BA in Cinema and Media Studies in Boston United States | Boston University

Since its creation in the late 1800s, cinema has evolved into one of today's most sophisticated art forms, beloved entertainment mediums, and influential cultural forces. We encounter cinematic elements everywhere—from viral clips and YouTube content to home videos and reality TV, from commercials and video games to security cameras and virtual meetings, not to mention acclaimed international films and blockbuster productions. The language of moving images, with its distinct artistic conventions and rich technological evolution, has profoundly shaped our culture, thinking, and creative expression.

The Cinema & Media Studies (CIMS) undergraduate program provides students with thorough training in the history, culture, artistic principles, theory, and creation of visual media. Our curriculum spans global perspectives and crosses disciplinary boundaries, featuring faculty from diverse departments including English, world languages, sociology, and art history. Students explore various film genres, influential directors, media formats, and regional cinemas from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

A Cinema & Media Studies degree equips graduates with a robust humanities foundation in this increasingly relevant field, combining cultural impact with artistic value and social importance. Alumni gain analytical tools to understand modern media environments through technical expertise, historical context, and creative thinking. Our graduates have launched careers in diverse areas such as film curation, publishing, arts journalism, filmmaking, visual arts, writing, education, business strategy, marketing, advertising, and brand development.