Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Tufts University

Program Overview

The B.A. in Film and Media Studies at Tufts University combines film and media history, theory, criticism, and production within an interdisciplinary liberal arts education, making it well suited to students interested in filmmaking, television, digital media, journalism, advertising, and media culture. Students study film and media as artistic and cultural forms while developing practical production skills, research abilities, and a global perspective.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students can establish their foundation with FMS-0001 Art of the Moving Image, which introduces the major's analytical and writing framework and serves as a prerequisite for several later courses. They can then begin historical study through FMS-0002 Global History of Cinema, developing an understanding of cinema across different periods and cultures.

Year 2:

Students can broaden their understanding of media history and culture through courses such as FMS-0006 20th Century U.S. Television History or FMS-0007 Cultural History of the Internet. At this stage, students can also begin the practice side of the major through FMS-0010 Film and Media Production I, developing foundational production skills.

Year 3:

Students can move into specialized production and creative work through courses such as FMS-0136 Directing for Film, FMS-0137 Advanced Documentary Production, FMS-0020 Screenwriting I, or FMS-0021 Screenwriting II. Alongside production, students continue fulfilling theory, social science/media studies, non-U.S., and upper-level requirements, giving the degree a strong balance between creative practice and critical analysis.

Year 4:

In the final year, students can consolidate their academic and creative work through advanced electives, FMS-0099 FMS Media Internship, or an optional two-semester FMS-0198 Senior Honors Thesis I and FMS-0199 Senior Honors Thesis II. Students undertaking the production-based honors route can create a film or write a screenplay as their senior thesis, providing a substantial portfolio-style project before graduation.

Focus Areas:

Film history, film theory, media studies, television studies, internet and digital media, global cinema, screenwriting, directing, documentary production, film editing, media production, visual storytelling, media industries, cultural analysis, media research, digital culture.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop knowledge of film and media history and their impact on society, understand how media operate across different cultures, analyze moving-image techniques, conduct independent research using disciplinary methods, participate in creative and technically competent media production, and communicate ideas clearly to diverse audiences.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

Tufts University is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), with the university's most recent comprehensive evaluation completed in 2023 and accreditation reaffirmed in 2023. Tufts' official accreditation listing does not identify a separate specialized accreditation for the B.A. in Film and Media Studies.

Reputation & Employability:

Tufts' Film and Media Studies alumni have gone on to organizations including NBC News, CNN, WNET, WBUR, FiveThirtyEight, TripAdvisor, Horizon Media, Digitas, and International Creative Management. At the university level, Tufts was ranked No. 18 among U.S. institutions on LinkedIn's 2026 Top Colleges for Career Success, based on long-term career outcomes for graduates from 2020–2025.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Tufts' Film and Media Studies program deliberately combines critical study with practical production, giving students opportunities to create films, write screenplays, complete internships, attend industry events, participate in festivals, and study media outside the classroom. Dedicated production spaces in Barnum Hall include a film studio, green room, editing lab, finishing studios, cinema/auditorium, and equipment room, giving students a strong environment for hands-on creative work.

• Film and Media Production I (FMS-0010): Provides the production foundation for students pursuing the Film and Media Production Sequence and prepares them for advanced filmmaking and screenwriting courses.

• Directing for Film (FMS-0136): Gives students advanced experience in directing and developing film projects.

• Advanced Documentary Production (FMS-0137): Allows students to develop higher-level documentary filmmaking skills while working on substantial production projects.

• Screenwriting I & II: Students can develop original screenwriting skills through FMS-0020 Screenwriting I and FMS-0021 Screenwriting II.

• Senior Honors Film/Screenplay: Students pursuing the production-based honors thesis can create a film or write a screenplay over two semesters through FMS-0198 and FMS-0199.

• FMS Editing Lab: Barnum Hall's editing lab provides a dedicated space for film editing, classes, and general computer-lab work for FMS students.

• Finishing Studios: Two dedicated finishing studios are equipped for film and sound editing and are used for major FMS and SMFA productions, including senior honors projects.

• Film Studio & Green Room: Students taking production courses can use the film studio and green-room studio for filmmaking and media projects.

• Barnum Cinema and Auditorium: The state-of-the-art screening space supports film screenings and provides an important setting for engaging with cinema as both an art form and a production outcome.

• Film Equipment Room: Students enrolled in qualifying production courses or working on extensive FMS film projects can access film equipment through the dedicated equipment room.

• FMS Media Internship (FMS-0099): Students complete supervised professional experience with 150 work hours under media professionals, with opportunities spanning film production, television, journalism, advertising, public relations, marketing, publishing, web/multimedia, and social media.

• Media Internships: Past internship organizations include Netflix, National Public Radio, WGBH-TV Boston, United Talent Agency, Havas Media, Gupta Media, Glass Entertainment, and Fablevision.

• Media Winternships: Tufts offers intensive one- to two-week winter internships that can be in-person, hybrid, or remote and place students with organizations across filmmaking, television, radio, advertising, marketing, public relations, digital media, and journalism.

• Industry Events & Guest Speakers: FMS hosts screenings, workshops, networking sessions, and guest presentations involving filmmakers, journalists, TV creators, authors, and other media professionals.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.A. in Film and Media Studies gives graduates a flexible foundation for careers across film and television production, digital media, journalism, advertising, public relations, marketing, and media research. Tufts' FMS alumni have progressed to organizations such as NBC News, CNN, WBUR, WNET, FiveThirtyEight, TripAdvisor, Digitas, and International Creative Management, while the program emphasizes internships and hands-on production that can help students transition into professional roles.

Typical job roles: Film Producer, Film Director, Screenwriter, Video Editor

Students can strengthen their career progression through:

• Tufts Career Center: Students receive career support from their first year through graduation and beyond, including assistance with career exploration, internships, employment, and graduate-school planning.

• FMS Career Resources: The program provides film and media-specific career resources alongside Handshake, the Tufts Arts, Communications & Media Career Community, Tufts Career Networking Group on LinkedIn, and The Herd.

• Dedicated Internship Coordinator: FMS has a dedicated coordinator who helps students identify relevant opportunities, navigate applications, and connect their internships with academic and career goals.

• Internship-to-Employment Pathway: FMS reports that students have, in many cases, successfully transitioned internships into full-time employment after graduation.

• Industry Network: Students can build connections through internships and FMS events with professionals and alumni working across film, television, radio, advertising, marketing, PR, digital media, and journalism.

• Graduate Outcomes: Recent FMS graduates have moved into organizations including NBC News, CNN, WBUR, WNET, FiveThirtyEight, Horizon Media, TripAdvisor, Digitas, and International Creative Management.

• University Career Outcomes: Across Tufts, 86% of the Class of 2025 completed at least one internship and 65% completed two or more. Tufts also maintains destination data that can be searched by academic program, employment, internships, and graduate-school outcomes.

• Long-Term Accreditation Value: Tufts' NECHE accreditation provides institution-wide external quality recognition; the university's latest comprehensive evaluation took place in 2023, with the next comprehensive evaluation scheduled for 2033.

• Career-Success Recognition: Tufts was ranked No. 18 in LinkedIn's 2026 U.S. Top Colleges for Career Success, reflecting the university's broader long-term career outcomes rather than a Film and Media Studies-specific ranking.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master's and other graduate-level study in film studies, media studies, cinema studies, communication, journalism, digital media, documentary production, screenwriting, cultural studies, or related fields. The strong emphasis on research, writing, theory, and independent creative work—including the optional Senior Honors Thesis—also provides a useful foundation for students considering research-oriented graduate study.