Required
Core Course:
A Doc 251(Z)/A His 251(Z): Introduction
to Documentary Studies (3 credits). [Students should normally take this course before taking more advanced classes; transfer students interested in majoring or minoring in Documentary Studies should enroll in ADOC251 in their first semester at U-Albany.]
Theory
and Foundation Courses:
Two (2) courses, chosen from
the following (6 credits).
*
A Arh 265: History of Photography
* A Com 238: Introduction to
Mass Communication
*
A Com 370: Theories of Mass Media
* A Com 378: Introduction
to Semiotics
* A Com 465: Politics of
Media
* A His 401: History of
American Documentary Media
*
A His 405 / A Doc 405: History and Theory of the
Documentary Film
* A Jrl 475: Topics Course
in Documentary
Traditions
in Prose and Photography
* A Jrl 475: Topics Course
in Documentary Film: History
and Criticism/A History of the Visual
Documentary
Concentrations:
Students will choose two areas of
concentration from the five in the
below list, and are expected to complete
at least two courses in each
(12 credits):
- documentary
writing
- photography
- nonfiction film/video
- audio/radio
- hypermedia
Note that some courses are listed
under two categories. Most courses
are offered every year. Some courses
below are also listed under "Theory
and Foundation Courses" (above);
they may count toward fulfillment
of that requirement or the
"Concentrations" requirement,
but not both. Additional
courses may also be used to fulfill
the "Concentrations" requirement
with permission of the Program Director.
Documentary
Writing (Nonfiction Writing and Print
Journalism)
*
A Eng 220Z: Expository Writing
* A Jrl 220Z: Beginning
Reporting and News Writing
* A Jrl 308Z: Narrative
and Descriptive Journalism
* A Jrl 475: Topics course
in Documentary Script Writing
Photography
*
A Art 244: Beginning Photography
* A Arh 265: History of
Photography
* A Jrl 380: Photojournalism
Non-Fiction
Film/Video
*
A Art 346: Introductory Film Production
* A Com 378Z: Persuasion
and Film
* A His 405 (or A Doc 405): History and Theory of
the Documentary Film
* A His 406 (or A Doc 406):
Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking
Radio/Audio
*
A Com 378 (or 374): Radio and the Public
Imagination
* A His 404 or A Doc 404:
Readings and Practicum
in Aural
History and Audio Documentary
Production
* A His 394: Readings
and Practicum in Oral and Video
History
* A Mus 295: Introduction
to Audio Recording
* A Mus 325: Introduction
to Electronic Music
* A Mus 426/526: Studio
Work in Electronic Music and
Media
* A Mus 428/528: Sound
Design and Multimedia
Hypermedia
*
A Art 250: Introduction to Digital
Imaging
* A Art 350: Intermediate
Digital Imaging
* A Art 450: Advanced Digital
Imaging
* A Com 465Z: Communicating
on the Internet
* A His 407 or A Doc 407:
Readings and Practicum in Digital
History and Hypermedia
* A Jrl 390Z: Digital Media
Workshop I: Web Publishing
* A Jrl 392Z: Digital Media
Workshop II: Desktop Publishing
* A Jrl 490Z: Online Magazine
Workshop: Web Magazine
Workshop
* A Mus 428/528: Sound
Design and Multimedia
Documentary
Studies Fieldwork Seminar: A
Doc 450. Senior Seminar and Practicum
in Documentary Studies (4 credits).
Electives:
Taken from any of those listed below.
Courses should not repeat any taken
to fulfill the two core concentration
requirements or the "Theory
and Foundation Courses" above.
One independent study course relevant
to the student’s area/s of concentration
may be substituted for one of the
electives. Other courses not listed
here may be included with the approval
of the Director (11-12 credits).
Art:
*
A Art 244: Beginning Photography
* A Art 250: Introduction
to Digital Imaging
* A Art 281: Hist &
Pract Video Art II
* A Art 344: Intermediate
Photography
* A Art 346: Introductory
Film Production
* A Art 348: Color
Photography
* A Art 350: Intermediate
Digital Imaging
* A Art 444: Advanced
Photography
* A Art 446: Topics
in Photography
* A Art 447: Advanced
Film Production
* A Art 450: Advanced
Digital Imaging
Art
History:
*
A Arh 261: Independent Cinema
* A Arh 265: History
of Photography
* A Arh 266: Photography,
1970 to the Present
* A Arh 368: The Documentary Film
Communication:
*
A Com 238: Introduction to Mass Communication
* A Com 345Z: Argumentative
Methods
* A Com 370: Theories
of Mass Media
* A Com 378: Introduction
to Semiotics
* A Com 465: Politics
of Media
* A Com 465Z: Communicating
on the Internet
Documentary
Studies:
*
A Doc 499: Special Projects and Internships
in
Documentary
Studies
History:
* A Doc 376/Z and A His 376/Z: A Cultural History of American Photography
* A His 394:
Readings and Practicum in Oral and
Video History
* A His 401:
Hist. of American Documentary Media
*
A His 404 or A Doc 404: Readings and
Practicum
in Aural History and Audio Documentary
Production
* A His 405 / A Doc 405: History and Theory of the
Documentary Film
* A His 406
or A Doc 406: Practicum in Historical Documentary
Filmmaking
* A His 407
or A Doc 407: Readings and Practicum
in
Digital History and Hypermedia
* A His 499:
Special Projects in History and
Media
Journalism:
*
A Jrl 308Z: Narrative and Descriptive
* A Jrl 364:
& A Jrl 365: Special Topics Courses
* A Jrl 350Y:
Journalistic Interviewing
* A Jrl 380:
Photojournalism
* A Jrl 385:
Broadcast Journalism
* A Jrl 390Z:
Digital Media Workshop I: Web
Publishing
* A Jrl 392Z:
Digital Media Workshop II: Desktop
Publishing
* A Jrl 475:
Topics course in Documentary
Writing
for Print
* A Jrl 475:
Topics course in Documentary Script
Writing
* A Jrl 475:
Topics Course in Documentary Traditions
in Prose and Photography
* A Jrl 490Z:
E-Zine: Online Magazine Workshop
* A Jrl 495:
Journalism Internship
* A Jrl 497:
Independent Study
*
Additional Journalism courses offered
intermittently
include the following, many of
which are very appropriate for documentary
work: "Media Law and Ethics,"
"The American
News Media in the Twentieth Century,"
"Environmental
Journalism," and "Science
Journalism"
Music:
*
A Mus 295: Introduction to Audio Recording
* A Mus 325: Introduction
to Electronic Music
* A Mus: 426/526:
Studio Work in Electronic Music
and
Media
* A Mus 428/528:
Sound Design and Multimedia.
Supporting
Topical Academic Courses: Students
are strongly encouraged to select
minors and supplementary courses supportive
of their topical or subject areas
of documentary interest. Those students
who are attracted to international
documentary work should consider history,
foreign language, anthropology, globalization,
political science, and sociology courses.
Those interested in science and technology
as a subject area of future documentary
work, should take science and technology
courses supportive of this concentration.
Those drawn to biography and humanities
topics should look at the offerings
of the English department. All students
should discuss their topical interests
with their advisers and build a substantive
base in one or more disciplines.
MINOR
REQUIREMENTS
A minimum of
18 credits, which must include A Doc
251 (3 credits); a theory course from
those outlined under the major (3
credits); two core concentration courses
in one of the areas outlined under
the major (6 credits); A Doc 450 (4
credits), and one elective (2-3 credits)
from the “Electives” listed above.
