About the Cinema course block
In the Cinema course block, you engage in an interdisciplinary, critical study of film history and theory and develop skills in interpreting visual media. The coursework focuses attention on the intersections between film and video and other art forms, including photography, painting, drawing, music, and literature. You learn to conduct critical analysis of national cinemas and international film movements, with attention to the economic, legal, and political forces influencing film industries.
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree courses in the Cinema course block are offered on an accelerated (8-week) schedule. Courses in the block are largely asynchronous with some optional synchronous sessions to be scheduled by the instructors.
All Penn LPS Online courses offer academic credit.*
*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.
The Cinema course block prepares you to:
- Interpret videos and films, with attention to interdisciplinary connections with other art forms
- Develop and apply critical skills in research and analysis
- Understand the influence of national and international cultures on the development of film movements, with attention especially to economic, legal, and political forces
- Write persuasive interpretations of films and videos, with effective use of theory and research to support interpretations
