Prospective Students

In the Department of Film and Media Studies, students will find a range of critical, creative, and collaborative approaches to making–and understanding–media. Our definition of “media” embraces many different kinds of informational, communicative, and artistic practices, and while our name reflects the centrality of cinema to our identity, we also offer courses in television, video games, and animation; delve into genres such as crime drama, horror, and documentary; and train students in introductory and advanced filmmaking and screenwriting. We offer Off Campus Study and internship opportunities, and, in May, take part in the Tri-Co Film Festival alongside students from Bryn Mawr and Haverford.

We are housed in the renovated and reimagined Martin Hall, which features a 44-seat Screening Room with 4K projection and 7.1 channel sound, a dedicated multimedia classroom, a production studio with greenscreen, a video game lab, a TV lounge, a Creative Media Commons with computer workstations, separate editing and audio-recording suites, and an equipment checkout with high-end cameras, lighting, and sound equipment. We share Martin Hall with the Department of Computer Science, and are connected to our friends in the Performing Arts at Swarthmore (Music, Theater, and Dance) via the Arts Lobby on the building’s lower level.

Our alumni have gone on to graduate school and academic positions, as well as to professional careers including film and commercial production and studio marketing. More stories from the FMST family can be found here.

If you are interested in learning more, please check out our major and minor requirements, our slate of upcoming courses, and resources we offer to our students and the larger campus community. Don’t miss our showcase of students’ creative work! You can also learn more about our faculty, and the festivals and awards we offer. We are always happy to be contacted with questions at filmandmedia@swarthmore.edu, or you can make an appointment to meet with me one-on-one at brehak1@swarthmore.edu.

Best wishes,

Bob Rehak

Chair, Department of Film and Media Studies