Beginning in Spring 2019, many courses in Film and Media Studies will transition class screenings to an online streaming format. However some Film and Media Studies classes may still require students to experience media (films, television shows, games) in a large-format, theater or group setting. In general, if your course has a designated screen block on the master schedule, it is sized to accommodate the longest works your class will view that semester, many will be shorter. Students unable to attend a designated in-person screening time due to documentable conflicts such as another class, extra-curricular activities, or work schedule will almost always be able to work with the instructor to experience the material at another time. Students needing to register for a class that conflicts with a screening time should register for that class and contact our office for an override into the FAMS class.

When is advisement?

• It always happens in the 2-3 weeks before the Registrar opens student time tickets; you can work this out by checking the Registrar's calendar.
• You must meet with your advisor before you register for courses. You will not be able to register for classes until after you have been advised.
• Your advisor will email you via your UofSC email account to let you know how to sign up for an advisement appointment. 

Who is my advisor?

• Your advisor will email you. Beginning Fall 2018, Rebecca Boyd (Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator in SVAD), will advise all declared FAMS majors (sophomores and above). Students who would like to seek more input on their course of study and professional plans should choose a mentor from among FAMS faculty. See "Who is My Mentor?" below.
• If you have completed fewer than 30 hours, you will be advised by Skylar Pritchard in First Year Advising. After your first year, a faculty member in Film and Media Studies will advise you. 
• You can also find your advisor through Pathfinder and through Self Service Carolina under Student Records/View Student Information. (Note that this information does not always get updated as swiftly as we would like.)
• You may have a different advisor this semester than last. We have to make adjustments when faculty go on leave, majors graduate, and so on.

How can I take classes that interest me and graduate on time? 

The key is preparation! The Registrar offers helpful guidance here. Before you meet with your FAMS advisor you should:

• Review which requirements you need to complete by consulting DegreeWorks. While you're at it, make sure the information looks right. Your advisor can help you find the right person to correct errors in the record. 
• Search for classes that fulfill requirements using the Class Schedule in Self Service Carolina. Remember that you can click through the blue links to get to the Academic Bulletin description for the course. Additional information is often available on the website of the department or program offering the course.
• To locate courses satisfying Carolina Core requirements, this page is helpful.
• To see how your classes might fit together, you can experiment with the new Schedule Planner feature in the student section of Self Service Carolina.
• You should prepare a list of courses to discuss with your advisor. You could even cut and past them into an email to send before your appointment.
• Plan also to discuss questions or concerns you might have about your academic work more generally (including possible minors, cognates, or double majors, GLD, study abroad) and career plans looking beyond graduation (including internships, graduate school, etc.).
• Courses fill up quickly so it is crucial to get advised and register as early as your scheduled time allows; delays can result in not getting your first choices in classes and times. 

What can expect from my advising appointment?  

• Your advisor will expect professional courtesy, that is, that you will arrive on time and give advanced notice if you must cancel. 
• Your advisor will talk with you about your overall progress and plans for the degree. This part is often the most fun. 
• Your advisor will review your plan for the upcoming semester, answer any questions you have (or point you to someone who can), and suggest changes that might make it easier for you to accomplish your goals. 
• Your advisor will complete the paperwork required for you to register. Afterwards (and only then), will you be able to register for courses online.

I have reached 90 credit hours, and I am looking ahead to graduation. What should I do? 

• The Dean’s Office requires that you complete a senior check two semesters prior to graduation, after reaching 90 credit hours. 
• Make an appointment to fill out the SENIOR PROGRAM CARD with the Program Director. 

The University Libraries' guide to Film and Media Studies resources.

FAMS Mentoring

Are you a student majoring in Film and Media Studies? We encourage you to find a faculty mentor whose expertise aligns with your professional interests so you can learn more about internships, opportunities at USC, and career paths. Film and Media Studies faculty have expertise across a range of media specializations. Reach out to a faculty member to introduce yourself or drop by during their office hours to discuss your professional goals. Look at the faculty expertise profiles on the Film and Media Studies website to find the best fit for you, and feel free to approach more than one professor!

 Areas of Specialization

Mark Garrett Cooper

• Early Hollywood
• Film and media historiography
• Corporate culture/institutions
• The Research University
• Gender studies

Susan Courtney

• Race and film/media
• Gender and film/media
• Popular U.S. screen culture
• The South on screen
• Alternative media
• Media and community
• Amateur film and video

 Susan Felleman

• Relationship between film and other visual arts
• History and theory of avant-garde film and video and the art film
• History and theory of Hollywood cinema
• Modern art and theory
• Psychoanalytic theory
• Feminist theory

Julie Hubbert

• Film Music 
• American Music 
• 19th/20th Century Music
• Mahler/Second Viennese School 

Laura Kissel

• Documentary filmmaking
• Cinematography
• Media theory

Mark Minett

• Historical Poetics (Narrative, Stylistic, Thematic Design)
• Television Studies
• Comics Studies
• Film Studies
• Popular Genre
• Transmedia and Adaptation

 Lauren Steimer

• Hong Kong Action Cinema
• Film Exhibition History
• Stardom, Labor, and the Body
• Global Media Industries

Film and Media Studies chooses a Student Ambassador at the start of each academic year. The FAMS Student Ambassador is a current student who is engaged in beyond the classroom activities and has a unique perspective on what a student can achieve with a degree in Film and Media Studies. The FAMS Student Ambassador for academic year 2019-2020 is Luismario Rosas-Rivera. Prospective students to USC and the Film and Media Studies major can reach out directly to Luismario with questions about the student experience.