Film and Moving Image Studies (PhD)
Program overview
The PhD in Film and Moving Image Studies trains the next generation of film scholars in the dominant forms of contemporary visual culture. It expands on the history, philosophy and meanings of the world's cinematic traditions and hones the critical tools with which researchers explore this field, one of the most vibrant in fine arts and humanities. The program deepens students' understanding of cinema and moving image media by drawing on a wide variety of historical and cultural perspectives. Our program fosters interdisciplinarity in both research and teaching, while being deeply rooted in the traditions that have shaped film and media studies. Students are encouraged to research film and moving image practices in different national contexts and periods. Montreal's status as a cultural metropolis provides an exceptional range of film venues, museums, galleries and artist-run centres.
Program details
- MA in Film Studies (or cognate field) with a minimum B+ average or GPA of 3.30
- Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the Graduate Admission page for further information on the Language Proficiency requirements and exemptions.
Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.
6 credits – Core Courses
FMST 806 - Proseminar I (3 credits)
FMST 807 - Proseminar II (3 credits)
3 credits – Choice from four clusters (two offered per year)
FMST 801 - Seminar in Film and Moving Image History (3 credits)
FMST 802 - Seminar in Film and Moving Image Aesthetics (3 credits)
FMST 803 - Seminar in Film and Moving Image Theory (3 credits)
FMST 804 - Seminar in Film, Moving Image and Cultural Theory (3 credits)
6 credits – Electives
FMST 805/FMST 605 - Topics in English Canadian Cinema (3 credits)
FMST 810/FMST 610 - Topics in Cinema Québécois (3 credits)
FMST 815/FMST 615 - Topics in European Cinema (3 credits)
FMST 820/FMST 620 - Topics in Non-European Cinema (3 credits)
FMST 825/FMST 625 - Topics in Film History (3 credits)
FMST 830/FMST 630 - Topics in Film Theory (3 credits)
FMST 835/FMST 635 - Topics in Aesthetics and Cultural Theory (3 credits)
FMST 840/FMST 640 - Gender Issues in Film (3 credits)
FMST 845/FMST 645 - Topics in Film Genres (3 credits)
FMST 850/FMST 650 - Topics in Experimental Film and Video (3 credits)
FMST 855 - Topics in Documentary (3 credits)
FMST 860 - Topics in Film Directors (3 credits)
FMST 865/FMST 665 - Topics in Film Studies (3 credits)
FMST 870 - Independent Study (3 credits)
FMST 880 - Research Seminar (3 credits)
3 credits – Comprehensive Examination
FMST 887 - Comprehensive Exam (3 credits)
6 credits – Thesis Proposal
FMST 885 - Thesis Proposal (6 credits)
3 credits – Specialization Examination Essay
FMST 888 - Specialization Examination Essay (3 credits)
63 credits – Thesis
FMST 890 Research and Thesis (60 credits)
Please review the department application requirements before applying online. Read the how-to guide for general application procedures.
| DEGREE |
FALL (September) |
WINTER (January) |
SUMMER (May/June) |
| Film and Moving Image Studies | PhD | Feb. 1* | n/a | n/a |
| * Late applications may occasionally be considered, at the discretion of the Program Director and subject to space availability. Please inquire directly to the Program Director. | ||||
Priority will be given to those who apply within the official deadlines listed above. Some programs may continue to accept applications after these deadlines. For more information, please contact the department.
Our seminars are designed exclusively for doctoral students. They cover a robust range of scholarship in film and media history and theory that recognizes the value of pluralism in moving image research. At Concordia, students join a vibrant and enthusiastic research community, and are mentored by acclaimed prize-winning faculty members while pursuing individual scholarly goals and developing original scholarship.
Visit the department website for a current list of course offerings and consult the graduate calendar for a list of courses.
All PhD students in Film and Moving Image Studies receive funding and are eligible to work as Teaching Assistants as well as Research Assistants, and a variety of University bursaries and fellowships are also available. Opportunities also exist for designing and teaching undergraduate courses. International fee remission is available for foreign students who then pay only local fees for tuition (amongst the lowest in North America). Students entering the program with a SSHRC or FRQSC fellowship receive a $10,000 top up from the School of Graduate Studies.
Please also consult the department’s and Concordia’s graduate funding page and Financial Aid and Awards.
All PhD applicants are advised to identify faculty members in the program whose expertise and interests would allow them to serve as potential supervisors for the applicant's doctoral project, and to contact these faculty members, prior to application, to inquire about their interest and availability to supervise. Applicants can contact several faculty members, and are encouraged to consider more than one potential supervisor. Potential supervisors should be identified in the statement of purpose submitted as part of the application package.
While a formal acceptance from the potential supervisor is not required at the application stage, the availability of potential supervisors is a factor in determining the ranking of an applicant.
Upon matriculation, students are expected to have established a formal relationship with a PhD supervisor in the first year of the program. Students who do not have a supervisor by the end of their first year will be withdrawn from the program. Students may request to be allowed to remain registered in the program after this point for a maximum of four months in order to secure a supervisor.
Choose your supervisor from amongst leading researchers.
Faculty interests include:
- Canadian, US, European, Russian, Arab, South American, Japanese and transnational cinema and media
- experimental, documentary and ethnographic film
- early cinema
- feminist film theory and practice
- cinema and the archive
- teen media
- sound studies
- media convergence
- film and media theory
- queer film and video
- film technology
- the study of cultural institutions such as museums and film festivals
- film and media history and historiography
The Centre for Digital Arts and the Visual Collections Repository (VCR) are equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment, computer labs and editing, and are staffed with technical experts who will help you realize your ideas. You’ll have access to:
- Computing labs for video and sound editing
- Audio-visual equipment loans
- Instructive workshops and activities that show you how to use the equipment
- Media library and viewing rooms
Read more about our cinema facilities.
Graduate students have access to various other research centres, including the Hexagram Centre for Research-Creation in Media Arts and Technologies as well as the Milieux Institute for Arts, Culture and Technology.
Review an inspiring list of thesis topics.
The vibrant culture of the program includes opportunities for students to get involved in Concordia-based film journals, research groups, yearly conferences and active reading groups.
Our students position themselves at the forefront of new scholarship by organizing screenings, workshops and seminars that interface with Montreal’s rich cultural and arts scene and beyond. They are encouraged and supported to actively disseminate their own research through conferences and publications. A plethora of distinguished guests participate in departmental and University-wide events, while faculty and students from other fields and institutions contribute to an active schedule of discussions and activities.
