Established in 1999–2000, the program in Comparative Media Studies integrates the study of contemporary media (film, television, digital systems) with a broad historical understanding of older forms of human expression. The program embraces theoretical and interpretive principles drawn from the central humanistic disciplines of literary study, history, anthropology, art history, and film studies, but aims as well for a comparative synthesis that is responsive to the distinctive emerging media culture of the 21st century. Students explore the complexity of the media environment by learning to think across media, to see beyond the boundaries imposed by older medium-specific approaches to the study of audio-visual and literary forms.
The comparative and cross-disciplinary nature of both the graduate and undergraduate programs is embodied in a faculty drawn from Art and Architecture; Anthropology; Foreign Languages and Literatures; History; Literature; Music and Theater Arts; Philosophy; Writing and Humanistic Studies; Science, Technology, and Society; Media Arts and Sciences; Political Science; and Urban Studies and Planning.
The undergraduate program—established in 1982 under its former name, Film and Media Studies—serves as preparation for advanced study in a range of scholarly and professional disciplines and also for careers in media or industry.
The SB in Comparative Media Studies requires 10 subjects. Majors are required to take 21L.011, CMS.100, one mid-tier subject, one capstone subject, and six electives. It is strongly recommended that students take a project-based subject that includes a substantial hands-on component as one of their electives. A pre-thesis tutorial (CMS.ThT) and thesis (CMS.ThU) may be substituted for one elective.
The minor program requires six subjects that reflect the comparative study of media, including 21L.011 or CMS.100, one mid-tier subject, one capstone subject, and three electives. Each minor designs his or her own plan of study in consultation with a field advisor.
The HASS Concentration requirement consists of four subjects that reflect the comparative study of media. Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one project-based subject to complete a concentration. Each concentrator designs his or her own plan of study in consultation with a field advisor.
The Joint Major (21E or 21S) requires eight CMS subjects, plus six subjects in an engineering or science major. Joint Majors are required to take 21L.011 or CMS.100, one mid-tier subject, one capstone subject, and five CMS electives. It is strongly recommended that students take a project-based subject that includes a substantial hands-on component as one of their CMS electives. A pre-thesis tutorial (CMS.THT) and thesis (CMS.THU) may be substituted for one CMS elective. Students must obtain approval for their course selection from an advisor in their engineering or science field, and must also file a petition with the Subcommittee on the Communication Requirement.
Undergraduate subjects include:
Tier I
| 21L.011 | The Film Experience | |
| CMS.100 | Introduction to Media Studies |
Tier II (Mid-tier)
| CMS.400 | Media Systems and Texts | |
| CMS.403 | Media and Methods: Performing | |
| CMS.405 | Media and Methods: Seeing and Expression |
Tier III (Capstone)
| 21L.706 | Studies in Film | |
| 21L.715 | Media in Cultural Context |
Restricted Electives
| CMS.300 | Introduction to Videogame Studies | |
| CMS.309J/21W.763J | Transmedia Storytelling: Modern Science Fiction | |
| CMS.336J/21W.786J | The Social Documentary | |
| CMS.376 | History of Media and Technology | |
| CMS.590J/11.127J | Computer Games and Simulations for Investigation and Education | |
| CMS.600–CMS.604 | Topics in Comparative Media Studies | |
| CMS.607 | The Role of the Gamer: Theory, Criticism, and Practice | |
| CMS.608 | Game Design | |
| CMS.609J/21W.764J | The Word Made Digital | |
| CMS.610 | Media Industries and Systems | |
| 4.341 | Introduction to Photography and Related Media | |
| 4.351 | Introduction to Video | |
| 4.352 | Advanced Video | |
| 4.366 | Advanced Projects in Visual Arts* | |
| 4.602 | Modern Art and Mass Culture | |
| 17.243 | Media Politics | |
| 21A.336 | Marketing, Microchips, and McDonalds: Debating Globalization | |
| 21A.337 | Documenting Culture | |
| 21A.340J | Technology and Culture | |
| 21A.348 | Photography and Truth | |
| 21A.350J | The Anthropology of Computing | |
| 21A.360J | The Anthropology of Sound | |
| 21F.011 | Topics in Indian Popular Culture | |
| 21F.027J | Visualizing Cultures | |
| 21F.030 | East Asian Culture: From Zen to Pop | |
| 21F.035 | Topics in Culture and Globalization | |
| 21F.036 | Advertising and Popular Culture: East Asian Perspectives | |
| 21F.039 | Japanese Popular Culture | |
| 21F.052 | French Film Classics | |
| 21F.056 | Visual Histories: German Cinema 1945 to Present | |
| 21F.065 | Japanese Literature and Cinema | |
| 21F.067J | Cultural Performances of Asia | |
| 21F.341 | Contemporary French Film and Social Issues | |
| 21H.206 | American Consumer Culture | |
| 21H.223 | War and American Society | |
| 21H.546 | World War II in Asia: Film, Fantasy, Fact | |
| 21H.577J/CMS.882J | Film, Fiction, and History in India, 1905–2005 | |
| 21L.421 | Comedy | |
| 21L.430 | Popular Narrative* | |
| 21L.432 | Understanding Television | |
| 21L.433 | Film Styles and Genres | |
| 21L.434 | Science Fiction and Fantasy | |
| 21L.435 | Literature and Film | |
| 21L.486 | Modern Drama | |
| 21L.489J/21W.765J | Interactive and Non-linear Narrative: Theory and Practice | |
| 21L.707 | Problems in Cultural Interpretation* | |
| 21L.708 | Literature and Technology | |
| 21M.283 | Musicals of Screen and Stage | |
| 21M.284 | Film Music | |
| 21M.775 | Hip-Hop | |
| 21M.840 | Performance Media | |
| 21M.846 | Topics in Performance Studies | |
| 21W.749 | Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion | |
| 21W.772 | Digital Poetry | |
| 21W.784 | Becoming Digital: Writing about Media Change | |
| 21W.785 | Communicating in Cyberspace | |
| 24.209 | Philosophy in Film and Other Media | |
| 24.213 | Philosophy of Film | |
| 24.214 | Introduction to Philosophy of the Arts | |
| 24.263 | The Nature of Creativity | |
| MAS.110 | Fundamentals of Computational Media Design | |
| MAS.849 | Special Topics in Multimedia Production | |
| STS.045 | Technology and Experience | |
| STS.085 | Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier |
*when topic is applicable
Project-Based Subjects in Comparative Media Studies
| CMS.590J/11.127J | Computer Games and Simulations for Investigation and Education | |
| CMS.THT | Pre-Thesis in Comparative Media | |
| CMS.THU | Undergraduate Thesis in Comparative Media | |
| CMS.UR/URG | Research in Comparative Media Studies | |
| 4.352 | Advanced Video | |
| 4.366 | Advanced Projects in Visual Arts* | |
| 21L.706 | Studies in Film | |
| 21L.707 | Problems in Cultural Interpretation* | |
| 21L.708 | Literature and Technology | |
| MAS.110 | Fundamentals of Computational Media Design | |
| MAS.849 | Special Topics in Multimedia Production |
*when topic is applicable
The graduate program comprises a two-year course of study leading to a Master of Science in Comparative Media Studies. The program aims to prepare students for careers in fields such as journalism, teaching and research, government or public service, museum work, information science, corporate consulting, media industry marketing and management, and educational technology.
CMS graduate students usually take three 12-unit subjects per term, plus a 3-unit colloquium. All students take three introductory seminars (Media Theories and Methods I and II, and Major Media Texts) during their first year, as well as two terms of Workshop, a subject that offers hands-on experience in media. In their final term they take a 24-unit subject devoted to completing the master's thesis, plus the 3-unit Colloquium in Comparative Media. Typically, students will graduate with a total of 144 units; however a minimum of 139 units is required for the master's degree in order to accommodate some electives that are 9-unit instead of 12-unit subjects.
Students may enter the program with a degree from a wide range of undergraduate majors, including the liberal arts, the social sciences, journalism, computer science, and management.
Graduate subjects include:
Required Subjects
| CMS.790 | Media Theories and Methods I | |
| CMS.791 | Media Theories and Methods II | |
| CMS.796 | Major Media Texts | |
| CMS.801 | Media in Transition | |
| CMS.950 | Workshop I | |
| CMS.951 | Workshop II | |
| CMS.980 | Master's Thesis | |
| CMS.990 | Colloquium in Comparative Media |
Electives
| CMS.710 | Anthropology of Sound | |
| CMS.809 | Transmedia Storytelling: Modern Science Fiction | |
| CMS.810 | The Nature of Creativity | |
| CMS.811 | Introduction to Philosophy of the Arts | |
| CMS.820 | Philosophy of Film | |
| CMS.830 | Studies in Film | |
| CMS.835 | Photography and Truth | |
| CMS.836 | The Social Documentary: Analysis and Production | |
| CMS.840 | Literature and Film | |
| CMS.841 | Introduction to Videogame Studies | |
| CMS.843 | The Role of the Gamer: Theory, Criticism, and Practice | |
| CMS.845 | Interactive and Non-linear Narrative: Theory and Practice | |
| CMS.846 | The Word Made Digital | |
| CMS.863 | Computer Games and Simulations for Investigation and Education | |
| CMS.864 | Game Design | |
| CMS.871 | Media in Cultural Context | |
| CMS.874 | Visualizing Cultures | |
| CMS.876 | History of Media and Technology | |
| CMS.882J | Film, Fiction, and History in India, 1905–2005 | |
| CMS.888 | Advertising and Popular Culture: East Asian Perspectives | |
| CMS.910 | Literature and Technology | |
| CMS.915 | Understanding Television | |
| CMS.917 | Documenting Culture | |
| CMS.920 | Popular Narrative | |
| CMS.922 | Media Industries and Systems | |
| CMS.925 | Film Music | |
| CMS.935 | Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion | |
| CMS.992 | Portfolio in Comparative Media | |
| CMS.993 | Teaching in Comparative Media | |
| CMS.994 | Topics in Comparative Media Studies | |
| CMS.995 | Research in Comparative Media | |
| CMS.997–CMS.999 | Topics in Comparative Media |
Graduate subjects in comparative media studies are described in Part 3.
For more information on the undergraduate and graduate programs in Comparative Media Studies, contact the CMS Office, Room 14N-207, 617-253-3599, fax 617-258-5133, cms@mit.edu.
Henry Jenkins III, PhD
Peter de Florez Professor of Humanities
Professor of Comparative Media Studies and Literature
William Uricchio, PhD
Professor of Comparative Media Studies
James Buzard, PhD
Professor of Literature
Section Head, Literature
James Paradis, PhD
Robert M. Metcalfe Professor of Writing
Program Head, Writing and Humanistic Studies
Janet Sonenberg, MFA
Professor of Theater Arts
MacVicar Faculty Fellow
Section Head, Music and Theater Arts
Jing Wang, PhD
S. C. Fang Professor of Chinese Language and Culture
Section Head, Foreign Languages and Literatures
Beth Coleman, PhD
Assistant Professor of Writing and New Media
Nick Montfort, PhD
Assistant Professor of Digital Media
Glorianna Davenport, MA
Jesper Juul, PhD
Chris Weaver, MS
Ellen Hume, BA
Scot Osterweil, BA
Erin Reilly, MFA
Philip Tan, MS
Joshua Green, PhD
Doris Rusch, PhD
*The Comparative Media Studies program is jointly administered by three Humanities sections: Literature, Foreign Languages and Literatures, and Writing and Humanistic Studies. Approximately 30 faculty members from across the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences regularly teach in the program.