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Culminating Experience

The Culminating Experience requirement is designed to offer each student an opportunity to fulfill an enhanced and focused project related directly to their emphasis within the major. It is required of both Majors and Modified Majors. This course will be selected and declared by each individual student, but must meet department requirements and deadlines.

* Each fall and spring the department hosts a meeting about Culminating Experiences. Sophomores and Juniors should attend so they can plan terms accordingly. Stay tuned for that announcement!

CULMINATING EXPERIENCE OPTIONS

Students will work with faculty to determine the optimal design for the Culminating Experience course. Students may propose one of the following options to count as the Culminating Experience:

  1. FILM 93 Major Project, a two-term commitment that can be in studies or production;  

  2. FILM 95 and FILM 96 Honors Project I and II, a more ambitious and high caliber two-term commitment. Students who have completed at least five major courses and who have an average in the major of 3.4 or higher (and a college average of 3.0 or higher) are eligible to apply for the Honors Program.

  3. Enroll in an advanced class already being offered by the department, in which the student will do extra work for the culminating experience as approved by the professor. The class cannot fulfill another requirement for the major. This is a one-term culminating project. Advance courses are FILM 32 Filmmaking II,  FILM 34 Screenwriting II,  FILM 38 Advanced Animation,   FILM 39 Advanced Videomaking,  any courses between FILM 41's to  FILM 48 's,   FILM 49 's Practicum in Digital Culture and New Technologies, or FILM 50's Topics in Media Theory)

PROJECT ADVISORS

Culminating Exp. Project Advisors are typically full-time faculty in Film and Media Studies. Part-time and affiliated faculty may also work with students on culminating projects, but are not expected to do this as part of their affiliation with the department.  See: https://film-media.dartmouth.edu/people

It's best to approach someone you have worked with before and remember that you need to have some background in the project you wish to propose. For example, if you have not taken a film production class and wish to make a film, this would typically not be allowed without that prior work in introductory classes.

Typically faculty are only able to supervise two to three projects maximum.

Students can only have one official advisor, but of course, can seek feedback from any of their favorite faculty. If taking a class in which extra work will constitute the culminating project, the professor of that course is your defacto advisor and still must sign off on your plan.

REQUIREMENTS

  • All Majors and Modified Majors are required to take FILM 40 before they propose or enroll in a culminating experience course.

  • Students are also expected to have completed FILM 1 , FILM 2, or FILM 3, and FILM 20 prior to their Culminating Experience or to be enrolled in those courses in their senior fall.

DEADLINES AND PROPOSAL

All Majors and Modified Majors must identify and consult a possible advisor by May 1st of their Junior year.

Proposals for Summer or Fall Culminating Experiences are due to the department administrator by May 15th

Proposals for Winter or Spring Culminating Experiences are due to the department administrator by October 15th

REMINDERS

  • Production projects will be assessed in relation to the probability of their completion and to the rest of the production curriculum. Regularly scheduled courses will have priority regarding equipment demands.

  • Students may not be enrolled in more than one production course per term, including independent study courses.

  • Each faculty member is only available during select terms of each academic year. Projects related to a specific faculty member must be arranged in conjunction with their teaching schedule.

  • Final Grade. Grading is to be arranged at the proposal stage between the professor and the student. Students must pass the Culminating Experience extra work to complete their F&MS Major/ Mod. Major and graduate on the desired term.

  • Students enrolled in Culminating Experience courses will complete this requirement by presenting their work in a Senior Showcase at the end of Spring term. Projects should be finished two weeks before the end of the spring term because of this.