or Spring semester of the student’s senior year before graduation. 

There are three types of capstone projects to choose from.

1.Writing and Analysis Project:

The student writes a critical paper in Film and Media Studies on a topic of their choice. Requirements for this capstone include:

• Project length should be no less than 10 pages.
• Written in consultation with an advising professor in Film Studies or Media Studies.
• Students should begin to develop their capstone project the semester before the project, if not earlier.
• Regular meetings with the advising professor are required to discuss progress of the writing project.
• Please see advising professor in Film and Media Studies for additional requirements.

2.CREATIVE Project:

For this capstone project, the student creates a creative portfolio, which may include one or more of the following: the creation of a new film; the writing of a screenplay; the creation of a piece of visual media; a work of multimedia web design; an experiential storytelling project. This new creative work should build upon and demonstrate what students have learned as filmmakers and creative media producers during their classes in filmmaking, media production, and film and media studies.

Requirements for this capstone include:

• Produced in consultation with an advising professor in Film and Media Studies.
• The student should begin to develop the capstone project the semester before the project, if not earlier.
• Regular meetings with the advising professor are required to discuss progress of the creative portfolio.
• Please see advising professor in Film and Media Studies for additional requirements.

3.Internship in Film:

For this capstone project, students work for 90 hours minimum (typically during one semester) at an internship that gives them substantial, hands-on experience in a career field related to Film and Media Studies.

Please see your advisor in the major to discuss currently available internships.  There are local opportunities (both on-campus and off-campus) for hands-on work in the field. Students are also free to research internships on their own, but keep in mind that all internships must be approved by the student’s advisor before the internship begins.

Internships must be secured and approved prior to the beginning of the semester in which the student wishes to complete the internship capstone. Please see advising professor for additional requirements.

Please talk to your advisor in the major for more information about these capstone options.

For more information about film capstones and internships, contact Matt Connolly. If you are interested in a broad-based Media Studies capstone or internship, please contact Heather McIntosh.