FILM 500 Honours Thesis or Directed Studies

In the final year of an Honours Program, students may apply to undertake up to 1.0 credits in the form of an Honours Thesis course (FILM 500 or 501*) or Directed Studies course (FILM 510, 511* or 512*). The purpose of either is to study a topic not addressed in one of the Department's regularly taught courses, or to approach it in broader scope or greater detail than is otherwise possible. Students should take note of the differences between the two kinds of courses in order to formulate their applications.

Honours Thesis: A student taking an Honours Thesis course advances an argument about a particular topic and supports it with research, critical argument, and/or theoretical exposition. Two examples of the kind of arguments that an Honours Thesis might make are: (1) 'The limited range of subjects possible in Chinese cinema during the Cultural Revolution created key paradigms which remain at the heart of contemporary "Pan-Chinese" cinema,' or (2) 'The NFB's 'Challenge for Change' program was driven by conservative bureaucratic desire to co-opt left-wing radical filmmaking within the Board.'

Directed Studies: A student in a Directed Studies course researches the historical, critical and/or theoretical dimensions of the chosen topic, and demonstrates the acquisition of an informed understanding. Two examples of the kind of projects that might be undertaken are: (1) a survey of the critical literature on Chinese cinema during the Cultural Revolution; or (2) a videotaped interview with filmmakers involved with the NFB 'Challenge for Change' program.

Deadlines: May 1 for fall, winter or fall/winter projects. February 1 for spring/summer projects. You will be notified of Department decisions within four weeks of these deadlines.

Guidelines

In consultation with a faculty supervisor, the student develops the Honours Thesis or Directed Studies project from the initial proposal into a program of study, and agrees on a method of evaluation. Work may be submitted in essay form, or as a film, video or multimedia production. Collaborative projects are encouraged.

Written work should total approximately 30 pages (for 0.5 credit). A film or video should be no more than 15 minutes long. The appropriate scale of a multimedia project should be discussed with the supervisor.

Normally a Honours Thesis or Directed Studies project receives 0.5 credit. In extraordinary cases application can be made for 1.0 credit.

Who can apply for Honours Thesis or Directed Studies courses?

1. You must be admitted to Honours with a Film and Media concentration. This means you are a FILM major or medial, CCIT or STSC student. Admission to Honours involves filling out an application form once you have completed 14.0 credits and fulfilled other requirements as outlined in the Calendar.
2. You must have an average of 75% in all Film and Media courses taken to date.
3. You must have no outstanding incomplete for any course in the department.
4. You must have a good record of completing assignments on time and working independently.

How do you apply?

1. Talk to the Undergraduate Chair about your idea.
2. Fill out the attached application form. State your thesis (for FILM 500/501*), or outline the topic you wish to investigate (for FILM 510/511*/512*). Write a synopsis of your proposed project that is no more than one page long (anything more than a page will not be accepted). The synopsis should clearly answer the following questions.

• What do you want to do and why do you want to do it?
• What previous experiences have prepared you to undertake this project?
• How do you think this project will be of value to you?

Additional support material may be attached. Examples: a treatment of script for a production project; an annotated bibliography for an academic project; a previous paper on a related topic; etc.

What criteria do we use to evaluate your application?

Honours Thesis and Directed Studies proposals are evaluated by all faculty members in the Department. We will ask the following questions when discussing your proposals.

• What are the academic benefits for the student?
• What are the proven capabilities of the student?
• How is this project different from previous work by the student?
• How feasible is the proposed work? Can it be completed in the academic term(s) proposed without making unreasonable demands on the student or on the Department's facilities?
• Are the costs (if any) acceptable?

Fill out an Application for a Thesis or Directed Studies.

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