Elizabeth Wing-Brooks, a humanities teacher at LPC, is in the process of establishing an interdisciplinary Associate of Arts degree in film, the first of its kind on campus.
The degree will incorporate classes from the departments of mass communications, theater arts, music, photography and humanities. The program that is designed to offer students an introduction to the history analysis and art of film making. It will offer numerous different types of studies students can choose from based on their interest and if it passes, it will set to be up and running in the fall of 2020.
This proposed film degree will not be an ADT (Associate Degree for Transfer) due to certain classes that are not being offered at LPC that are considered necessary for it to be an ADT degree. “This route is more of a general film studies degree,” said Wing-Brooks.
She presented it at the Academic Senate and the Senate is on board with the creation of this new film degree. On April 5, 2019, Wing-Brooks submitted three proposals to the Curriculum Committee: The Film Studies AA degree. The Film Studies Certificate of Achievement and the new Intro to Film Studies Humanities course. She says she does not anticipate any problems with everything getting approved.
Students who want to obtain this proposed degree will be focusing on the development of film as an art form, cinematic language, the impact of film on modern media and contemporary cultures and various approaches to film criticism. It offers emphases from several areas of film studies, such as basic film production, acting for film, the intersections between film and theatre, music of great film composers, multimedia reporting and major global cinema traditions and directors.
Students will be able to choose what area they want to emphasize in and will take core courses based on the area they choose. “I’m drawing from the photography classes, videography classes, music, digital media, mass communications, theatre. More of the stage-to-screen and acting side. I also teach global cinemas so we’ve got a little bit of everything. This will be able to prepare students who want to go into majoring in those studies,” said Wing-Brooks.
LPC already has a few classes that will articulate for transfer credit even though it is not an ADT. Wing-Brooks wants to make it practical for students.
Although she is still in the early stages of creating this new proposed degree, it is not as long of a wait as it may seem until students can earn this degree if it passes. “I’m submitting it soon and if all goes well, which everyone is saying it will, it would be approved to be put into action fall of 2020,” said Wing Brooks. “Students who are already interested and strategic about it can take classes next year which can count towards the degree when it’s available in 2020.”
If passed, there will be both an AA degree and Certificate of Achievement made available for students. The AA involves the completion of more advanced classes in order to get the degree. The Certificate of Achievement is for students majoring in a different subject, but have taken enough film classes to receive the certificate.
Wing-Brooks is excited that this new film degree will not cost LPC any money to create it, since it’s based on courses that are already offered to students.
“We are putting something together with stuff that we already have and making it into something great,” said Wing-Brooks. “I’ve had many students over the years that I’ve helped and have gone on to get film degrees, but they had to major in something else here so this will be much more direct.”
Students interested in earning this proposed Film Studies degree or proposed Certificate of Achievement are encouraged to contact Elizabeth Wing-Brooks. Students can email her at ewingbrooks@laspositascollege.edu.
