Academic Programs Catalog

The Minor in Documentary Production introduces undergraduates to the history, theory, and production of documentary media. Documentary production focuses on issues of media, representation, and reality. It engages directly with the fundamental understanding of how the world is presented, represented, distorted, structured, and shaped. Interpretation and representation of reality constitutes a central axis of inquiry and debate. By integrating production and analysis, students in this minor produce theoretically informed work and develop a cutting-edge understanding of the challenges inherent in representing reality.

The Minor in Documentary Production is administered by the School of Journalism within the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. Students in the Film Studies program in the Department of English; the School of Journalism; the Department of Media and Information; and the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures may find this minor of particular interest.

Students who are interested in the minor are eligible to apply if they are in good academic standing. Students will apply for the minor in the spring of their sophomore year by submitting an application available through the School of Journalism. Applications will be reviewed prior to annual enrollment.

With the approval of the department that administers the student’s degree program, courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree. The student’s program of study must be approved by the student’s academic advisor for the minor.

Prerequisite:
DS 211 Documentary Film History and Theory  3

Requirements for the Minor in Documentary Production

The student must complete at least 15 credits from the following: