The Culminating Experience requirement asks each graduating Major and Modified Major to create a project related to their experience in Film & Media Studies. Students will propose their project based on the guidelines below, and must meet stated departmental standards.
Must be a major or modified major in Film & Media Studies
Must have taken FILM 40 before proposing or enrolling in a Culminating Experience course
Must have completed FILM 1, FILM 2, or FILM 3 and FILM 20 prior to their Culminating Experience, or be enrolled in those courses fall term of the relevant academic year.
Proposals for both Winter 2025 and Spring 2025 are due by October 23rd, 2024
Proposals for Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 are due by Thursday, May 22, 2025
There are three pathways to completing the Culminating Experience Requirement: extra work in an advanced course, enrolling in FILM 93, or enrolling in the FILM 95/96 sequence.
Extra Work in an Advanced Course in Film & Media Studies
During one term, the student completes extra work in an advanced studies course
May be completed in any term
Eligible courses for this option: any advanced studies courses among the FILM 41s through the 50s.
Important: Production courses (animation, editing, screenwriting, etc.) are not eligible for this option in the winter or spring.
The course cannot fulfill another requirement for the major
The instructor of the course grants permission and is considered the project advisor
The instructor must be a faculty member of the Department of Film & Media Studies
Extra work will be determined by the student and instructor in collaboration
"Extra work" means an additional dimension added to an existing course requirement and a reflective writing component
The "additional dimension" depends on the type of course. For example:
A 15-page final research paper might be replaced with a 30-page final research paper
A course with a creative project using a single production method might be expanded to require engagement with a second production method
A course in production might require the student to make a longer film and/or engage with an additional method
A course in game design might expand a final project assignment to require additional playtesting and iteration beyond usual course requirements
A course in screenwriting that requires students to complete a TV pilot script might expand the assignment to the production of a series bible
Please note that the examples are intended to give you a sense of the scope of extra work needed to culminate. You will work with your professor to determine the details
FILM 93: Major Project
The Culminating Experience instructor is the advisor for all projects
The major project is a two-term commitment and may be pursued in history/criticism/theory studies or production/media-making
The major project may only be completed during winter and spring terms
Students register for FILM 93 in the winter only and receive an "ON" (ongoing) grade at the end of winter term. The grade will be updated at the conclusion of the spring term
Students must attend the Culminating Experience seminar in both winter and spring terms
The major project is designed to be commensurate with the Extra Work in an Advanced Course requirement. For example:
A 30-page, double-spaced paper based on independent research
An independent creative project using two methods
A game with a plan for playtesting and iteration
A film that engages experimentally with an existing form or style, or employs a new method(s)
A TV pilot screenplay with a series bible
Please note that the examples are intended to give you a sense of the scope of the Film 93 Major project.
FILM 95/96 Sequence: Honors Project I and II
In addition to the basic requirements for the Culminating Experience above, a student must have completed at least five major courses and have an average in the major of 3.4 or higher and a college average of 3.0 or higher
The Culminating Experience instructor is the advisor for all projects
The Honors Project is a two-term commitment and may be pursued in critical studies or production/media-making
The Honors Project may only be completed during winter and spring terms
Students must attend the Culminating Experience seminar in winter and spring terms
The Honors Project is designed to be an ambitious and innovative project that uses at least two methods and reflects two contexts (social, historical, political, aesthetic, conceptual, theoretical, personal).
"Ambitious" and "innovative" are not synonymous with longer. Rather, they signal the creative use of multiple methods and contexts in the research and creation process
The department expects the general length to be commensurate with other options for the Culminating Experience but expects an honors project proposal to articulate the use of multiple methods and contexts and to articulate the aesthetic approach
Please note that in order to be considered for "Honors" or "High Honors," students must be accepted into the FILM 95/96 sequence. Completion of the FILM 95/96 sequence does not automatically confer Honors or High Honors for the project. The awarding of Honors and High Honors will be determined by the F&MS faculty.
Taking into account departmental resources, the following limits apply to all proposed Culminating Experiences
Time-based media cannot exceed 10 minutes in length
Scripts cannot exceed 120 pages in length for a feature with a pre-production notebook or 60 pages for a pilot screenplay with a series bible.
Research papers cannot exceed 30 pages in length (double-spaced, 12 pt font)
Games should aim for approximately 20 minutes of gameplay and multiple playthroughs
Digital humanities projects vary depending on type. If you are interested in proposing a digital archive, multimedia digital project, application, data set, visualization, or other digital humanities project, please speak with an appropriate faculty member to determine a reasonable scope
Your project proposal should be designed taking these limits into account
Students using FILM 93 or the FILM 95/96 sequence for their culminating experience are required to attend the Culminating Experience Seminar in winter and spring terms
Students who select extra work for their Culminating Experience may choose to attend the Culminating Experience Seminar in winter and spring terms, but are not required to do so
Students using FILM 93 or the FILM 95/96 sequence for their culminating experience are required to make a brief presentation of their projects for FMS faculty in the spring and have the option of exhibiting their work publicly at the end of spring term
The Culminating Experience Seminars will be taught by FMS faculty members
The instructors for the Culminating Experience Seminar serve as the project advisors for students completing FILM 93 or the FILM 95/96 sequence
Project proposals will be assessed for feasibility, appropriate scope and focus, and likelihood of completion
Production projects will be assessed in relation to the rest of the production curriculum, and regularly scheduled courses will have priority for equipment use
Under extreme circumstances, students may petition to alter or change their culminating projects but approval is not guaranteed
Please note that if you are taking FILM 40 in winter term of senior year, you may only choose extra work in an advanced course as your Culminating Experience
Please note that enrolling in FILM 80 (Independent Study) is not an option for pursuing extra work in a class for the Culminating Experience Project
The proposal must be emailed as a Word Doc. or PDF to the Chair (Roopika.Risam@Dartmouth.edu) and copied to the Department Administrator (Erin.E.Bennett@Dartmouth.edu) by October 23rd for winter and/or spring term projects.
FMS faculty will review all proposals
Students will be notified about the status of their proposals within 2-3 weeks of the deadline
Responses will take one of three forms:
Proposal Accepted: The proposal is accepted as written. No further action required.
Proposal Acceptance with Modifications: The proposal is accepted with modifications determined by the FMS faculty. No further action required.
Proposal Requires Revision: The proposal requires revisions determined by the FMS faculty. Please revise accordingly, consult FMS faculty as appropriate, and re-submit your revised proposal by December 1.
Reject: The proposal has not been accepted and an alternative Culminating Experience must be proposed. Please make an appointment with the Department Chair as soon as possible.
Please use this Culminating Experience Project Proposal Template to submit your proposal.
With the support of The Louise Rapf Memorial Fund Senior Majors and Modified Majors can get reimbursed for the cost of approved Culminating Experience Project expenses. Please follow the instructions detailed here on how to submit a proposal for this funding.