Documentary Studies Program

Curriculum
This interdisciplinary program offers students an opportunity to explore diverse approaches to documentary work in video/film, radio, hypermedia/multimedia, photography, and nonfiction writing and print journalism. The curriculum combines a solid grounding in the academic and theoretical literature of documentary media with intensive research and fieldwork, arming students not only with production skills but also the ability to critically analyze media in terms of both content and craft. The minor in documentary studies permits interested students to combine a course of study in a traditional major in the sciences, social sciences, or humanities with a sub-concentration in documentary studies. The Honors curriculum allows students to take on a program that is especially intellectually rigorous and that yields a final project more substantial than that required of non-Honors students.

Careers for Documentary Studies Majors
An understanding of documentary media in its many forms prepares students to more effectively engage in the media-infused global marketplace as citizens, consumers, educators, scholars, and practitioners. The major prepares students for employment in fields that require research and writing skills, including historical and archival research; the ability to analyze, critique, and produce visual and aural communications, such as for entertainment, education, or advocacy; and a broad understanding of fact-based communication that can be applied in a range of corporate, educational, service, or government settings. The major also prepares students for advanced study in journalism, history, media production, global studies, and education. 


Degree Requirements for the Faculty-Initiated Interdisciplinary Major with a Concentration in Documentary Studies

General Program B.A.:  A minimum of 36 credits, distributed in the following way:

Required Core Course
A DOC 251 Introduction to Documentary Studies (3 credits)

Theory and Foundation Courses
Two courses, chosen from the following (6 credits). Most of the courses listed below are offered every year.
A JRL 220 Visual Culture
A ARH 265 History of Photography
A COM 238 Introduction to Mass Communication
A COM 370 Theories of Mass Media
A COM 378 Studies Course in Introduction to Semiotics
A COM 465 Studies Course in Politics of Media
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

Documentary Studies Fieldwork Seminar
(4 credits; Honors students should also enroll in A DOC 451 for an extra credit):
A DOC 450 Documentary Studies Seminar and Fieldwork Practicum
A DOC 451 Honors Seminar and Practicum in Documentary Studies

Concentrations
Students must select two courses total within each of two concentrations (12 credits). Note that some courses are listed under more than one category. Most courses are offered every year.

Nonfiction Writing and Print Journalism
A ENG 300W Expository Writing 
A JRL 200Z Introduction to Reporting and News Writing
A JRL 308Z Narrative Journalism
A JRL 475 Topics Course in Documentary Script Writing

Photography
A ART 244 Beginning Photography and Digital Imaging
A ARH 265 History of Photography
A JRL 380 Photojournalism

Nonfiction Film/Video
A ART 346 Introductory Film Production
A COM 378Z Studies Course in Persuasion and Film
A DOC 405/405Z (= A HIS 405/405Z) Historical Documentary Filmmaking: Theory and History
A DOC 406 (= A HIS 406) Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking

* Additional nonfiction film courses are offered from time to time in various University at Albany departments. These may also be taken, with permission, to fulfill the concentration requirements.

Radio/Audio
A COM 378 Studies Course in Radio and the Public Imagination
A DOC 404 (= A HIS 404) Readings and Practicum in Aural History and Audio Documentary Production
A HIS 394 Workshop in Readings and Practicum in Oral and Video History
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

Multimedia/Hypermedia
A ART 250 Introduction to Digital Imaging
A ART 350 Intermediate Digital Imaging
A ART 450 Advanced Digital Imaging
A COM 465 Studies Course in Communicating on the Internet
A DOC 407 (= A HIS 407) Readings and Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia
A DOC 442 (= A WSS 442) Transmedia Storytelling
A JRL 390 Digital Media Workshop I: Web Publishing
A JRL 392 Digital Media Workshop II: Desk-top Publishing
A JRL 490Z E-zine: Online Magazine Workshop
A MUS 428/528 Sound Design and Multimedia

Electives
Four courses taken from any of those listed below (12 credits). Courses should not repeat any taken to fulfill the two core concentration requirements above. One independent study course relevant to the student’s area(s) of concentration may be substituted for one of the electives (12 credits). Most of these courses are offered yearly; some, bi-annually. Other courses not listed here may be included with the approval of the Director. [Note that some courses may be listed twice if cross-listed] 

Art
A ART 244 Beginning Photography and Digital Imaging
A ART 250 Introduction to Digital Imaging
A ART 344 Intermediate Photography and Digital Imaging
A ART 346 Introductory Film Production
A ART 348 Color Photography
A ART 350 Intermediate Digital Imaging
A ART 444 Advanced Photography and Digital Imaging
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

Communication Courses
A COM 238 Introduction to Mass Communication
A COM 345Z Argumentative Methods
A COM 370 Theories of Mass Media
A COM 378 Studies Course in Introduction to Semiotics
A COM 465 Studies Course in Politics of Media
A COM 465 Studies Course on Communicating on the Internet

Documentary Studies
A DOC 376/376Z (= A HIS 376/376Z) A Cultural History of American Photography
A DOC 404 (= A HIS 404) Readings and Practicum in Aural History and Audio Documentary Production
A DOC 405/405Z (= A HIS 405/405Z) Historical Documentary Filmmaking: Theory and History
A DOC 406 (= A HIS 406) Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking
A DOC 407 (= A HIS 407) Readings and Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia
A DOC 442 (= A WSS 442) Transmedia Storytelling

History
A HIS 294Y (= A DOC 294Y) Field Research in Oral and Visual History
A HIS 376/376Z (= A DOC 376/376Z) A Cultural History of American Photography
A HIS 394 Workshop in Oral History
A HIS 404 (= A DOC 404) Readings and Practicum in Aural History and Audio Documentary Production
A HIS 405/405Z (= A DOC 405/405Z) Historical Documentary Filmmaking: Theory and History
A HIS 406 (= A DOC 406) Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking
A HIS 407 (= A DOC 407) Readings and Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia
A HIS 499 Special Projects Course in History and Media

Journalism
A JRL 308Z Narrative Journalism
A JRL 364 & A JRL 365 Special Topics Courses
A JRL 350 Journalistic Interviewing
A JRL 380 Photojournalism
A JRL 385 Broadcast Journalism
A JRL 390 Digital Media Workshop I: Web Publishing
A JRL 392 Digital Media Workshop II: Desk-Top Publishing
A JRL 468/Z Literary Journalism
A JRL 470 Advanced Reporting on Science and Technology
A JRL 475 Topics in Journalism: Documentary Writing for Print
A JRL 475 Topics in Journalism: Documentary Script Writing
A JRL 475 Topics in Journalism: Documentary Traditions in Prose and Photography
A JRL 482 Social Documentary Photography
A JRL 490 E-zine: Online Magazine Workshop
A JRL 495 Internship in Journalism
A JRL 497 Independent Study in Journalism

Additional courses offered intermittently [often as A JRL 475] may be very appropriate for documentary work and will be counted towards the major or minor if so determined by the Director or Associate Director of the Documentary Studies Program.

Music 
A MUS 325 Introduction to Electronic Music
A MUS 426/526 Studio Work in Electronic Music and Media (formerly Creative Work in Electronic Music)
A MUS 428/528 Sound Design and Multimedia (Cross-listed with Art, Theater; formerly Computer Applications in Music II)

Women's Studies
A WSS 442 (= A DOC 442) Transmedia Storytelling

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 and History departments. All students should discuss their topical interests with their advisers and build a substantive base in one or more disciplines.

The Honors Curriculum in Documentary Studies allows students to take on a program that is especially rigorous and that yields a final project more substantial than that required of non-Honors students. Special 1-credit supplementary sections provide students in the Honors Program with deeper, broader, and more challenging opportunities to probe the diverse approaches to documentary production—in this country and abroad. They encourage a high level of student-faculty interaction and the cultivation of an honors community.

Requirements
Completion of the core 36-credit requirement of the Faculty-Initiated Major in Documentary Studies and an additional 4 credits as outlined below for a total of 40 credits.

Twelve (12) credits of honors work, usually fulfilled by A DOC 450 and A DOC 451, and taking two 3-credit upper division courses in conjunction with A DOC 400 (Honors Tutorial in Documentary Studies), a course that may be repeated for credit. Honors students enrolled in any of the 300-level courses or above outlined under Documentary Studies “Theory and Foundation” or “Elective” courses (listed earlier)—and also enrolled for A DOC 400 will be expected to complete the same assignments as those enrolled in the 300-level courses. However, they will earn an additional credit through the A DOC 400 tutorial. The tutorial will permit Honors students to work one-on-one with the instructors teaching these courses and will normally include extra reading, writing, and project assignments.

Maintenance of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25. For graduation with an “Honors in Documentary Studies,” students must also have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or above in their major.

All students enrolled in the Honors Program will take (in addition to the required A DOC 251 and A DOC 450) A DOC 451, Honors Seminar and Practicum in Documentary Studies (1 credit).

Students in the Honors Curriculum in Documentary Studies will be expected to produce a more substantial final project in A DOC 450 than non-Honors students enrolled in that course. A DOC 451, the supplementary 1-credit course paralleling A DOC 450, will provide them with the opportunity and guidance to expand their projects accordingly.

Honors students must present their final projects at a public seminar.

Honors Curriculum Admission
Majors should discuss admission to the Honors Curriculum in Documentary Studies with the Documentary Studies Director at any time during their first or second year or at the beginning of their third year. Transfer students should apply upon their admission to the University. The requirements for admission include:

Overall cumulative grade point average of 3.25.

Completion of at least 12 credits required for the Documentary Studies major.

A grade point average of 3.50 in courses required for the Documentary Studies major.

Advisement
The Director of the Faculty-Initiated Major and Minor in Documentary Studies is the initial and primary adviser for enrolled students. The Director will help students identify faculty members in the participating departments closest to their documentary area(s) of interest for more intensive and focused advisement. A list of key contact faculty and their various documentary sub-field concentrations will be generated during the first year of the program; it will be periodically updated.